75% of children use smartphones, mothers and fathers too tolerant
According to research, the supremacy lies with the United States, where 92% of children begin to play with the first digital devices already in the first 12 months of life and at the age of 2 years uses them every day. In Italy the situation is similar: 8 out of 10 children between 2 and 5 years old know how to use the mobile phone of mum and dad, who are often too tolerant, also because 30% of parents use the smartphone to distract or reassure them already during the first year of life, 70% in the second year.
Absolutely wrong attitudes and unhealthy for children, says the president of the Italian Society of Pediatrics Alberto Villani. The use of digital devices and the Internet must therefore be limited, given the excessive use of children, which even exceeds 8 hours a day.
It is estimated that excessive use of mobile phones, smartphones and tablets can cause significant damage, both from a psychological and behavioural point of view and from a physical point of view. For example, it can cause behavioural and learning problems to a reduction of the child's imaginative sphere, as well as damage to sight, hearing, sleep patterns and metabolism (slowing down due to sedentariness).
However, parents are often unaware of the psychophysical health risks of premature use of smartphones and tablets. For this reason, the Italian Society of Pediatrics has presented an official document explaining the use of digital devices in children from 0 to 8 years of age, highlighting clear recommendations. Let's see which ones:
- No smartphones and tablets before the age of 2;
- No smartphones or tablets during meals and before bedtime;
- Use a maximum of 1 hour per day on the smartphone for children between the ages of 2 and 5;
- Use a maximum of 2 hours a day on the smartphone for children aged 5 to 8 years;
- Tablets are not recommended for calming children;
- Videos with violent content that can traumatize children are not recommended;
-
We recommend the use of quality applications to be used with children.
Lucia Franco
No tablets, mobile phones and more: WHO warns of possible damage
Children, at least up to the age of 2 years, should stay away from any type of electronic device: television, tablets, mobile phones and more. A directive of the World Health Organisation (WHO) launches the alarm.The WHO,..
Read
Digital generations: the newborn and technology
Today's children are born and raised in a digital world, where interpersonal relationships are not only physical, but are connected to the Internet (Skype, Telegram, WhatsApp). We look at children with great amazement for their extreme ability to use a..
Read