The influence of the computer on children's health: how to protect our kids from harmful effects?

It all started with the financial crisis. Or rather, from its consequences. Thank God, it didn’t affect me, because teachers’ salaries couldn’t be lower, but the parents of my students significantly revised their views on life. And they began to appear at meetings less and less often, explaining this by the search for a new job, family problems, chronic fatigue and other unpleasant things. I patiently listened to everyone, mostly over the phone, trying to understand and get into the situation, since I have known my parents for a long time, and for some I am not raising the first, or even the second. But my management refused to understand the presence of three out of twenty-five at the meeting and demanded explanations. And from the height of my pedagogical experience, I understood that one of the most important conditions for the successful development of children is the relationship and close cooperation of parents and the teacher, that is, me.

So, after analyzing the situation, I came to the conclusion that parents living under constant time pressure will attend only those events that they consider important and necessary for their children. They simply have no time to listen to reports on the distribution of funds over the past year and discuss projects for major repairs of the kindergarten building. They want up-to-date, useful and accessible information about the things they really care about. Well, people who trust me with the most precious thing - their children - have the right to do so. This means that I simply need to provide parents with access to such information, making our infrequent joint meetings interesting and educational. In the end, this is a question of my pedagogical prestige and competence.

Having conducted monitoring studies among parents (or, more simply, by talking with each of them), I found out that, first of all, my fathers and mothers are concerned about the health and development of their children, who are forced to spend most of their free time in front of a computer monitor while adults are busy solving financial problems . Parents asked for help in choosing computer games, asked for advice on the duration of such activities, and were worried about the computer replacing live communication. Based on this, I developed an innovative series of educational lectures for parents, “Computer and Childhood,” which spoke in accessible language about the enormous opportunities for children’s development that computer games and Internet resources offer. The series of lectures was tested and approved by my parents, many questions were asked and a proposal was made to hold a joint themed holiday. This is how the methodological development of a musical holiday for children of senior preschool age “Birthday of the computer mouse Glasha” appeared, and the holiday itself was subsequently received with a bang by the children.

I bring to your attention the most interesting and educational material I have accumulated, and at the same time I want to dispel some myths about the influence of a computer on a child, which are so firmly entrenched in the minds of most parents.

Impact on children's health

1. Vision.

The eyes are the first to suffer. They are in constant tension. When you stay at the monitor for a long time, symptoms such as double vision, temporary myopia, dryness and burning occur. Children's eyes quickly get tired due to their immaturity.

My vision is deteriorating and I will soon have to wear glasses. Most often, children play on a laptop or tablet while lying on the sofa, which increases eye strain. In recent years, according to statistical data, myopia (myopia) is twice as common among first-graders. This indicates the harmful effects of computers on vision.

1. Posture.

The computer also harms children’s posture. As a rule, the place for playing or studying at the computer is not equipped for the height of the child. For example, he plays on a laptop, sitting on the sofa, on the floor, lounging on an armchair.

The back is in the wrong position. The child slouches or cranes his neck too much because he cannot see the image. Over time, this leads to curvature of the spine. There are complaints of pain in the head and back.

1. Nervous system.

A weak, not yet fully formed nervous system in children fails during prolonged contact with a computer. This is manifested by increased excitability, poor sleep, and sudden changes in mood.

Attentiveness decreases, unmotivated aggression appears. Subsequently, children develop computer addiction. Apart from his favorite “toy”, a dependent child no longer cares about anything.

Computer and child’s health: how not to harm it?

The new school year has started, and a period of intense workload has begun for schoolchildren. Of course, modern children more often use a computer for games, but learning today often involves “communication” with technology. What health risks do this pose and how can they be reduced? Specialists from the Regional Center for Medical Prevention gave their recommendations.

Computer and vision

While working or playing at the computer, visual stress increases first of all. The brightness and flickering of the monitor causes increased strain on the eyes. In addition, increased concentration of attention at one point is required. This all leads to fatigue of the eye muscles, and then to deterioration of vision: discomfort, burning, redness of the eyeballs appear (symptoms of “computer vision syndrome”).

Excessive computer use can also aggravate existing problems, requiring vision correction at an early age.

According to medical research, about 8% of preschoolers suffer from visual impairment. By the 9th grade, this figure increases to 23%, and by the time they graduate from school, more than a third of graduates have various vision problems.

You can try to improve the situation by teaching your child to do eye exercises and alternate working on the computer with active games. Special glasses also help a lot.

Computer and spine

In addition to vision, the computer has an impact on the condition of the child’s spine and internal organs. Children spend a lot of time sitting. If a child does not engage in physical exercise, then prolonged sessions at the computer can lead to deterioration of posture, and subsequently to curvature of the spine.

As a preventive measure, it is important for parents to develop the habit of keeping their back straight, not hunching over, and installing the computer so that the child does not have to slouch, crane his neck or hold his head high. This will help you avoid problems with muscles and joints in the future.

When working at a computer, the most optimal body position is in which the back and neck are straight, feet are on the floor, legs are bent at the knees at right angles, elbows are also bent at right angles and lie on the table.

In addition, you should ergonomically organize your workplace at the computer, change your position as often as possible or get up from the computer and, of course, if possible, do gymnastics and play sports regularly. Swimming, exercises on the horizontal bar, and various bends are very useful for developing the back muscles.

Computer and health: precautions

To ensure that computer activities have the least possible negative impact on the child’s body, it is recommended to take certain precautions.

1. Organize your child’s workplace correctly. The computer chair and desk must match the child’s height. The chair must have a back, and the distance from the eyes to the monitor must be at least 70 centimeters.

2. Be sure to take a break from work every 10 minutes. Gymnastics for the eyes is very useful.

3. Buy for your child only high-quality licensed programs designed specifically for his age. Try to avoid computer programs and games that contain scenes of violence.

4. Do not allow your child to spend unsupervised time at the computer - this can have a very adverse effect on his health, both emotional and mental.

Computer and respiratory diseases

Respiratory diseases that develop as a result of working with a computer are often allergic in nature. This is due to the fact that during long-term operation of the computer, the monitor case and the boards in the system unit heat up and release harmful substances into the air, especially if the device is new.

The computer creates an electrostatic field around itself, which promotes dust settling, deionizes the environment, and reduces air humidity. Each of these factors has a detrimental effect on both the lungs and the entire body as a whole. General health worsens, a headache appears, appetite disappears, the child feels tired and sleeps poorly. You can reduce the influence of air ions by frequently ventilating the room and reducing the time you work on the computer.

Preventive measures for respiratory diseases include wet cleaning of the room and its ventilation, as well as increasing humidity. This can be done by placing an open container of water, an aquarium, a decorative waterfall, or using special humidifiers or air “washers.”

The computer and the child’s psyche

Children and teenagers usually perceive a computer as a toy. This hobby has two sides - positive and negative. Strategy games help develop thinking and logic. However, communicating with a computer, especially with gaming programs, is accompanied by severe nervous tension, since it requires a quick response. A short-term concentration of nervous processes causes obvious fatigue in the child, and the child’s body experiences a kind of emotional stress. Studies have shown that even waiting for a game is accompanied by a significant increase in the content of adrenal hormones.

Child psychologists and psychiatrists argue that computer games provoke constant stimulation of those parts of the brain that are responsible for pleasure. The child wants to experience these sensations again and again, and plays more and more. A real addiction arises, which can be compared to a drug addiction. In addition, children addicted to such games are more aggressive and have poor ability to control their emotions.

Almost all computer games significantly affect the child’s psyche and distort the perception of reality. Children cease to see the differences between the real world and the virtual one, perceive reality inadequately, and are sometimes even afraid of it. Such children refuse to communicate with peers, feel insecure in their environment, stop fantasizing, and have difficulty summarizing and analyzing information. The real world is much more burdensome than the virtual one, and children willingly immerse themselves in this virtual world.

How much time is safe for a child to spend on the computer?

There are recommendations from child psychologists and ophthalmologists regarding how much time children of different age categories can spend at the computer:

Children aged 3 to 7 years

It is safe for their health to spend no more than 15 minutes a day at the computer, and it is advisable not to turn on the computer at all for at least one day a week.

Children aged 7 to 10 years

can already spend a little more time at the computer – from 15 to 30 minutes. However, the rule of one day without a computer remains relevant for this age category.

Children aged 10 to 14 years

can be at the computer for one hour a day, but it is advisable to split the session into two stages. While working, do not forget that you need to take breaks for visual gymnastics.

Children from 14 to 16 years old

can spend about two hours a day at the computer, however, they should not forget about the need to take breaks from their work or games on computers.

Basic compliance with these “safety rules” will minimize the harmful effects of a computer on a child’s body.

Signs of computer addiction in children

• the real world is replaced by a virtual one;
• communication abilities are lost. It’s easier to find friends on the Internet than in person;
• achievements in real life are replaced by completing a level of a game;
• the desire to go out somewhere or do anything disappears;
• contacts with other people are avoided;
• appetite decreases;
• sleep deteriorates;
• studies and household responsibilities are ignored;
• Aggression manifests itself in response to any attempt to limit contact with the computer.

This condition requires medical intervention. It is already difficult for parents to cope alone.

Eye strain

When a child’s eye muscles are under prolonged tension while working at a computer, this leads to:

• decreased vision;
• headaches;
• excessive fatigue;
• insomnia.

The child may complain about:

• discomfort in the eyes;
• burning, redness;
• cutting pain;
• feeling of sand in the eyes.

These symptoms indicate eye strain from the monitor.

The fact is that a child should blink normally every five seconds. But when he sits at a computer, blinking occurs five times less often. The eyes are not moistened with liquid and become vulnerable and irritated. Over time, this can cause vision loss.

At what age can you play on the computer?

Children and computers are a much discussed topic. It is believed that the later a child gets acquainted with an electronic computer, the better. But you also need to consider the benefits of a computer.

When the baby is very small and is just beginning to explore the world, he is interested in watching funny pictures on the monitor and pressing keys.

At this age, the words “impossible” or “enough” cannot be explained. Trying to get them away from the computer will end in crying and hysterics. The benefit of this is doubtful.

It is preferable for children to start mastering a computer no earlier than 3-4 years old. They already understand the word “impossible.” And you can agree on a time with him.

Psychologists have come up with a formula. With its help, the approximate time that a child can spend at the computer without harm to health is calculated:

Age × 3 = number of minutes allowed. Next, the received minutes × 3 = rest time.

Example. The baby is 5 years old. 5 × 3 = 15 minutes – game on the computer. 15 × 3 = 45 minutes – rest.

Computer harm for children: myth or reality?

The computer is useful and convenient for the learning and development of children of different ages, but at the same time it is dangerous for their health. And this is by no means a myth.

The security of a computer depends on the duration and purpose of its use.

Potential risk factors are:

• vision problems;
• poor posture and other spinal diseases;
• diseases of the hands, pain in muscles and joints;
• negative impact on the child’s psyche;
• chronic fatigue;
• electromagnetic radiation.

Selection of computer games

The computer gaming industry does not stand still. New games are released regularly, and each is better than the other. There are many good games that help children develop memory, logic, and thinking. Also, some games allow natural talents to reveal themselves and allow you to learn a lot of new, interesting and useful things.

The main thing is an individual approach, which takes into account the character and interests of the little “gamer”. In addition to the benefits, there are also harms from computer games. It manifests itself in strong passion, which ultimately leads to addiction to computer games.

Children cease to control the time they spend at the computer and forget about everything in the world. The result is overwork, memory loss, and problems at school.

Be sure to watch the presentation for the game you are going to buy. Make sure there is no violence, excessive gore, or erotic scenes. A game that is incorrectly selected for the temperament of a small user will quickly overtire him and put strong pressure on his psyche.

There are very susceptible children. They often transfer their impressions into the real world. This can manifest itself as aggression towards other people, fears, nightmares at night, and isolation.

The beneficial effect of a computer on a child

The computer has a number of features that can have a positive impact on the psyche and development of children.

1. Developmental programs. Many parents use special cubes and subject pictures and books for developmental activities. However, modern computer games and special programs give better results and more actively develop thinking, memory and attention.
2. Formation of creative abilities. With the help of downloaded or purchased programs, a child can develop creative thinking: learn to draw, compose music or design.
3. Constant access to information. Previously, in order to prepare a message or write an essay, you had to go to the nearest library. Nowadays, in order to find the information you need, you just need to click a couple of times with the computer mouse. Therefore, a computer most often has a positive effect on a student’s academic performance.
4. Rest. In order to take a break from the workload after school or relieve stress, you can turn on an interesting cartoon or play a little of your favorite computer game.
5. The speed of reactions increases. Many computer games allow children to develop reactions, teach them to quickly make decisions and respond to assigned tasks.
6. Cybersport. A child who plays computer games well has a chance to become successful in the field of eSports. Today, e-sports is actively developing and provides an opportunity to earn good money and be popular among young people.
7. Communication. With the help of the Internet, a child can easily contact his beloved granny who lives in another city or talk with classmates during illness.
8. Technical literacy. Communicating with technology from a young age, the baby grows technically aware. Unlike us adults, he is not afraid to explore technology and experiment.
9. Development of fine motor skills of the hands. When working with a mouse, the small muscles of the hand develop more efficiently. The child develops a relationship between the movement of his hands and the image that changes on the monitor screen.
10. Early part-time work. A computer makes it possible to start earning money as a freelancer while still in school.

Preventing computer harm

• organizing a place for children to play computer;
• correct position: back straight, elbows and knees at an angle of 90°. The distance from the eyes to the monitor is at least 70 cm;
• good and correct lighting;
• exercise after being at the computer with the obligatory performance of special exercises for the eyes;
• limiting computer use time depending on age;
• careful selection of games, taking into account the individual characteristics of children;
• control over the sites that the child visits using special programs.

Recommendations for using your computer

There are both benefits and harms of computers for children. Modern life is difficult to imagine without information technology. If screen activities are part of the school curriculum, extracurricular activities, and are beneficial for development, you need to explain to children the rules for working with a laptop or stationary device. Very important:

• every 15 minutes, get distracted and give your eyes a rest;
• maintain a distance between your eyes and the monitor (at least 35 cm);
• sit with a straight back, on a comfortable chair;
• choose the right educational computer games that contribute to the development of the child. They must be age-appropriate and instill in the teenager analytical and creative abilities;
• Buy a high-quality monitor whose brightness can be adjusted. It must be at least 15 inches in size. Otherwise, the eyes will be subjected to greater stress, and because of this, vision may deteriorate greatly;
• Install parental control software on your computer. With its help, you can track which Internet sites your child has visited, block unwanted sites and monitor his activity behind the screen.

Parents should know the norms of time spent in front of the monitor, compliance with which will help preserve health and reduce the harm of computers for schoolchildren:

• Children under 5 years old are not recommended to sit in front of a computer at all;
• at 5–7 years old – three times a week for 15–30 minutes;
• at 10–12 years old – no more than an hour daily;
• at 13–16 years old – no more than two hours a day.

It is important that the child does not use the computer alone in his room. It is better to invite him to do this in the living room, kitchen, where there are other family members.

Negative impact on socio-psychological development

Hours spent on the Internet, chats, and games are psychologically addictive. The sphere of emotions and social contacts is changing. It is estimated that among Internet users, about 23% are Internet addicts, and this is a problem that, as a rule, is very difficult to cope with on your own. Such a child does not leave home, does not meet peers, does not establish new connections, stops dreaming, and his feeling of loneliness worsens. The virtual world draws him in, tearing him away from the reality of life.

If you give up the computer, withdrawal syndrome appears, i.e. hand tremors, increased sweating, insomnia, and anxiety and depression. The same symptoms can be observed in people with alcohol addiction.

Physical health

The system unit and monitor display have characteristic electromagnetic radiation and form an increased background radiation. Low-frequency radiation from constant use of a computer (regardless of whether they are playing on it or typing text) affects the child. As a result of electromagnetic radiation, irritability, fatigue, and headache appear. In addition, increased background radiation promotes cell mutation, which means it increases the likelihood of developing malignant tumors.

Another adverse effect on the child is manifested in visual strain. Many monitors operate in flickering mode. In addition, the monitor has high brightness. When working or watching a video, the gaze of the pupils is fixed on the screen, the muscles of accommodation are constantly tense.

Overload of the accommodation muscles first forms false and then real myopia. During computer training, eye overload occurs even on high-quality monitors, in which the color is close to natural and there is no flicker.

If learning occurs without a monitor screen, the eye muscles periodically rest. The child changes the direction of his gaze, looks at the board, wall, desk, textbook. Changing tension in the eye muscles prevents them from overloading.

With the popularization of computers, the incidence of myopia among children increased from 12% to 55%. Such an alarming diagnosis makes us think and reconsider the approach to modern education.

Sitting for a long time in front of a monitor screen in an unchanged position creates stagnation and inactivity. Children who are too keen on the computer begin to lag behind in physical development, acquire stooped posture, inflammation and extra pounds. Stagnation of intra-articular fluids forms osteochondrosis. Senile problems with the musculoskeletal system acquire youth and are diagnosed in school-age children.

• We recommend reading: treatment of osteochondrosis in children in Israel

Doctors recommend limiting interaction with the computer if possible. For children under three years old - completely, for schoolchildren - no more than 40-50 minutes a day.

Overstrain of the cervical spine

Staying in the same position for a long time causes constant stress on some muscles, and at the same time the lack of work of other muscles.

If constant hand work causes pain in the hands and joints, then the lack of stress on other parts of the body is more dangerous for the growing body.

Due to the inactivity of the back muscles, their degradation begins, and since metabolic processes in the spine depend on their work, therefore, spinal diseases develop. Intervertebral discs are destroyed, resulting in osteochondrosis.

It is in a sitting position that the load on the intervertebral discs is much higher than in a lying or standing position.

A number of these factors lead to:

• herniated intervertebral discs;
• pain in the head and arms, spreading to the internal organs;
• curvature of the spine, especially if the child takes an incorrect position at the desk.

What to do if your child spends a lot of time at the computer?

It is not always possible to keep track of your child and control the time he uses the computer. Parents may not notice how their child is developing computer addiction. What to do in this case? You can use special parental control programs. They allow you to block websites on the Internet that a minor cannot view. In addition, using such programs you can set the electronic device to automatically turn off at a certain time. You can also set passwords, without which it will be impossible to turn on the computer. The problem is that children can get smart and turn off these protective apps. Especially when it comes to teenagers.

The best way to limit your child's time at the computer is healthy motivation. It is necessary to accustom children to the correct use of electronic devices from childhood.

Parents should explain to them that constantly using a computer is harmful to health. In childhood, you should devote more time to the child. If left to his own devices, he will most likely start playing with his phone or tablet, which are found in almost every home today.

If addiction has already formed and you cannot get rid of it on your own, it is advisable to contact a child psychologist. A student who is accustomed to spending most of his time on computer games or social networks will not be able to instantly get rid of his addiction if his tablet is taken away or his access to the Internet is blocked. This can cause psychological trauma to the child. Only a qualified specialist can find a way to rid him of his bad habit.

Negative effects on arm muscles

When working at a computer, a child becomes tense:

• tendons;
• arm muscles;
• small joints of the hands.

The hands are at an acute angle to the desktop, and the keys usually have a small movable stroke, which creates additional stress on the hands.

As a result, after long-term play, correspondence or work, the following occurs:

• tingling;
• wrist pain;
• numbness;
• in severe cases even convulsions;
• fingers begin to get cold due to poor circulation.

All the symptoms described above indicate the development of the so-called “carpal tunnel syndrome.” This condition is an injury to the hand when the nerves in the carpal tunnel are pinched.

The causes of this syndrome are:

• incorrect hand position;
• poor quality keyboard;
• no restrictions on time spent at the computer.

Misconceptions of parents

Many parents choose and buy computer games or cartoons based only on the appearance of the pictures on the disc. It's even worse when parents believe that their child is old enough to choose games on his own.

It is always worthwhile to familiarize yourself with a game or cartoon first as an adult, and only then offer or allow children to watch it.

Watching movies or cartoons together with your child is encouraged. This allows you to comment on ambiguous, controversial situations or dialogues at the time of viewing (children often do not understand envy, boasting, and sarcasm in words in a timely manner).

It is also important for children to simply spend time with their parents, doing one thing. This gives them a feeling of security and confidence.

Another misconception among parents: clicking on the keyboard buttons develops fine motor skills of the child’s hands. Absolutely not! The same type of hand movements when working with a mouse and keyboard cannot in any way contribute to the development of hand motor skills.

In this regard, you cannot replace board games (puzzles, mosaics, cubes) with their electronic versions. Only meticulous movements of the fingers (tweezers grip), feeling objects of different textures and textures develop fine motor skills.

Useful: Baptism of a child - what is needed for the ceremony?

Thinking and education

Perhaps the only beneficial effect a computer has on the development of logical thinking. The machine teaches how to structure information, quickly get to the heart of the matter, and motivates the child to acquire new knowledge, speed typing, and speed reading. Thanks to the bottomless amount of information, the computer has firmly entered the learning process and replaced libraries, essays, newspapers and other sources of new information.

• It’s very interesting to read: why does a child often get sick?

At the same time, when searching for information, the child is not protected from negative sources: pornographic sites, scenes of violence and cruelty. Existing filters are not able to protect children's psyches from demonstrations of violence and sex via the Internet. This is another problem with early computerization of children.

Other harms of computers for children

Slowdown in intelligence development

The danger from the point of view of intellectual development has two components.

First of all, not all information on the Internet is true.

And taking into account the fact that materials for many sites, even highly specialized ones, are written not by professionals in this field, but by ordinary freelancers, one can question the quality of the information provided.

The second aspect is the speed and accessibility of receiving answers to queries on the Internet. This factor prevents the child from developing his own abilities, studying the material more deeply, and looking for ways to solve problems on his own. The knowledge that a student receives from the Internet turns out to be superficial and is soon forgotten.

Spiritual Harm

The computer is dangerous for children from a spiritual point of view.

After all, easy access to pornographic and propaganda sites contributes to the degradation and destruction of the child’s psyche and worldview.

Of course, some resources have security codes, but this is not the case everywhere.

One can only guess how serious a danger such sites pose for adequate spiritual development and personality development. The same applies to resources that carry shocking news about various subcultures, rituals, and cults.

Electromagnetic radiation

Long-term electromagnetic radiation, albeit weak, can cause such serious diseases as:

• Parkinson's disease;
• tumors;
• Alzheimer's disease;
• erectile disfunction;
• memory impairment;
• sleep problems.

Children are most susceptible to the effects of radiation. And this is an additional reason to think about limiting the time children spend in front of a computer monitor.

Not only the system unit, but also the computer monitor can create dangerous electromagnetic waves. Manufacturers of modern technology take this into account, so they equip the front part of their monitors with protective coatings. But the back and sides are not.

In addition to the listed factors, the computer deionizes the air and releases harmful substances into the room. These processes occur while the motherboard and case heat up.

In a room where computer equipment is constantly running, the air becomes dry, difficult for healthy breathing, and deionized. A child living in such an environment may develop allergies or other respiratory pathologies.

Causes of computer gambling addiction?

Many computer games have an intense stimulating effect on the fragile psyche of a child, which in some cases can lead to gaming addiction. The child develops a subconscious psychological dependence on such stimulants.

The stronger the stimulant, the stronger the psychological dependence on it will be. How to recognize computer addiction and how to get rid of gaming addiction is an important question for many parents whose children are addicted to computer games.

The amount of time children spend playing computer games should be limited and the activity should not be allowed to negatively affect the child's other activities, including schoolwork, physical activity, and interactions with parents and peers. It is important to be able to develop a sense of self-discipline in a child and help him with this. In some difficult cases, the help of a child psychologist may be required to overcome computer addiction.

Video on how to distract your child from the computer