Excessive cell phone use by children affects psychomotor development; understand

The wide use of social networks and the multiplication of access to various applications and online games aimed at children and adolescents extend the time of use of equipment such as cell phones and tablets.

A survey by the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) revealed that residents of Brazilian capitals and the Federal District increased the time spent leisurely on cell phones, computers or tablets from 1.7 to 2 hours a day, between 2016 and 2021.

The coordinator of the Digital Health Group of the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP), Evelyn Eisenstein, says that there is no ideal age to introduce the use of these devices in the lives of children, and it is recommended that parents and caregivers set limits.

“The problem is: what is this child failing to do to stay under the screen? Whenever possible, the child has to play, because it is through play that he develops his psychomotor skills. When the child stops doing, for example, what we call a routine at home, like taking a shower, skipping meals and wants to spend all the time on the cell phone, he creates a pathology, an illness, which is dependence on the digital world” , says Evelyn in a statement.

A survey by the Internet Management Committee in Brazil, carried out with children and adolescents on accessing and using the Internet, reveals that there has been a significant growth in the proportion of Internet users aged between 9 and 10 years (92% in 2021, compared to 79 % in 2019).

“On the one hand, we say it’s good, of course. But as a pediatrician, I have to talk about the risks. There is the other side of screens, that of health risks,” she says.

The doctor says that digital addiction is a process that makes the child more “accelerated”, because it causes a mood swing, in which the child becomes more irritable or more tearful. “This is related to the release of dopamine, a brain neurotransmitter that makes the child react like this”, she details.

In addition, the behavior of parents has a direct influence on their children’s digital consumption, explains the pediatrician. “We are talking more and more of parents disconnecting and walking with their children. Enjoy, for example, the weekend with an outdoor walk. Parents who are connected all the time serve as a reference model for the child and do not even realize the risk. In this way, a codependency is created”, says Evelyn.

Recommendations

The Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP) lists some recommendations on the use of screens by children and adolescents.

The time of daily use of digital technology must be limited and proportional to the ages and stages of development of children and adolescents. In addition, parents and caregivers should discourage, avoid and even prohibit passive exposure in front of digital screens, with exposure to inappropriate film and video content, for children under 2 years of age, especially during mealtimes or 1 to 2 hours before bed.

The maintenance of sleep health at a suitable time for each age group, as well as the number of hours, contributes to rest and to the production of hormones, in a physiological way.

The SBP also recommends prioritizing a regular diet with schedules for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner, as well as attention to not only nutritional quality, but without caloric excess. In addition to time for children and adolescents to do some regular physical activity, exercises or games with active movements.

According to the SBP, digital dependence and excessive exposure to technological resources can lead to problems such as:

• Damage to mental health: irritability, anxiety and depression;
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorders;
• sleep disorders;
• eating disorders, such as overweight or obesity and anorexia or bulimia
• sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise;
• bullying and cyberbullying;
• visual problems, nearsightedness and computer visual syndrome;
• hearing problems, such as noise-induced hearing loss,
• and postural disorders.