It is known that prolonged exposure to phones, tablets and televisions at an early age leads to many health risks such as obesity, posture disorders and sleep problems in children. Stating that screen exposure can cause some developmental delays in addition to these physiological effects, Pediatrician Dr. Ahmet İbrahim Bektaşoğlu said, “Verbal development of babies and children exposed to the screen may lag behind. They may have problems with eye contact and dialog. In addition, studies have shown that the screen causes a decrease of up to 15 points in intelligence tests.”
Stating that there is a serious negative relationship between screen exposure and intelligence development, Specialist from the Department of Pediatrics at Medicana Bahçelievler Hospital. Dr. Ahmet İbrahim Bektaşoğlu explained the risks that children exposed to phones, tablets and televisions at an early age may face as follows:
“The harms of the screen in children can be as dangerous as heavy metal poisoning. Obesity, posture disorders, sleep disorders While these physiological effects of the screen are extremely important, there are also developmental retardations overshadowed by these. Babies and children with screen exposure have delayed verbal development, have problems with dialog and eye contact. In addition, studies have shown that the screen causes a decrease of up to 15 points in intelligence tests.”
Emphasizing the importance of protecting children from screens, Specialist. Dr. Bektaşoğlu listed some of the problems that can be caused by excessive screen exposure in children as follows:
Food selection
“Picky eating increases in children as screen exposure increases. Tolerance to rough and neutral-tasting foods decreases. The child's palate may become sensitive and easy to gag. Chewing-swallowing decreases. Vegetables are usually the first to be lost. Some children do not understand what they are eating because they are fed through screens and this can lead to obesity.”
Aggression
“Children's irritability and tantrums may increase with screen time.”
Social dullness
“In recent years, the number of children diagnosed with autism and referred to rehabilitation is increasing. The main reason for this is the harm caused by the screen. Many of the children who are diagnosed because of the screen and are said to have autism are children who have been exposed to excessive screen use.”
Dissatisfaction
“The harm of the screen is also the reason why parents often complain, 'He has a lot of toys, he doesn't play with any of them' or 'He plays for 5 minutes and then stops and asks for a phone'. Due to the excessive stimulus of the screen, other options lose their appeal for children.”
