- 🌟 Unplugged Childhood: The Hidden Costs of Screen Time 🌟I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Sally Marshall from Radio ECU to discuss the impact of excess screen time on children’s physical health. Here are some key points from our conversation:🔹 Physical Health Decline: Excessive screen time is leading to a loss of fitness, strength, flexibility, and coordination in children. This also impacts their confidence in their bodies and their interactions with the world.
🔹 Common Issues: We’re seeing issues typically found in adults now appearing in children—headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, sore eyes, lower back pain, sleep problems, mood swings, and even carpal tunnel syndrome from gaming.
🔹 Long-term Impacts: The long-term effects of poor posture from screen use include the loss of natural neck curves and the development of bone spurs. These can lead to chronic pain and limited mobility.
🔹 Overuse Injuries: Children are at risk of developing serious overuse injuries that can cause permanent pain and limit their future activities and career choices.
🔹 New Program Development: We are developing a workshop for parents and teachers to educate them about these risks and provide practical solutions, including muscle relaxation exercises and ergonomic setups for laptops.
🔹 Need for Movement: We ask parents to encourage children to move more, play more, and take physical risks in safe environments, which is crucial for their physical and mental development. The best way to do this is through their involvement and increasing their own level of exercise and relaxation.
- HEAR THE INTERVIEW