The negative effects of excessive internet use are gradually becoming known as the internet expands every day. We have a short period of time to quickly adjust to a new way of life following the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019. What appeared to be a short-term problem will finally come to an end in 2022. Adults were required to work from home more frequently, and students had to access their lesson plans online. Children frequently had to handle technical problems on their own while their parents were occupied at their home offices. Many young toddlers who are tech aware have been produced by this phenomena. Smart devices turned out to be the answer to boredom during the epidemic because to the wide choice of online entertainment and the infrequent chance to walk outside. After schooling, kids learnt how to play and keep themselves occupied. Eventually, much of a child's day consisted of screen time up until night. There have been some emotional, safety, social, and health problems as a result of this continual obsession with technology and electronic devices. We shall learn more about the detrimental impacts of the internet on child development in this blog.

Negative Effects of Internet Use on Children

Everything you need can be accessed on the internet in a matter of minutes; it has effectively become a motorway for knowledge. It has been challenging to fight against online attacks since the internet is an unregulated, anarchic place. Because of today's ease of access to the internet, some educators and psychologists are worried about how it may affect kids' physical, intellectual, and social growth.

Physical Progress

Children can spend a lot of time stationary when using an electronic device, whether for learning or amusement. This may result in problems with concentration, weight, and posture.

Health Issues

Eyes: Children who use the internet for extended periods of time may experience various eye irritations, just like adults. A recent study revealed an increase in digital eye strain (DES) since the online courses of the COVID-19 pandemic, taking into account that youngsters are more susceptible.

Posture: Children typically maintain the same posture for a prolonged period of time when using electronic devices. Since this is a poor posture, they will typically develop poor posture over time.

Obesity: According to research, youngsters who use the internet for between one-half and three hours have a 53% higher chance of being overweight.

societal advancement

Increased online time has been linked to behavioural changes because of sensory overload and the expectation of peer judgement. The study's findings highlighted difficulties and potential risks associated to emotional wellness. The online environment may have a negative impact on a young person's mental health and wellbeing, depending on their emotional state, lifestyle, and vulnerability.

Issues with Behaviour and Emotion

Latvians spent the most time online, according to research on the link between that time online and emotional and behavioural issues in Taiwan, Lithuania, and Latvia. Children in Latvia therefore experienced more emotional and behavioural issues. The relationship between knowledge level and internet use is associated with proximal results. Distal consequences, which include emotional symptoms, hyperactivity, conduct issues, peer issues, prosocial behaviour, and compulsive internet use, have an indirect impact on health. The table 1 below displays the findings of this study. Compared to the group of kids with low knowledge and low internet use, children with high knowledge and high internet use appear to have more emotional issues. The peer problems-value of the high-knowledge class is the only anomaly, and it cannot be explained.

social abilities

An investigation of the effects of screen time on social skills in young children was conducted. The first six years of life are referred to as early childhood, and these years are crucial for growth and development in a variety of domains. These domains include the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive domains. According to the study's findings, what young children do while sitting appears to be more significant than how much time they spend sedentary overall. Internet use is considered active screen time, which may be harmful to young children's social skills. Promoting healthy habits in place of screen-based sedentary behaviour may be crucial.

Cognitive Progress

Children's exposure to the internet can have various effects on cognitive development. According to one of the studies stated earlier, excessive internet use can have negative effects on cognition, including focus issues, stress, and anxiety. There were no discernible variations between the damages experienced by the participants in this study. Based on the individuals' utilisation of the internet, the severity and extent varied.

Explicit Material

Online material can scarcely be managed because the internet is an ungoverned space. Even though it is against the law to create or distribute child pornography, it appears to be challenging to regulate the sources and content circulating online. Being involved in child pornography can be very harmful because children are not psychologically capable of understanding what is going on. They are also unprepared for the harm it does to the child's cognitive growth.

According to a psychiatrist at the University of California, early exposure to pornography in any form can have an adverse long-term effect that can last until adulthood. As a result, it's critical to receive appropriate sexual education at the appropriate age. According to numerous authorities, explaining the mechanics of sexual intercourse to children between the ages of six and eight can be beneficial. The ages can vary depending on the child's level of curiosity.

restricted brain growth

Research published in 2018 on the effects of internet use frequency on verbal intelligence and brain structure development revealed differences between children who used the internet frequently and those who did not. The findings imply that the young people who used the internet the most frequently over a three-year period had their verbal intelligence development impaired. According to brain imaging results, using the internet more frequently is associated with a slower rate of grey and white matter volume enlargement that comes with ageing. The less developed brain areas were those associated with the growth of executive, linguistic, and attentional control abilities.

How Can You Help?

It may be tempting as a parent to use the internet as a toy to occupy your child. You might hesitate before giving your child an electronic gadget for the third time in three days after learning about the detrimental effects of the internet on a child's development. Let's examine some options for limiting kids' internet usage.

Outdoor Recreation

There are numerous kid-friendly outdoor activities. Consider going to a water park in the summer, skiing or snowboarding in the winter, visiting a zoo in the spring, or creating a fall leaf collage in the fall. Even just taking the kids for a daily walk in a park or forest will help them let off some steam and get some fresh air. Not all activities need to be pricey.

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