RISE OF TECHNOLOGIES EFFECTS ON CHILDREN

RISE OF TECHNOLOGIES EFFECTS ON CHILDREN

Thesis

Technology plays a crucial function in human daily lives and the rise of its application in various items such as electronic games, portable devices, and personal computers affect children both positively and negatively. The effects of technology have implications that support development in children in healthy lifestyle and vice versa. Technology provides opportunity for children to develop physically and mentally but if not used appropriately can lead to adverse effects which raise health concerns. Despite the outcome it is important for parents to control their children’s access to technological advancements to stay healthy and safe.

Several research studies have analyzed the average time spent by children on different technological devices such as phones, iPad, iPod, radio, computers, and others. Children use these devices for reasons such as playing games, texting, watching films, watching the cartoon, internet browsing and communication purposes. Kids spend quality time conducting these activities without considering issues such the posture they take while using the electronic gadgets, the brightness level of the screens and distance between their eyes and the screen which resultantly affect their sight and general health (Burbules & Nicholas 120). Looking at electronic screens for a long period of time results into distress. Children develop various problems such as eye irritation and problems with focusing for long periods of time.

In 2013, it was reported by Daily mail that 29 percent of toddlers can easily operate electronic gadgets and 70 percent master operation of various gadgets by primary school. Research conducted by CDC found that kids spend approximately eight hours daily staring at electronic screens and these rate increases as they continue to grow (Judge, Sharon, Kimberly & Tara 117-131). Excess usage of various gadgets results in long period vision problems. The chance of kids being affected by myopia increases with technological devices uses and they also blink.

Motor skills are connected with muscles that support movements such as toes, lips, tongue, fingers, and wrists. When young children play various games on phones, tablets, Xbox or television their hands, legs and fingers conduct workouts. Such exercises are healthy for growing kids and also protect them from injuries they might sustain while playing with objects such as bicycles or swings  (Livingstone, Sonia, and Peter 635-654). Cognitive skills enable children to process information, remember things, reasoning and relation of various elements. The skills are linked to memory plus language directly. Technology assists children to rapidly and best develop cognitive skills. Technology has supported digitizing of various paper games such as puzzles and books which are supported by electronic devices. Interactive apps, education programs, and video games are available for kids to play which contributes towards the development of cognitive skills.

The technological products cause a distraction in kids. Parents leave their children with electronic gadgets and handheld devices that keep them busy hence they do not become destructive or disturb other people through distraction. Various gadgets enable kids to have fun and enjoy playing games which some of them are educative in nature (Aiken & Mary 50). Games such as car races or candy crush make kids understand various dynamics if action plus reaction or cause plus effects. Electronic devices support advanced learning alternatives for kids in an interesting format that is entertaining for them.

Technology is helpful in assisting students to learn in educational settings. Children can browse several educative contents. Technology enables kids to access educational content which assist during research studies with the assistance of visual illustrations, interactive applications, tutorials, access books and videos that are education oriented (Hale, Lauren,& Stanford 50-58). Educative games assist kids to perform best in their learning process. Various games that kids play on gadgets enable them to develop competitive skills, enhance their competition skills and management of self in a competitive environment.

Despite technology having a positive impact on kids, there also negative consequences associated with gadgets use. Speech is a verbal kind of communication that is utilized by individuals to pass messages while language is a structure for communication those verbal and non-verbal elements. Children with language delay can pronounce words well but lack the capacity to construct meaningful words. Children who have speech delay cannot utilize words to express ideas they want to convey. According to research studies, kids who spend most of their time on electronic and other technological gadgets have problems related to expressive speech. Children normally learn to express themselves through mingling and interacting with others. Children who spend most of their time playing with gadgets do not have enough time interacting with others and developing their abilities linguistically. Such devices hinder children from expressing themselves of communicating frequently. Research studies indicate that 49 percent of children who spend most of their times on screen is likely to have delayed speech.

Attention deficits- technological advancement and innovations if used excessively by children can result in hyperactivity disorder which is a mental malady which makes individuals have challenges in paying attention, difficulty in behavior control and excess activity. Attention deficits that occur in kids and make them be unable to focus, become restless, fidgety and they become distracted easily. Normally kids learn a lot of stuff before they reach of five years; if they use gadgets it will hinder them from communicating with their parents and learn  (Livingstone, Sonia, and Peter  635-654). Children need enough time to interact with their parents and learn from them in order to learn new vocabularies and ways of communicating effectively. Exposing children to various gadgets is connected to a delay in cognitive capability plus impaired learning.

Research from the University of Washington shows that technological modern gadgets are not mandatory for children development. When children who have become used to gadgets are denied the opportunity to use them usually exhibit anxiety. Some kids also when are experiencing negative emotions turn to the technological gadgets to calm them down rather than devising mechanisms to cope naturally (Hale, Lauren,& Stanford 50-58). Childhood depression adversely affects a kid’s behavior especially their thought patterns and actions. Excessive use of gadgets brings depression in kids which results in mental health challenges.

Children are also exposed to adult content that exists on the internet and television channels which negatively affect their character. It is therefore important for parents to protect their kids from negative effects of technology by scheduling time for using screens, making children to play outside, introduce them to creative/ educative toys and ensure that they get enough sleep.

Conclusion

Technology should be used in a positive manner in order to limit adverse effects it has on children. It is important for parents to keep children away from gadgets or make them play in the scheduled setting. The content above provides arguments about the positive and negative effects of technology on children. Technology enables children to have excellent motor skills, keep them busy and assist them to in acquisition of knowledge through educative games and website browsing. On the other hand, technology affects children negatively through delayed speech, attention deficits, delay of cognitive skills development and exposure to adult content through internet and television programs.

Rhetorical addendum states that despite technology influencing every aspect of human life, some results are negative and other are positive. In reference to rise of effects in children that is triggered by technology, the children should be restricted to concentrate of the positive application of technology and omit the negative ones. The adverse effects of technology exist in health and social behaviours, while on the other hand technology support learning, development  and adaptation to future technology since it is a component of life that is not possible to eliminate.

Reference

Burbules, Nicholas. Watch IT: The risks and promises of information technologies for education. Routledge, 2018.

Livingstone, Sonia, & Peter K. Smith. “Annual research review: Harms experienced by child users of online and mobile technologies: The nature, prevalence, and management of sexual and aggressive risks in the digital age.” Journal of child psychology and psychiatry 55.6 (2014): 635-654.

Hale, Lauren, & Stanford Guan. “Screen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic literature review.” Sleep medicine reviews 21 (2015): 50-58.

Judge, Sharon, Kimberly Floyd, & Tara Jeffs. “Using mobile media devices and apps to promote young children’s learning.” Young children and families in the information age. Springer, Dordrecht, 2015. 117-131.

Aiken, Mary. Cyber Effect: An Expert in Cyberpsychology Explains how Technology is Shaping Our Children, Our Behavior, and Our Values–and what We Can Do about it. Spiegel & Grau, 2017.