Media Impacts Childrens Health

20 years ago, the average child would come home from school and immediately run back outside to play. Their free time was spent playing a ball game, hide and go seek, or coloring with chalk on the pavement. Being inside was a punishment and kids couldn't wait to get back outside. In today's society, playgrounds are empty and children's eyes are glued to screens (and not window screens).

This addiction to technology is taking a drastic toll on the upcoming generation, and is only getting worse with time. 

In a study done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, they found that the average 8 to 10 year old spends nearly eight hours a day with a variety of different media, and older children and teenagers spend more than 11 hours per day." This produces damaging results on children's social, physical, and emotional development. In the first five years of a child;s life, they learn best through (real life) interactions with others. If a parent sticks a tablet in front of their child's eyes in a public place, there is no physical interaction with others going on. For older children or teens, any type of application for a school or job is online. Writing them out and making yourself sound perfect for the opportunity is easy. However, when it comes time for a personal interview, these teens often freeze up and don't know how to interact properly because all they know is online conversation. 

Media is affecting children and young adults more than just socially. Because most kids sit on their couches to play video games, sit on their phone, or watch tv, they are not getting outside and running around like a developing child should.

One of the biggest issues media has caused on children is the emotional problems. Bullying has always been an issue since schools have been around. However, with the ability to have technology everywhere, the bullying now follows children home. This has caused a huge increase in depression in young people. There is now specific mentoring and counseling for the "CYBERbullying epidemic." Not only is it worse because it can follow you everywhere, but also because children are not scared to say things behind a screen. This causes harsher insults and increased anxiety and depression. 

Technology was not created to harm us, and if used on a set limit, it shouldn't. However, our world has completely taken advantage of the media. Until we can get a grip on our use of technology, the generations to come are only going to gradually worsen in this problem. 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/06/screen-addiction-is-taking-a-toll-on-children/?_r=0