Doctors and health specialists affirm that, at this time, more than 90% minors between four and ten years More time has spent more time in front of the screensand have warned that a Excessive use causes Problems in child development. In this sense, more than 80% of specialists have detected the Increase in associated diseases.
These are some of the Conclusions of a study by the Fundación Crecer Playing and the Technological Institute of Children’s and Leisure Product (AIJU), on the occasion of the Day of the Boy and the Girl, which is celebrated every April 26.
As noted by the coordinator of the Department of Child Research and Educational Values of AIJU, Pablo bus Spain is a shielded reality at childhood level ». In addition, he has warned of the impact of this data on «real medical consequences: Sleep problems, myopia, anxiety, overweight, care difficulties». “Parents do not know who to go, are not sure if they should go to the pediatrician, the psychologist or the neurologist,” he postulated.
The report reflects the opinion of more than 60 health professionals, Among those listed by pediatricians, psychiatrists, neurologists, ophthalmologists and nutritionists, as well as 334 families with children between 0 and 17 years for a period of three years.
Main associated diseases
95% of surveyed doctors relate this overexposure to pathologies such as Sleep disorders, anxiety, overweight, attention deficitearly myopia and socialization problems, and underline that Minors should not consume screens before 4 years And, from that age, the increase must be very gradual.
Specifically, they limit time in front of screens to a maximum of 20 minutes Diaries for children from 4 to 6 years, 40 minutes for those from 7 to 9, and one hour for 10 to 12. However, 98% of minors between 10 and 12 years already exceed that time. However, for children under 4, the recommendation is zero minutes in front of the screens.
In addition, the study reveals that, in 2025, 91% of children between 1 and 12 years exceed the recommended exposure timecompared to 75% in 2023, while, in groups 4 to 9 years, up to 98% are overexposed.
As indicated by the Director of Communication of the Fundación Crecer Playing, Maite Francés, «Children should not be in front of screens before 4 yearsbecause your brain is in full development and needs three -dimensional, non -two -dimensional stimuli.
Therefore, he has argued that “Free game is the natural antidote” Faced with indiscriminate uses and has claimed that traditional playful space be recovered as a tool for emotional, cognitive and social development. «Free game is being displaced by screensand with this an essential tool for healthy development is lost, ”he lamented.
Time control
On the other hand, the study also indicates that, although 96% of families have said they establish rules in the use of screens, a 71% of respondents recognize that they have difficulty maintaining discipline and control over time.
Among the main reasons that hinder the maintenance of rules on the use of screens, 41% of parents recognize that they use them as a tool to manage day to day (As in times of food, work or rest), while 37% admit not to always be able to supervise the time their children spend in front of them. Children’s negative reactions also influence by limiting their use, the social pressure of the environment and the lack of common criteria among adults in the home.
Despite this, 86% of the families participating in the study have admitted that They have never taken their child to a specialist for the use of screens and its possible impact on health, compared to 14% that has consulted professionals.
A prevention strategy is missing
In the press conference, professionals have assured that a multidisciplinary prevention strategy is “urgent”. «Technology is not the problem, but how, when and what is used for »has pointed out in this regard the child and adolescence psychiatrist at the Niño Jesús Hospital, Beatriz Martínez Núñez.
He also denounced that there is “a worrying increase in eating disorders, self -collons and anxiety in minors, largely due to exposure to social networks without supervision.” «Leaving a child for an hour only with the Internet can be like letting him go one hour in a wild environment »he has declared.
The presentation took place at the Ronald McDonald Foundation, where Silvia Álava Sordo, health psychologist and expert in educational psychology, has also stressed that The use of technology must be mediated by an adult. “Consultations have increased in early care, with children with ADHD, autistic spectrum, delay in language, the process of attention and development of certain skills,” he explained.
In addition to alerting the risks of non -supervised content, such as early access to pornography or the influence of toxic virtual communities, experts have proposed other measures such as Awareness campaigns, digital education from an early agetraining parents and educators, and more strict legislation on children’s access to devices and online content.
Children’s Day is a day that promotes the Foundation to grow by playing, in which institutions, foundations, public and private companies, school or municipalities participate, among others, in memory of April 26, the date on which the little ones could go out, after 42 days of confinement of 2020.
