The abuse of new technologies harms the intelligence of children
New technologies have come to stay, that is a fact that does not escape anyone. While these devices and connections have brought many facilities to our lives, they have also brought them out problems derived from its use. Usually these negative consequences are more related to the abuse of these products as indicated by the study echoed by the Lancet.
An investigation that has focused on verifying the consequences that the use of new technologies has for the development of intelligence. A relationship that indicates that the abuse of the screens may end up causing the smaller ones not to have a correct developing within this terrain.
24 hour movement: avoid technological addiction
To check whether the abuse of new technologies had any effect on the development of new technologies in the younger ones, the authors of this study chose a sample of 4,500 American children. All of them had to put into practice the indications given by the Canadian plan called Movement 24 hours. This list of tasks valued actions such as sleep routines between 9 and 11 hours and at least 1 exercise a day.
This plan also indicated that at most, children should devote two hours to entertainment in front of screens. Once they followed these recommendations, the children had to demonstrate their intellectual performance through a series of tests. Those minors who dedicated more than 120 minutes The new technologies showed worse results in these tests.
On the contrary, those children who made the most of the recommendations of this action plan, obtained better scores. Jeremy Walsh, lead author of this study indicates the importance of taking care of the "intellectual health" of the little ones. A mission for which the time of use of new technologies and the number of hours of sleep is of great importance.
Two themes that have a lot of relationship if one takes into account that the abuse of new technologies means that at night young people are left hanging from their screens instead of falling asleep. In addition, the use of these devices causes the mind to wake up instead of entering the phase of relaxation that is needed to reach rest.
Correct use of new technologies
Teaching how to use the new technologies correctly will help, on the one hand, to take full advantage of these devices and, on the other hand, to avoid problems related to abuse. These are some tips to teach these skills:
- Establish agreed rules with the children to surf the internet. It is necessary to make clear to the smallest ones that in Internet they will find good and bad things and that for that reason they must assume norms in order to prevent these dangers. Reflect on the utility of these standards.
- Only allow navigation when there is an adult at home. The computer must be in a common space at home where an adult personally supervises the activity of the little ones.
- Never give personal information. If any website requests a telephone, address or any other information that allows the location of the minor, it must never be offered through these online platforms.
- Internet never at night. The use of the Internet must be done during the day and evening, at night it is important to rest and, in any case, socialize with the family.
Damián Montero
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