Impact of media on Children

Impact of media on Children

            Many children in the world today spend more time watching TV than they do in school (Sigman, 2012). Other children spend their time using other forms of screen media such as computers, video games, and smartphones. They spend less time interacting physically with their friends, and most of their interactions are online. Over the years, the amount of time spent on screen media has become more than a cultural issue. It has become a medical concern. Most studies associate excessive use of screen media with reduced sleep time among these children (Cain & Gradisar, 2010). Other associated disorders include obesity, poor physical fitness, aggressive behavior, and reduced self-esteem (Li et al., 2007).

These associated problems force the children to go to hospitals for treatment. Their parents spend a lot of money on medical bills when they could have prevented the occurrence of such disorders. Many children sit behind screens all day long, without leaving the house even once during the day. Such habits are dangerous to the human body because the body requires exercise to remain in good condition. Lack of exercise may result in other complications such as obesity, type II diabetes, and hypertension. These features are part of the reason why many people die at a very young age.

Many parents do not see the dangers associated with allowing their children to spend so much time on screens. Many of them are too busy with their lives, such that they provide their children with these gadgets so that the children would not cross their paths. They use these gadgets to keep their children busy while they carry out their obligations. These obligations include meeting career deadlines, among others. Often, parents return home tired after a long day of work and need to rest. Their children are glued to their screens, watching cartoons and other shows; hence they do not interfere with their sleeping patterns.

Although the parents may feel that their children are happy with all the fun they get from the media, these practices are dangerous, and they result in severe complications in the future. Sitting all day deprives the body of much-needed exercise. The child’s bones become weak and brittle, increasing the chances of developing osteoporosis in the future. Also, such children have reduced metabolic rates. As a result, most of the harmful compounds are not broken down, resulting in other complications.

This issue has many implications in the hospital setting. Given the high number of children who do not exercise, they will soon be swarming to hospitals to get medical intervention. Their high amounts will result in an overwhelming state for the hospital staff. They will be too many for the nurses to handle. Consequently, the quality of care becomes poor since they cannot concentrate fully on individual cases because every patient needs their attention. Hospitals become crowded, and there is a rapid depletion of resources. Eventually, the patients do not respond well to children because they do not receive the required quality of care.

It is the responsibility of nurses to take care of patients in a hospital setting. Therefore, the increased patient population will put a strain on nurses as they will be required to monitor the progress of the patients. As a result, many nurses may become exhausted. This exhaustion will negatively affect their ability to perform their duties well.

There is a simple solution to this problem. Parents should encourage their children to get out of the house more and play with their friends. They can give their children sports equipment such as balls and bicycles to help them exercise while they have fun. Watching TV should be limited to a few hours to prevent them from spending too much time indoors (Hofferth, S). By doing this, the parents protect their children from several complications that could be fatal.

References

Cain, N., & Gradisar, M. (2010). Electronic media use and sleep in school-aged children and adolescents: A review. Sleep medicine, 11(8), 735-742.

Hofferth, S. L. (2010). Home media and children’s achievement and behavior. Child Development, 81(5), 1598-1619.

Li, S., Jin, X., Wu, S., Jiang, F., Yan, C., & Shen, X. (2007). The impact of media use on sleep patterns and sleep disorders among school-aged children in China. Sleep, 30(3), 361-367.

Sigman, A. (2012). The impact of screen media on children: a Eurovision for parliament. Improving the quality of childhood in Europe, 3, 88-121.