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Smartphones and tablets can easily entertain children, calm them, and at first glance solve boredom. For younger children it is often a trade-off – for a moment of peace we pay with worsened sleep, reduced ability to concentrate and changes in behavior. The problem is not the technology itself, but its unlimited and uncontrolled use, especially during the period when the brain and nervous system are still developing.
In this article you will find the 11 most frequently mentioned reasons why experts recommend limiting the use of digital devices for children under 12. The goal is not to frighten, but to offer parents understandable information and practical context to help set healthy boundaries.
Why the topic of children and technology is so sensitive
The child’s brain develops for a very long and intensive period. In early childhood movement, play, social contact, speech and ordinary boredom play a key role. A screen, on the other hand, offers quick stimuli, immediate rewards and minimal space for natural development. A child easily gets used to this type of stimulation and later finds it difficult to detach from it.
1. Rapid brain development and its overload
Between birth and the second year of life a child’s brain volume can triple and its development continues very dynamically until adulthood. The brain is exceptionally sensitive to the quality of environmental stimuli during this period.
Excessive exposure to screens can lead to attention problems, delayed cognitive development, impulsivity and reduced self-regulation. Children need primarily real experiences, not passive content viewing.
2. Slowed psychomotor development
Using mobile devices limits natural movement. Yet movement supports proper brain development, coordination, speech and learning ability. Children who spend most of their free time on screens may have difficulties with school readiness and concentration.
3. Increased risk of obesity
Children who have a mobile phone or tablet in their room have a higher risk of being overweight. A sedentary lifestyle, less physical activity and frequent snacking while watching screens contribute to the development of obesity at an early age.
Childhood obesity is associated with a higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and a reduced quality of life in adulthood.
4. Lack of quality sleep
Screens emit blue light which suppresses the production of melatonin – the sleep hormone. Children then have more difficulty falling asleep, sleep for shorter periods and their sleep is not sufficiently deep.
Long-term lack of sleep manifests as fatigue, irritability, worse memory and poorer school performance.
5. Worsening mental well-being
Excessive use of technology is associated with an increased incidence of anxiety, depressive moods, attention disorders and emotional problems. The child gradually gets used to dealing with stress or boredom by escaping to the screen instead of finding other strategies.
6. Increased aggression
Violent or inappropriate content in games and videos can negatively influence children’s behavior. A child’s brain cannot yet properly distinguish reality from fiction, and therefore aggressive behavior patterns are easily adopted.
7. Decline in attention and concentration
Rapidly changing content and short videos teach the brain to switch attention instead of sustaining it. At school the child then finds it harder to concentrate on longer explanations or reading.
A child who cannot concentrate has significantly more difficulty learning.
8. Risk of developing addiction
Many apps are designed to keep attention as long as possible. Autoplay, rewards and notifications increase the risk of addictive behavior.
Children do not have sufficiently developed self-control to regulate their screen time on their own.
9. Electromagnetic radiation and the precautionary principle
Mobile phones and tablets emit electromagnetic radiation. Experts recommend applying the precautionary principle to children – that is, limiting usage time, not holding devices to the head for long periods and not using them unnecessarily.
10. Unsustainable parenting model
If screens replace upbringing, play and personal contact, a child finds it difficult to build independence, patience and the ability to entertain themselves without digital stimulation. This burdens not only the child but the entire family in the long term.
11. Strain on the eyes and vision
Long-term close-up viewing of screens strains the eyes and increases the risk of myopia. Lack of daylight and outdoor time further worsens this problem.
Experts recommend significantly limiting screen time for younger children and encouraging daily outdoor activity.
Conclusion
Technology itself is not harmful. The risk is their excessive and uncontrolled use at a time when the child is still learning to function in the real world. Properly set boundaries help children grow into independent, balanced and healthy individuals.
