Dec 27, 2018 3 min read

It’s very likely that Santa Claus left some high-tech gizmos under the Christmas trees of many good little girls and boys.

The number of electronic tablets geared toward children has blossomed over the past decade as child development activities have been digitized and screens have become child-proofed.

But maybe parents should begin to worry of some long-term consequences for their children in this digital age.

The nonprofit group Common Sense Media recently released a survey showing that 95 percent of teenage children in America have their own mobile devices, and 70 percent of them check social media websites several times a day – double the number from just six years ago. More than half of them told the survey that the mobile devices distract them from homework or visiting with people in their company.

Tech companies are trying to find ways to offer more parental supervision for these devices, including curbing screen time on some applications, but they have limited capabilities.

And the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint last week alleging that some companies are violating federal laws that require a parent’s permission for apps that track and collect data on children under 13.

Dr. Krista Boyer, a psychologist with Connellsville Counseling Services, also sounded the alarm bells last week when she noted that the amount of screen time by children – both the stationary aspect, along with the illumination of the screen – can affect childhood development.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommends limiting screen time for children ages 2 to 5 to no more than one hour per day, and older children should have consistent limits placed on the use, she said.

There are physical problems that can arise, as well.

Dr. Robert Homonai, a chiropractor in Westmoreland County, pointed to “text neck” as a growing problem he’s seeing in teens as neck problems and headaches in young people increase from issues that aren’t related to sport injuries or accidents. The average person’s head weighs 10 to 12 pounds – a normal load for the body to support. But that load adds 10 pounds for every inch the head is moved forward from one’s shoulders, which can cause serious spinal issues.

“It has been a gradual, insidious onset,” Homonai said of the issues he’s seeing. “There is just too much availability of the use of technology.”

But the dangers of too much technology aren’t just confined to children.

Adults may also find themselves craving screen time, according to Boyer, the psychologist from Connellsville. Clear signs are if they’re constantly checking their phones, would rather be playing on them than talking with others or if they feel distress when they’re separated from the device.

That could describe a lot of us.

The addiction can cause memory issues or slow mental processing speeds, Boyer said, so just imagine what it’s doing to our kids?

“We’re losing some of our cognitive functions because we’re relying so much on our iPhones,” Boyer said.

Like everything in life, moderation is key, but especially when it comes to technology, for children and adults, alike.