HOW THE EARLY USE OF TECHNOLOGIES

AFFECTS CHILDREN.
BY LAURA LIZETH VARGAS P.

The inclusion of technological use in an early childhood negatively affects the infant’s
cognitive growth, since in recent years it has been seen that there have been many
technological advances whose use transcends the new generations. Nowadays, we can see
that children are practically born with a technological object in their hands. Since an early
age, they start to use devices such as the tablet or the smartphone and they get used to using
them daily, but this will only make their cognitive and physical part are affected by the
excessive use they exchanges for playful and productive activities to spend hours in front
of a screen.

All technology can actually have negative effects in quality of children’s life when they are
used in excess. The most worrying thing would be the sedentary lifestyle; it could generate
attention deficit or a bad social interaction with others for getting away from other people.
Besides, they could generate many other important problems such us; obesity for the lack of
exercise, sight problems and even behavior problems like anxiety or aggressiveness.
Because of this, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) makes us a recommendation
of zero use of technology the first 3 years of life, and then the technology can be introduced
slowly.

But not only the physical and emotional part can be affected. In addition, the infant’s
cognitive part decreases when there are not being in its optical conditions for the lack of
sleep. When the child is growing, he is developing his cognitive capacity, but due to the
lack of sleep, it could cause a "mental fatigue" where they do not have the best learning
capacity and develoment because at that age the rest time they need is longer. According to
The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, the abuse of technology to the point of not
sleeping for being in electronic devices such as; mobile, screens, games or television,
affects the cognitive development of the child compared to those who do not frequent the
use of electronic devices.

If the technology in children were used at a suitable age, parents could make technology a
device that improves their child's learning and creativity instead of unproductive things.
Technology can provide positive opportunities for learning, entertaining, and socializing,
but it should be monitored and used appropriately, in this way there will not be sequels in
children. “Certainly, these fears are very real and as parents, we must be aware of these
dangers if we are to successfully guide, educate and support our kids” (Martine, 2012).

In conclusion, the early and inadequate use of technology in children causes that the infant’s
cognitive part could have sequelae due to everything mentioned above. Therefore, the use
of technology must be with the parent’s supervision if they do not want a bad use of this
for their children.