After a lengthy study in Finland, experts warn that young children who watch cartoons on TV, smartphones. And tablets for long periods of time suffer from a variety of psychological problems at just five years old.
The study was conducted at Helsinki Central Hospital from 2011 to 2017 under the leadership of Dr. Julia Pavon, a pediatric psychiatrist.
During this time, the daily use of TVs, smartphones, and tablets in 699 children aged 18 months. It was examined to find out, how these devices affect the mood of these children.
Facts & Figures
Statistics show that 23 percent of 18-month-olds and 95 percent of five-year-olds spend more than an hour a day in front of these devices. Which is in excess of the World Health Organization’s limit.
The World Health Organization has set a maximum daily limit of one hour (60 minutes) for children to watch TV, smartphone, and tablet (screen time).
At 18 months of age, the average daily screen time for children was 32 minutes, increasing to 114 minutes (approximately 2 hours) per day by the age of five.
In contrast, children who were accustomed to playing video games for hours daily on TV, smartphone, and tablet did not experience any such psychological problems.
Experts found that children who spent a lot of time in front of TVs, smartphones, and tablet screens to watch cartoons, etc., clearly saw a variety of psychological problems. For example:
Emotional problems such as mood swings, fear, anxiety, and depression.
Behavioral problems, such as hostility, arguing and severe difficulty controlling anger, etc .; And
Attention problems, especially the reactive mood, the ability to concentrate on multiple thoughts at the same time, and difficulty concentrating.
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This discovery is important because with the advancement of technology. The use of smartphones and tablets by children and adults of all ages is on the rise.
Final Words
In a report published a few days ago on the website of the online research journal BMJ Open, Dr. Powen and his colleagues advised everyone, especially young children, to watch television. Don’t let them sit in front of computers, smartphones, and tablet screens for too long.
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