Parents should limit children’s screen time on electronic devices

In these modern days, technology has become more advanced than before. Nowadays,
there is a very small amount of children who have no exposure to electronic devices such as
TVs, smartphones, iPads, consoles, computers, and other devices. Children these days rarely
play with toys, instead, they play games or watch videos through their devices. Screen time
has become a big part of human lives, especially for children. Children these days have been
exposed to screen at a young age and the debate whether a parent should restrict or limit
screen time for their children has gained quite the attention. Although it is believed that not
limiting the use of electronic devices may help children develop digital skills and improve
their learning, This essay will argue that parents should limit children’s screen time on
electronic devices because it causes structural changes in the brain, lowers cognition, and
increases health risks.

First, too much screen may cause structural changes in the brains of children especially
children under the age of 18 years old. It was said by (Hutton, LaMotte, CNN News Health,
2019, p.1) that screen time causes too much passiveness for brain development, and may
replace the important experiences that could’ve helped children reinforce brain networks
more strongly. Screen time causes the cerebral cortex's thinning, which is the brain's
outermost layer for children who use screen-based media for approximately 7 hours per day
(World Economic Forum, 2018, p.1). Frequent exposure to screen time such as television
shows and video games prevented brain nerve tracks from developing as intended.
Meanwhile, face-to-face interactions activate different parts of the human brain that are not
activated during virtual meetings. In conclusion, human interactions are much more
beneficial for the brain development of children at a young age, because this allows children
to have a healthy and stimulating experience to build the brain structure and operate at its
maximum genetic potential according to (Harvard, 2008, p.2).

Secondly, it is also believed that higher daily screen times are correlated with lower cognition
in children. According to NIH 208 study, children with screen time of more than two hours
have lower scores in thinking and language tests. The digital distraction or supernormal
activities for cognitive offloading that are offered during screen time may create a non-ideal
environment for the improvement of higher cognitive functions during critical moments of
brain development in children (Hastie, M. 2022). It was found that Canadian children
between the age of 8-to-11 years old who have recreational screen time of 2 hours or less per
day and sleep of 9-11 hours was correlated with improved cognition. However, children
between the ages of 9-to-10 years with more screen time were correlated with increased
problem behavior. It is understood that cognitive overload impacted the quality of
comprehension, prioritization, and deep-level processing of incoming information. Screen
time causes short-term memory, not to be able to consolidate into long-term memory, and
results in poor processing of the brain.

Given all the negative impacts that screen time causes on children, are there any positive
impacts of parents not limiting screen time to children? There was no consistent evidence that
was found of the health benefits of screen time. Thus multiple research in this essay support
the action to limit screen use by children, limitation of sedentary screen time to devices such
as television, video games, and other related electronics, to less than two hours per day while
also doing other physical activities. It was also said that screen use may also cause health
risks, and increased use of electronic devices has been associated with a number of mental
health conditions, like ADHD. studies consistently show excessive screen time as a
contributor to obesity according to (Council on Communications and Media, 2011). Children
nowadays ages 4 to 9, viewing time of more than 1.5 hours a day which is a higher risk factor
to obesity since increased sedentary activity and interference with normal sleep patterns. In
short, having media access without limitations is a risk factor for disrupted sleep which may
lead to several health risks. Health risks such as obesity, eye problems, or even mental health
risks such as ADHD and ASD, can be caused by excessive screen time. Because of these
reasons, it is essential for parents to limit their children’s screen time to avoid any kind of
impact on children.

In conclusion, children nowadays are constantly spending most of their time on the screen
mainly playing games, because of this Parents should limit children's screen time, the
suggested use of screen time is less than 2 hours per day especially for young children. As
mentioned earlier in this essay, there was no consistent evidence of any health benefits of
excessive screen time instead it may cause changes to a child's brain structure because screen
time causes too much passiveness which slows brain development, lower cognition is the
impact of too much screen time this creates the short term memories and lastly this activity
may increase the likeliness of health risks mentally and physically, passiveness barely have
any movement which causes obesity and eye problems to children and may also affect the
mental state of children such as ADHD and ASD due to severe addiction. That is why the
best way to avoid this, is for parents to limit their children's screen time and increase more
physical and developing activities for children.
References

Cerniglia, L., Cimino, S., & Ammaniti, M. (2021). What are the effects of screen time on
emotion regulation and academic achievements? A three-wave longitudinal study on children
from 4 to 8 years of age. Journal of Early Childhood Research : ECR, 19(2), 145–160.
[Link]

Hastie, M. (2022). Setting Limits on Screen Time for Children (6-to-12 Years): The Integral
Role of Parents and Educators. [version 1; peer review: 2 not approved]. F1000 Research, 11,
21–. [Link]

Robidoux, H., Ellington, E., & Lauerer, J. (2019). Screen Time: The Impact of Digital
Technology on Children and Strategies in Care. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental
Health Services, 57(11), 15–20. [Link]