Effects of Electronic Gadgets on Children As Explained By the Experts of Vision Care in Austin

It is hard to deny the usefulness of electronic devices; however, their early introduction and overexposure on kids is becoming a major long-term risk with social, psychological, physical and educational drawbacks. These days, children learn to operate an electronic gadget before they even know how to feed themselves. This technological generation will never know the joy of riding a bicycle or finally completing a jigsaw puzzle.

According to a research conducted by Dr Nirmala Karuppiah in Singapore in the year 2013, 65% of the children used electronic gadgets by the age of three. From which, 95% of them played stimulation and video games, and only a few of them were involved in educational games. The negative impacts of excessively using electronic gadgets are mentioned below, which also highlight the importance of vision care in Austin.

Late Speech

It is believed that watching television is helpful in a child’s language development. However, this is far from the truth. The cognition level of children, who are younger than 2 years, is not well developed and this causes an obstruction that causes a delay in the development of language acquisition.

Impact on the Brain

Sigmund Freud has stressed on the importance of the initial 5 years of a child’s life for their future development. It is crucial to understand that a lot of learning takes place during this time. The use of technology to help children learn to read and speak is not necessary. Rather, the time they spend with their parents is far more important. Impairment in learning, attention problems, and delay in cognitive development are just a few of the negative outcomes of excessive gadget usage.

Educational Decline

Austin eye care experts state that children who play video games or use any such gadgets before their bedtime will have trouble sleeping. This is because the rays from these devices and the visual pressure keeps them awake, which will further have a negative impact on their performance in school. Moreover, research done by Boston College found that students in the U.S scored lower in reading, math, and science as compared to Asian students. This can be because the developed world is more dependent on technology from the early years as compared to other countries.

Anger Problem

Problems related to anger arise in children who play violent video games. It is also important to understand that these gadgets are addictive. It is hard to stop a child from using it when they have become habitual to it. This is because once the dependency has developed; they will feel anxiety and anger, and create outbursts when they are denied.

Physical Activity

The more the kid is indulged in the gadget for entertainment, the less time they will spend outside, and the less active they will be. This will reduce their daily movement and further have an effect on their physical development and visual development. Not only will they be physically unfit, but their brain function will also be lower. Vision can also be impeded as it is developed through the motor system. Children who spend less time outside are also more prone to developing Myopia (nearsightedness) at an early age which dictates a life sentence of wearing glasses.
It is time you think about the damage that is being caused by handing kids these devices just to keep them busy and entertained. The excessive use of anything will have negative consequences and parents should be aware of this. If your child is excessively using electronic gadgets, you can consult an Austin vision therapy specialist for a checkup to insure it is not negatively impacting her visual development.