Technology Use for Children and Youth

How many hours should our children be exposed to Smartphones or Technologies? 


Here we can find a table from an American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Society of Pediatrics that clarify the age appropriate exposer to Technologies.

 10 research-based reasons showing the negative effect of this exposure. 

 1 Rapid brain growth :

 Stimulation to a developing brain caused by overexposure to technologies (cell phones, internet, iPads, TV), has been shown to be associated with executive functioning and attention deficit, cognitive delays, impaired learning, increased impulsivity and decreased ability to self-regulate, e.g. tantrums .

 2. Delayed Development 

 One in three children now enter school developmentally delayed, negatively impacting literacy and academic achievement. Movement enhances attention and learning ability 

 3. Epidemic Obesity 

TV and video game use correlates with increased obesity. Children who are allowed a device in their bedrooms have 30% increased incidence of obesity. One in four Canadian, and one in three U.S. children, are obese.

30% of children with obesity will develop diabetes, and obese individuals are at higher risk for early stroke and heart attack, gravely shortening life expectancy.

4. 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.

 5. 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. One in six Canadian children have a diagnosed mental illness, many of whom are on dangerous psychotropic medication.

6. 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. "Grand Theft Auto V" portrays explicit sex, murder, rape, torture and mutilation, as do many movies and TV shows. The U.S. has categorized media violence as a Public Health Risk due to causal impact on child aggression. Media reports increased use of restraints and seclusion rooms with children who exhibit uncontrolled aggression. 

7. 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. Children who can't pay attention can't learn. 

8. Addictions

As parents attach more and more to technology, they are detaching from their children. In the absence of parental attachment, detached children can attach to devices, which can result in addiction. One in 11 children aged 8-18 years are addicted to technology. 

9. Radiation emission

 Dr. Anthony Miller from the University of Toronto's School of Public Health, recommended that based on new research, radio frequency exposure should be reclassified as a 2A (probable carcinogen), not a 2B (possible carcinogen). 

10. Unsustainable

The ways in which children are raised and educated with technology are no longer sustainable. Children are our future, but there is no future for children who overuse technology. A team-based approach is necessary and urgent in order to reduce the use of technology by children. 

Reference: You can find this full article by clicking on this link 

Rowan, C. (2015). 10 Reasons Why Handheld Devices Should Be Banned for Children Under the Age of 12. The Huffington Post, 6. Consulté à l’adresse http://www.mrshatzi.com/topics/cell-phones-in-class/articles/10-reasons.pdf