Screen dependency seems to be real and claimed to be ruining childrens' brains

The time children spend on their electronic devices are increasing every day. Here's what every parent must know about this growing issue.

A report from Healthy Holistic Living informed that increasing number of young children were being glued to the electronic screens of smartphones or tablets.

This tendency has led to several problems occurring in children including health and behavioral problems and even attempted suicide.

While playing video games or using smartphone apps are extremely addictive, they are also creating a potential risk of several disorders due to unregulated screen time.

These disorders may include internet addiction disorder, internet gaming disorder, problematic internet use, pathological video game use, mobile phone dependence, social network site addiction, and many others.

According to Dr. Aric Sigman's research published in Journal of the International Child Neurology Association, the term 'addiction' was increasingly being used to describe the growing number of children engaging in various screen activities in a 'dependent, problematic manner.'

Some of the symptoms that a child may have such addiction with their screens can be: preoccupation, withdrawal symptoms, increasing tolerance, loss of outside interests, continuation despite negative consequences, using to escape bad moods, and many others.

All these symptoms clearly diminish the ability of the children to function properly and orderly.

A 2015 study published in Behavioral Sciences revealed that 12 percent of young American adolescent gamers were 'pathological video-gamers.'

Seattle-based psychotherapist, Dr. George Lynn, also mentioned that around 80 percent of the issues in his patients related to too much gaming, watching too many online videos, or excessively using social media.

So, for parents with children who are exposed to unregulated screen time for longer periods, these tips can come in handy:

1. For children younger than 18 months, use of screen media should be completely avoided, with video chatting being the exception. Parents of children who are 18 to 24 months should sit with their children while showing digital media so that they can properly explain.

2. For children ages 2 to 5 years, screen time should be no more than 1 hour per day. Co-viewing is still advised.

3. For children ages 6 and older, the limits on the screen time should be consistent and the types of media they watch should be regulated. They should not lose their sleep and other physical activity.