The Impact Of Technology On Child Development

Looking to the past for help understanding the children of today is no longer a useful tool. As technology advances, it begins to play a bigger role in the lives and development of children. Technology’s impact on the families of today is breaking down the core values that held them together. These advances affect the attention span of children, their social skills, and their brain development. In the 21st century, technology has become the focal point of society. More advances have been made in this day and age than any other, and while some of them have changed the world for the better, not every effect has been a positive one.

According to a 2010 Kaiser Foundation study, which involved elementary children, concluded that on average 75 percent of parents allowed their children to have bedroom TV’s, North American households keep their TV’s on for 50 percent of the day, and use 7.5 hours of technology entertainment per day (Rowan). Technology is becoming a problem throughout the United States, especially in elementary aged kids. Parents are introducing technology as early as infants so that they understand certain information at an early age. When parents introduce technology at such an early age they are giving their children the advantage to be addicted to the wonders of it. Young children are at a high risk of brain damage with the advancement of technology. The more adults introduce technology to younger children the higher the chances of problems it causes. Technology has a negative effect on younger children and should have limitations on the age in which it is being introduced.

Most children today have access to devices such as television, smartphones, computers, and tablets. These devices can be used in a variety of ways, with both positive and negative outcomes. For example, preschool aged children may use a device to learn letters, numbers, or colors. School aged children may use a computer to conduct research, or watch an educational show. A child may also sit in front of the television for many hours, reducing physical activity, and become obese. I believe it is important for the parent or caregiver of the child to monitor the amount of screen time, as well as the content to optimize the benefits these devices can offer.

This previous research, such as that of Dr. Arc Sigman as well as Jerome and Dorothy Singer, is conclusive that parents and educators must be careful with children and their time spent in front of screens. Dr. Sigman studies the issue from a biological standpoint, discussing the mental and physical effects of technology on children (Sigman, 2012).

Today children are exposed to a different world than the one their parents grew up in. Consumerism plays a significant influence in children’s lives, including technology. This has led to over usage of technology as a reason for increased health issues in children, and basic building blocks of healthy development being ignored. Children are no longer interested in creative play, which is vital to problem-solving, learning, imagining and thinking. Instead, children can often be found sitting in front of a television, for up to seven hours a day, with their back hunched over and in an almost zombie like state of mind.

In the article The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child, pediatric occupational therapist Cris Rowan asserts that the rise in the usage of technology is having a negative effect on both mental and physical development. Rowan points out that “Young children require 2-3 hours per day of active rough and tumble play to achieve adequate sensory stimulation...” With today’s technology, and the effect it has on placating children, it takes away from the 2-3 hours necessary for growth. Without said active play, children do not receive the physical contact they need which is imperative for their maturation. Rowan also raises the concern of video games overstimulating children causing them to be constantly overstressed resulting in shaking and

Technology has brought us nothing more than negativity toward people. The first effect is health. technology affects individuals' exercises; so children become lazier and are most likely not motivated to work out. Along these lines, numerous health issues like obesity are brought about by the effects of technology. The second impact is communication. Ironically children don't have the chance to socialize with each other in person. They’re wasting their time using electronics instead of exploring the world and developing human nature. In addition, individuals lean toward using communication devices than collaborating in person.

Today everyone is using technology no matter how old they are. Ever since technology came out, it has been stapled to our lives forever. Today, a toddler of 12 months of age is spending hours using technology. There are lots of controversies whether technology is good or bad for our children. Many say technology can affect our children social skills, while others state that technology benefits our children because technology can be a resourceful way of helping children learn a variety of skills. It is hard to decide whether is good or bad to exposed our children to technology. What many people should realize, is that our children can use technology but to a certain extent.

The current generation of children is completely different than the preceding ones. They are living in the digital age. “Technology has blended in with daily activity to become a way of life and children today take for granted all of which is automated. It is hard for kids nowadays to imagine a world that existed without all of the gadgets, electronics and seamless operations that computer technology provides.” (3) “Children in the United States devote some 40 hours a week to television, video games and the Internet.” (12) Many psychologists and researchers are concerned about the impact that technology has on children. Children, tomorrow’s future parents and leaders, are being consumed by the negative effects that technology had on their

There’s no doubt new electronic learning programs designed for children can be engaging and serve as purposeful learning tools. Although, through research preformed, the real problem could be the amount of time children are spending staring at screens. Interaction and social skills, well known to be essential in child’s development, often stem from play time with friends and exploring outside. Now, with technology being used for even more than intended, babies are being soothed with iPads, phones, and being babysat with TV’s. Exploration and true childlike playfulness is dwindling. Pediatric occupational therapist Chris Rowan states: “As children reach the age of

Technology is not the reason for childhood being ruined. Modern technology is said to be ruining children’s lives by many professionals. Many professionals have done studies to figure out the truth, only to find out that it is not the technology. Although modern technology may be harmful to children, modern technology is also helping children develop faster, because it enhances social interaction skills, cognitive development and improves concentration.

Today’s technology has greatly impacted the young children’s everyday lives. Phones, tablets, and computers are all a form of technology that impact the way kids are influenced. Some children get phones or computers at young ages and it can cause kids to depend on it to entertain them. Eventually they will allow the technology to take over and have it become the form of communication between friend and family instead of face to face. As parents continue to buy their children new technology they don’t monitor the amount of time their children spend on the Internet. Technology is becoming more advanced overtime which causes children to become more attached and unable to function without it near by.

Over the past 30 years, technology has made great strides towards becoming a fundamental part of our everyday lives; and for millions of parents and their children, it already is. The modern American household is catered towards the technologically inclined- computers, tablets, gaming systems, and smart TVs have become commonplace in many homes. Not only do they serve their practical purpose, but devices such as these also offer many opportunites for children and toddlers to learn, play, and experience things they'd previously been unable to. Many might challenge ideas such as this without outdated statistics or conservative mindsets, but the truth of the matter is, the technological era has arrived; and our children need to learn how to live in it.

Children are become less intelligent because of one thing parents are giving them. By 2010, two-thirds of children ages 4 to 7 had used an iPhone (Joan Ganz Cooney Center). In this growth of their life children’s brain develops fine motor skills, gross motor skills, speech and language, cognitive, and social and emotional development. (Brain Development in Children) Technology, as in screens, can make these developments suffer. Young children are negatively affected by technology, resulting in poor academic skills, poor life skills, and delayed developmental stages.

My little sister is around ten-years-old and has used technology daily throughout her childhood, with concentrated use beginning around age 5. This fixation with technology may lead to problems during her preoperational and concrete developmental stages. I often find myself telling her to go play outside or to play in her room, as an attempt to encourage physical activity, but I don’t really have any concrete explanation as to why my pleas seem to consistently fail. I currently assume that technology is more detrimental than beneficial, especially in younger kids when pertaining to their cognitive development. After researching, it has become more apparent that if there were negative side effects linked to technological overuse or