Technology has impacted people’s lives in both positive and negative ways. The wide use of computers and related technologies in daily life interactions has been inevitable even among children. The interaction of children with computers is totally absorbing and addictive. Uncontrolled and excessive exposure and use of computers, mobile phones and internet can be detrimental to child development in varied ways. While there are positive effects of technology on children, the negative effects are dominant. Parents, guardians, and caregivers have opted to use the internet and other technological forms to raise their children. Such practices allow children free time to pin themselves into forms of technology. This prolonged, unattended exposure to technological use and play has many negative implications than positive ones on the children. This paper examines the effects of modern technology on children.
Technology affects children’s academic development in several ways. It consumes the time children would have spent learning skills that are essential for survival in the society. Technology and internet have deprived children their ability to pay attention for longer periods due to the instant gratification of the internet thus, reducing the patience required to see the completion of projects. Continuous and addictive online chat conversations negatively affect children’s language skills necessary in formal communication settings. It also waters down normal classroom learning and the conversational ability of children. Advanced vocabulary, problem-solving, and critical thinking are academic and literacy skills that trigger memory and imagination and can only be developed through reading and writing. Spending time online and on technology deprives children precious time that is required in reading and writing. General writing skills and the use of handwriting is steadily losing meaning with the introduction of online education.
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The catalog technique of mining information from library sources for research studies is now getting ignored with young learners preferring internet search engines for educational and research information. In essence, the use of analog libraries for educational purposes will in no time get obsolete. As a result, information retention and memorization among children who retrieve information from internet-based programs is very low compared to children who are teacher-taught in classroom settings.
Continuous and uncontrolled use of technology is addictive to children and adults alike. Thus excessive use of technology such as online game playing, chatting and sharing pictures online and accessing harmful websites denies the children enough time to build relationships with their families and friends. As a result, bonds and relationships are weakened leading to poor social skill development. Internet websites and online conversations lack respect and educated conversation skills thus leading to the development of poor social and interpersonal skills in children. Children trained and used to being occupied by the internet at the expense of outdoor playing and socializing with other children do not develop their social skills and find it a hard time during school outdoor playtimes.
From a medical point of view, doctors have found that excessive use of technology hinders short-term memory and causes depression. Also, the radio waves from light emitted by computers and mobile phones cause vision problems in human eyes. Moreover, excessive exposure and use of computers, televisions, mobile phones, and tablets is directly linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) in children. Equally, the uncontrolled playing of video games can cause body stress (hyper-vigilance) which in turn weakens the immune system thereby leading to increased prevalence of serious diseases and disorders. Other disorders caused by excessive use of technology in children include central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), sleep deprivation, and anxiety.
Technology deprives children’s time for active physical activity. As a result, children’s proprioceptive, vestibular and tactile systems get underdeveloped due to insufficient sensory stimulation. Physical activity also breaks down the food and fats we take, thus a lack thereof leads to fat storage in the body. Children who are always plugged-in to computer games, internet, and other technological forms have such systems underdeveloped leading to increased cortisol and adrenalin levels within their bodies. Belly fat that leads to obesity in humans is caused by cortisol accumulation. Increased adrenalin leads to anxiety, headaches, restlessness, and weakness in children. The overall effect is obesity in children.
