According to the Canadian Society of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should not have full access to handheld devices. For instance, children under 2 should never use such items, children aged 3-5 should use them for an hour a day, while those aged 6-18 should use handheld devices only 2 hours a day.

This is because children use technology 4-5 times more than they should which may result in serious developmental issues.

We have listed some of them:

1. Brain growth

Children’s brain grows pretty fast. Overexposure to Internet and technology devices like cell phones, TV, iPads may cause development of attention deficit, impaired learning, cognitive delays and children may not be able to develop an ability to self-regulate.

2. Developmental consequences

Using technology devices retards child’s movement which delays development and affects literacy and academic achievement. Children under 12 should not be allowed to use handheld devices that often.

3. Obesity

Using technology reduces physical activity and children gain weight more easily. This is one of the reasons why one in four Canadian and US children is obese. About 30% of children have diabetes, meaning they are exposed to a higher risk of heart attack and shorter life expectancy.

4. Insufficient sleep

Statistics shows that 75% of children use handheld devices in their rooms, and those aged 9-10 sleep less than they should, which has a huge impact on their grades.

5. Mental disorders

Overuse of devices may cause problematic behaviour, psychosis, bipolar disorder, attention deficit, anxiety and child depression.

6. Aggressiveness

Violent media, physical and sexual content, video games full of violence, murders and torture make children aggressive. In the USA, media violence is categorized as a Public Health Risk.

7. Dementia

Exposure to high speed media content is the reason why children deal with attention deficit, decreased concentration and memory, which eventually affects their ability to learn.

8. Technology addiction

Parents addicted to technology spend less time with their kids, and kids attach to technology, which later results in technology addiction.

9. Radiation

World Health Organization has classified cell phones as possible carcinogens, or category 2B risk, meaning they are quite dangerous for children’s brain development. According to Dr Anthony Miller from the University of Toronto’s School of Public Health, cell phones should be classified as a 2A, or probable carcinogens. His recommendations are based on the latest research.

10. Sustainability

Children who are using technology their entire childhood are likely to be unsustainable because they cannot develop completely and fit in society. Future is in your children’s hands, so make sure they are raised properly. Share your opinion below slide shows on www.zonein.ca under “videos” with people who are also concerned by this issue.

Dr Andrew Doan, a neuroscientist and author of Hooked on Games,Dr Hilarie Cash, Director of reStart Internet Addiction Recovery Program and author of Video Games and Your Kids; and Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist and author of Virtual Child have developed a guideline for parents regarding technology use.

Check it below and share this with others so we can all protect our children and contribute to a brighter future.