The 6 Negative Effects of Kids having Too Much Screen Time
Your child is drawn to all electronic devices. They don’t even care about playing with toys anymore. They take your phone and play with it; they play video games, spend time on the tablet, and watch television. They are glued to the screen! You can’t even have a conversation with them anymore. You try to take the electronic devices away and they become angry and even aggressive. You are worried about them. What effect is this having on them?
Below are 6 negative effects of kids having too much screen time.
1. Less Time for Play
Children are so addicted to electronic devices that that is all they do. They don’t care to play anymore. This is of great concern as there are tremendous benefits to play. Play is very important for the development of children, specifically free play. Children should participate in daily unstructured play time. Play contributes to their cognitive and emotional development. It improves executive functioning. Through play children learn social skills and problem solving skills. Children learn how to regulate their emotions through play.
2. Issues with Sleep
Children usually keep electronic devices in their bedroom. They stay up playing video games or are on their phone instead of going to bed when they are supposed to and getting the needed 10 hours of sleep. The blue light which is emitted from electronic devices signals to the brain that it is daytime. As a result, children feel more awake even after the electronic device is turned off. Their sleep cycle is disrupted. Sleep deprivation causes physical and mental health problems. Your child will be more irritable and will struggle with focusing at school because they did not get adequate sleep.
3. Problems with Behavior/Mood
Excessive use of screen time can cause children to become irritable and angry. It can lead to them experiencing mood swings. These children will find it very difficult to calm themselves down. Screen time can lead to children experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Child hooked on electronic devices have minimal face to face social interaction.
4. Weight Gain
Because of electronic devices, children are no longer active. Outdoor physical activity is important as it reduces stress levels and improves our well-being. While on electronic devices, children spend most of their time sitting down and eating junk food. They are not burning any calories. This causes children to experience a decrease in energy and motivation.
5. Harmful for Child’s Development
There are lasting effects for children ages 2-5 that use electronic devices because their brains are developing quickly. They need face to face interaction at this age in order to develop social skills, fine motor skills, and verbal language. Screen time can cause children to experience delays in development.
6. Decrease in Social Skills
Because of electronic devices, children are not engaging with others face to face as frequently as they used to. This causes them to not develop the needed social skills to interact with others in the world. Some children are unable to recognize emotions in others, cannot display empathy, and are unable to engage in conversation. This will have a great effect on their life especially when they get older.
Janine Kelly, MSW, LCSW, RPT, CATP, ADHD-CCSP, CCATP-CA is a Registered Play Therapist, Certified EMDR Therapist, and Perinatal Mental Health Therapist in Middlesex, NJ. Janine specializes in childhood anxiety, childhood OCD, childhood trauma, and supporting children who experience neurodivergence such as ADHD and Autism. She also specializes in pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders such as anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, depression, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
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