DEPENDENCE ON TECHNOLOGY IN CHILDREN 1

DEPENDENCE ON TECHNOLOGY IN CHILDREN

ANGELICA MARIA PICO PINEDA

12 ENERO 2022

PATHWAY 1

JAYCEE ROWE
DEPENDENCE ON TECHNOLOGY IN CHILDREN 2

DEPENDENCE ON TECHNOLOGY IN CHILDREN

The use of electronic devices, from the first years of life by most children is a reality.

Today's children are practically born with a technological object in their hands. From a young

age they become familiar with objects such as tablets or smartphones and get used to using

them daily at an early age. Technology that is not only used for educational purposes but

most of the time for entertainment. Well, many times it is the adults themselves who promote

the use of this technology in their children because they achieve to "calm them down" and in

this way they keep them occupied by a long time. This essay will demonstrate how this

technological dependence causes serious consequences on their social development and

their health.

The use and abuse of technology generates behaviors of dependence on electronic

devices. This technological dependence in children limits their ability to establish new

relationships and interact with other children. Children prefer to spend their time, for

example, with the TV, the Tablet and even the Smartphone, then to play outdoors and share

face to face with other children. The studies are alarming: 17% of children between 0 and 11

months, 48% from 12 to 23 months, and 41% from 24 to 35 months watch more than two

hours of television a day, the average age at which children begin to watch television is at 9

months (Rodríguez, 2012). Determined content of programs and games can generate by

imitation, aggressive and violent attitudes that can affect their daily conduct. Spending a lot

of time in front of these technological devices caused children to stay away from reality and

their environment.

On the other hand, dependence on the use of technological devices negatively

affects health, producing for example insomnia, overweight, sedentary lifestyle, and joint

pain. Problems generated at an early age, that previously did not appear and that can cause
DEPENDENCE ON TECHNOLOGY IN CHILDREN 3

irreversible damage in children, if not controlled in time. There are studies such as those

carried out by the New York Center for Lighting Research that state that artificial light is

capable of suppressing melatonin secretion. In this way, the circadian cycle is interrupted

and the quality of sleep decreases (Blog, 2019). According to the World Health Organization

(WHO) as of 2018, it included video game addiction as a mental illness.

In contrast, if supervised activities are carried out by an adult when using

technological devices, you can take advantage of this. Promoting in children’s skills that

before was to develop later. In the case of children with some type of mental or physical

disability, the appropriate use supported by specialists can provide advantages in its use.

It is important to set limits on the child for the use of technological devices since they

can provide and make daily activities easier if their use is appropriate. On the other hand,

you should not neglect the traditional tools vital for brain development, such as books,

stories, building blocks, toys and encourage their constant use of imagination.
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