As a private English teacher/ tutor in the Toronto and Haliburton areas, I see an issue with some young students that causes me concern. Experts acknowledge that addiction to computers can affect children both physically and mentally.
Computer addiction can be defined as the excessive or compulsive use of computers, which continues even though serious negative consequences for personal, social or occupational function persist.
Why are children vulnerable to computer addiction? There are complex issues at play! These issues include persistent peer pressure, cyber bullying, and competition over who has the most friends on Facebook or who is scoring highest in a game. Also, online, social interactions that before would have taken place privately are in its place played out in an extremely public forum, so those who are excluded are made painfully aware of it.
Additionally, the pure, fast-paced voraciousness of social networking sites, which makes them so exhilarating, also produces a pressure to keep up and contribute, however dull or sparkling the involvement.
What harm can be done? Misuse of screens and the Internet can lead to greater loneliness and depression. “Screen time” is a term used for activities done in front of a screen, such as watching TV, working on a computer, tablet or smart phone, or playing video games. It is sedentary interest, meaning you are being physically inactive while sitting down. A number of published studies put forward links between prolonged screen time and serious illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
There is more at play resulting from too much screen time. Tests have shown that being online raises blood pressure. It also raises the neurotransmitter, dopamine, which is a component of the brain’s reward system. Dopamine is produced in response to newness and is also a motivational chemical that encourages an individual to repeat actions, thus it is associated with addictive behaviour and poor attention spans.
How much screen time is acceptable? Current guidelines suggest children under the age of 2 should have no screen time while for children over the age of 2 should be limited to 1 to 2 hours per day.
However, in families where parents exhibit high screen time during family time, the children are more likely to have delays in language development and to have behavioural problems, as they get older. A private teacher or tutor can assist in this regard especially with a focus on English for English-speaking households.
