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Baily Wiese
Mrs. Hauxwell
English 1010
30 November 2018
Technology and the Effects on Children
But mom five more minutes on the iPad, is a common phrase that young children say
to their parents. Growing up in this day and age children are more reliant on technological
devices such as: iPads, smartphones and televisions more than ever before, it is a defining factor
for the kids in Generation Alpha. Generation Alpha kids were born in 2010, ? the year the iPad
was introduced and app was the word of the year.
The controversy of whether or not
technology is good or bad for children is defined by the amount of time the child spends on an
electronic device. Technology does not need to be cut out of childrens lives but used
moderately, too much time on any form of an electronic device can be crucial to a child’s well
being.
The negative effects that are happening to electronically abled children happen more and
more as the technology gets more advanced.
?One study, published in the February issue of
Pediatrics, found that children who sleep near a small screen get an average of twenty one fewer
minutes of sleep than kids without gadgets in their rooms ?. Three to six-year-olds need on average
at least ten to twelve hours of sleep. As a child getting the right amount of sleep is crucial and
technology isnt allowing children to get the adequate amount. Blue light from electronic devices
can cause headaches, eye strain and irritated eyes for children. A childs sleep is affected by the
harmful blue light when a child is exposed to screen time in the evening due to the elimination of
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the hormone melatonin which regulates the sleep wake cycle. A childs body isnt able to prepare
for a goodnights sleep. ?Right here talk about Sleeping and Metabolism.
Talk about what technology can cause damage to children right here. ? Having eyes glued
to an electronic device daily, isnt allowing children to get the right nutrients for themselves.
Kids arent wanting to go outside because they would rather spend their time on an Ipad. Going
outside allows for many benefits for children and their health. Sunlight supplies our bodies with
Vitamin D, which helps keep our skin healthy. Regular exposure to sunlight helps to keep your
sleep cycle regular by influencing the bodys production of melatonin(Patel). A physically
active child gets to experience the benefits of spending time outdoors. Sadly enough many
children are heavily reliant on technology for entertainment purposes and dont see the need for
playing outdoors.
Child obesity rates have risen since technology has been more apparent in children’s
lives. In 2012 child obesity was measured at twelve percent, which is an eleven point difference
from 1980(Patel). Parents cannot leave it up to the children to make all healthy decisions for
them, they have to lead by example. Starting out parents must be strict about the rules regarding
when children can play video games, watch television, and play on their iPads. Setting daily
limits for the use of technology and having kids use it purposefully is key. The majority of time
on an electronic device for a young child should be for reading books, especially before bedtime.
Talk about dangers in the internet world right here. ? It is believed that technology
enhances child curiosity, which can be both a good and bad thing. The internet can be a dark
world, especially for curious children that want to learn about anything and everything.
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Many people believe that technology is an amazing learning tool for their children.
Parents see more variety of learning opportunities with the different learning apps that are
provided for children to use on their electronic devices. ?Being able to problem solve
