A pediatric occupational therapist Cris Rowan, calls parents, teachers, and governments to ban the use of all handheld devices for children under the age of 12 years.
There are research-based reasons for this prohibition.
Delayed Development
Technology use restricts movement, which can result in delayed development. Use of technology under the age of 12 years is detrimental to child development and learning.
Rapid Brain Growth
Between 0 and 2 years, infant’s brains triple in size, and continue in a state of rapid development to 21 years of age. Stimulation to a developing brain caused by overexposure to technologies (cell phones, internet, iPads, TV0, has been shown to be associated with executive functioning and attention deficit, cognitive delays, impaired learning, increased impulsivity and decreased ability to self-regulate.
Sleep Deprivation
60% of parents do not supervise their child’s technology usage, and 75% of children are allowed technology in their bedrooms. 75% of children aged 9 and 10 years are sleep deprived to the extent that their grades are detrimentally impacted.
Mental Illness
Technology overuse is implicated as a causal factor in rising rates of child depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, attention deficit, autism, bipolar disorder, psychosis and problematic child behavior.
Aggression
Violent media content can cause child aggression. Young children are increasingly exposed to rising incidence of physical and sexual violence in today’s media. US has categorized media violence as a Public Health Risk due to causal impact on child aggression.
Digital Dementia
High speed media content can contribute to attention deficit, as well as decreased concentration and memory, due to the brain pruning neuronal tracks to the frontal cortex.
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