How harmful is a computer for children? The influence of computers on children's health: how to protect our kids from harmful effects

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When allowing children to use a computer, parents should be aware that the harm a computer can cause to a child can be quite serious.

However, it will only be at risk if parents do not control the child’s communication with an electronic friend. With a reasonable approach to this issue, you can prevent harmful effects on children’s health, but, on the contrary, help your child develop and self-realize.

Harm of a computer to human health

Computer harm to children is caused by prolonged and uncontrolled exposure of the child to the monitor. Many parents are not serious about the fact that their child sits for hours at a computer because they do not realize how significant the harm a computer can have on human health. While the consequences of excessive computer use directly threaten human health.

Long-term continuous work at a computer is dangerous due to the following:

- sitting position,
- electromagnetic radiation,
- strain on vision,
— negative impact on the psyche and nervous system as a whole,
- exposure to dust and dirt.

What harm does a computer cause and how to deal with it

Parents who care about the health of their child know that they need to have information about the harm a computer can cause. With the help of this knowledge, you can reduce the harmful effects of all unfavorable factors.

A prolonged sitting position is fraught not only with poor posture, but also causes constant pain in the neck, back, lower back, and can also provoke prostatitis and hemorrhoids. These troubles can be avoided if you sit in a comfortable (appropriate to your height) chair with armrests, adjusting its height so that your line of sight falls on the center of the monitor.

Whether computer radiation is harmful is a controversial issue. Manufacturers modern models computers say there is no cause for concern. However, scientists have proven that electromagnetic radiation negatively affects the development of the embryo. This means that pregnant women are still not recommended to work on a computer.

The main harm of a computer for children is the strain on their eyesight. When working at a computer, your eyes get tired faster, and vision deterioration also contributes too much. small font and incorrectly adjusted monitor brightness. In this case, you need to make sure that there is enough light in the room, be sure to take breaks for special eye exercises and maintain a distance of 60-70 cm between the eyes and the monitor.

Another danger of a computer is that it can cause psychological addiction. And if you can find naked eye, then the negative impact of the computer on the nervous system is often noticed when the help of a specialist is already required. Here it is important not to overwork and measure the amount of time you spend at the computer, rest regularly and only sit in front of the screen in a good mood.

It’s not hard to imagine what harm a computer can cause to your health if the keyboard is never wiped, and system unit is not cleaned of dust. Therefore, you should regularly clean all parts of the computer from dust and dirt and wash your hands before using the computer and after finishing work.

Remember that the computer will harm children's health only if parents do not control this process. With a reasonable approach, a computer will only benefit the child: the child will have personal space and will develop faster.

Well, if your baby has only recently been born, you may want to know. On our website you can find detailed description bathing the baby according to all the rules.

It is impossible to imagine the life of today's children without a computer. In this article we will discuss the dangers of a computer for a child. The majority of regular computer users begin to complain about their health after 4 hours, and almost all of them begin to complain after 6 hours of working at the screen.

Computer harm to a child's eyesight

Nature has not adapted the human eye to work with computer images(bright screen light, flickering dots, insufficient image contrast, constant fast travel glance from the keyboard to the screen and back).

Since 1998, the term has appeared in medicine computer vision syndrome- special visual impairments in a person who spends a lot of time at the computer.

U computer vision syndrome There is

Visual symptoms:, double vision, fatigue when reading, focusing disturbances when moving the gaze from close objects to distant ones and back, the McCullagh effect: when moving the gaze from the screen to something white or black, the object is perceived in the color that predominated on computer.
Eye symptoms: burning or itching in the eyes, red eyes (redness of the conjunctiva, injection of scleral vessels), pain in the eye sockets and forehead, pain when moving the eyes.

Harm from electromagnetic radiation from a child's computer

People are exposed to electromagnetic radiation from the Earth throughout their lives. This radiation is considered normal or background.

Sources of artificial electromagnetic radiation are power lines, radio transmitting devices, and in a person’s home these are electrical appliances and Appliances, primarily these are: mobile phones, microwave ovens, computers and televisions. Microwave ovens usually have a short-term effect on humans. TV can harm a child's health only if he watches programs sitting close to the screen.

Electromagnetic radiation from a computer can be hazardous to a child's health. Because The computer has two sources of radiation at once: the system unit and the monitor; a child can spend time at the computer long time, not being able to be on safe distance from the monitor. The situation is aggravated if the room with the computer is cramped, poorly ventilated, or if there are many computers in one room.

U modern computers the screens are protected from electromagnetic radiation, but the side and rear walls remain sources of fairly powerful electromagnetic radiation.

System units are currently constantly increasing their power, creating an electromagnetic field with a frequency of electromagnetic radiation of 40-70 GHz; it is to this frequency of radiation that the human body, especially a child, is most sensitive.

After long periods of studying at the computer for several days in a row, the child becomes irritable, complains of fatigue, and tries to lie down. This condition is called chronic fatigue syndrome and is not easy to get rid of. In addition, electromagnetic radiation reduces immunity and disrupts the functioning of the child’s nervous, endocrine and reproductive systems.

Nervous system Computer harm for children

Several factors influence a child’s nervous system when studying at the computer.

Screen flickering and bright images have an irritating effect on the nervous system.
Constant tension in the eye muscles leads to headaches and irritability.
In a sitting position, especially if it is incorrect and persists for a long time, the blood supply to the brain may be disrupted.
Computer games are especially harmful to a child’s nervous system. During the game, the child experiences emotions, often violent ones. Stress hormones are released into the blood, including adrenaline, which causes increased blood pressure, spasm of blood vessels, including the brain, and increased heart rate. All this can be useful during physical activity; sitting motionless at the computer leads to irritability, headaches, increased blood pressure, and disturbances in the functioning of the heart.

Gaming addiction

A condition where children become dependent on computer games. They play for hours and even days without interruption. They perceive game stories and experiences as real. They lose control over time and their own needs. They can reach complete mental and physical exhaustion. Possible death.

Posture and genitourinary system Harm from a computer to a child

Prolonged sitting position, especially incorrect one, leads to

To poor posture and curvature of the spine in a child.
To circulatory disorders in the pelvic organs, blood stagnation is created in the pelvis, which can lead over time to diseases of the bladder, prostate, etc.

General hygiene recommendations for working with a computer

The height of the seat should be such that your legs are fully planted on the floor, and the backrest provides a comfortable support for your back.
The main row of the keyboard should be positioned at approximately elbow level, and once you start typing, you should keep your forearm, wrist, and hand or arms in a natural, comfortable position, without allowing your wrist or fingers to bend back.
The shoulders must be relaxed, not raised or lowered; accordingly, support for the forearms must be created.
The window should be located on the side of the monitor, preferably on the left.
The head should be positioned evenly in relation to the shoulders, and the neck should be in a comfortable position. Bright light sources should not be in the field of view.
The distance to the monitor should be equal to the length of an outstretched arm to the knuckles.
You should not press the keys and mouse too hard; you need to learn to type without looking, so as not to often look at the keyboard.
Documents, telephone, reference materials and other frequently used items should be arranged so that they are easy to reach.
You cannot work without breaks; frequent short breaks are more useful than rare and long ones.
During breaks, you need to stand up and stretch, stretch your muscles and joints well.
It is recommended to periodically go outside and breathe deeply. Great mental concentration when working with a computer often leads to breath holding and intermittent breathing.
Sitting at the monitor, a person blinks three times less often, so you should not forget to blink, and also periodically look away and look at distant objects.
When using a computer, children may be encouraged to exercise frequently during frequent breaks.

You can spend no more than one day on the computer

adult – 6 hours,
teenager 13-17 years old - 2 hours,
child 7-12 years old - 1 hour,
for a child under 7 years old - half an hour.

A child should not be allowed to play games associated with aggression, fighting, or destruction. Then the computer will not cause harm to health.

This is all about the harm of a computer for a child. Stay healthy!

There is nothing more important and dearer than the health of our children. You can’t buy it with money and you can’t replace it like a used battery. It is very important to understand which organs and systems of the baby are affected by the computer. And take measures to prevent this from happening.

Vision.

The eyes are the first to suffer. They are in constant voltage. When you stay at the monitor for a long time, symptoms such as double vision, temporary myopia, dryness and burning occur. Children's eyes quickly get tired due to their immaturity.

My vision is deteriorating and I will soon have to wear glasses. Most often, children play on a laptop or tablet while lying on the sofa, which increases eye strain. Behind last years According to statistics, myopia (myopia) is twice as common among first-graders. This indicates the harmful effects of computers on vision.

Posture.

The computer also harms children’s posture. As a rule, the place for playing or studying at the computer is not equipped for the height of the child. For example, he plays on a laptop, sitting on the sofa, on the floor, lounging on an armchair.

The back is in the wrong position. The child slouches or cranes his neck too much because he cannot see the image. Over time, this leads to curvature of the spine. There are complaints of pain in the head and back.

Nervous system.

A weak, not yet fully formed nervous system in children fails during prolonged contact with a computer. This is manifested by increased excitability, poor sleep, and sudden changes in mood.

Attentiveness decreases, unmotivated aggression appears. Subsequently, children develop computer addiction. Apart from his favorite “toy”, a dependent child no longer cares about anything.

Signs of computer addiction in children

the real world is replaced by a virtual one;
communication abilities are lost. It’s easier to find friends on the Internet than in person;
achievements in real life are replaced by passing a level of a game;
the desire to go out somewhere or do anything disappears;
contacts with other people are avoided;
appetite decreases;
sleep deteriorates;
studies and household responsibilities are ignored;
Aggression manifests itself in response to any attempt to limit contact with the computer.

This condition requires medical intervention. It is already difficult for parents to cope alone.

At what age can you play on the computer?

Children and computers are a much discussed topic. It is believed that the later a child becomes acquainted with electronic computer, all the better. But you also need to consider the benefits of a computer.

When the baby is very small and is just beginning to explore the world, he is interested in watching funny pictures on the monitor and pressing keys.

At this age, the words “impossible” or “enough” cannot be explained. Trying to get them away from the computer will end in crying and hysterics. The benefit of this is doubtful.

It is preferable for children to start mastering a computer no earlier than 3-4 years old. They already understand the word “impossible.” And you can agree on a time with him.

Psychologists have come up with a formula. With its help, the approximate time that the baby can spend at the computer without harm to health:

Age × 3 = number of minutes allowed. Next, the received minutes × 3 = rest time.

Example. The baby is 5 years old. 5 × 3 = 15 minutes – game on the computer. 15 × 3 = 45 minutes – rest.

The computer gaming industry does not stand still. New games are released regularly, and each is better than the other. Quite a lot good games, which help children develop memory, logic, and thinking. Also, some games allow natural talents to reveal themselves and allow you to learn a lot of new, interesting and useful things.

The main thing is an individual approach, which takes into account the character and interests of the little “gamer”. In addition to the benefits, there are also harms from computer games. It manifests itself in strong passion, which ultimately leads to addiction to computer games.

Children cease to control the time they spend at the computer and forget about everything in the world. The result is overwork, memory loss, and problems at school.

Be sure to watch the presentation for the game you are going to buy. Make sure there is no violence, excessive gore, or erotic scenes. A game that is incorrectly selected for the temperament of a small user will quickly overtire him and put strong pressure on his psyche.

There are very susceptible children. They often transfer their impressions into the real world. This can manifest itself as aggression towards other people, fears, nightmares at night, and isolation.

Preventing computer harm

organizing a place for children to play computer;
correct position: back straight, elbows and knees at an angle of 90°. The distance from the eyes to the monitor is at least 70 cm;
good and correct lighting;
exercise after being at the computer with the obligatory performance of special exercises for the eyes;
limiting computer use time depending on age;
careful selection of games, taking into account the individual characteristics of children;
control over the sites that the child visits using special programs.

How to replace a computer?

Many parents are only happy about the advent of computers. After all, this is another way to captivate your child and mind his own business. But for those who know about the dangers of a computer and want to spend more time with children, this information will be useful.

How to diversify your leisure time?

use educational and board games;
show your imagination and come up with games with safe objects that you have at home;
walks in the open air. It’s better to invite other children for a walk or meet them on the street;
attend educational clubs and sports sections;
reading books together, learning poems and songs, listening to music;
doing handicrafts or other creative activities.

And this is not the entire list. You can do anything with your child. The main thing is to find time and desire.

We live in an era of developed information technologies. Without computer knowledge to modern man it will be hard. We should be calm about the fact that our children will sooner or later master this “miracle machine.” This will help them in their studies and in finding a good job.

The main thing is to remember the harm that a computer can cause if you do not follow the basic rules of use.

Our topic of conversation today is the harm and benefits of computers for children. The world around us develops from generation to generation. Every year, our children never cease to amaze adults with their ingenuity, desire to learn new devices, as well as their growing interest in life on the Internet. While our grandparents do not always understand how to turn on a mobile phone, our little know-it-alls have already looked through its menu in full and are playing the game they like on it. As for the development of children’s intellectual abilities, this interest can be noted as a definite “pro.”

Use of computer

But you need to understand what intellectual abilities we're talking about. Yes, children have mastered technology and know how to work with it - this is good, because technology is developing rapidly, and soon a person who has not mastered it will look like a caveman. But how then does the child use a computer, tablet, or other gadget? Only for social media networks? Only for shooters? This is unacceptably small.

Speaking on the topic of the harm and benefits of a computer for children, one cannot help but say that a computer is powerful tool storing, searching and processing information, and you need to use it to its fullest. At least master Photoshop, website building programs, etc. that is, used to develop those same abilities. But the very fact of having the skills to work with technology does not mean anything.

Computer harm

As for the point "against". Many parents are concerned about the large amount of time their child spends on a computer, tablet or smartphone. This opinion may arise due to the possible negative impact on the child’s vision, as well as on his brain. Children do sometimes experience headaches. However, research in this area often points to the cause of excessive intellectual workload in school, a large number of homework associated with minimum time spent outdoors.

The harm and benefits of computers for children. Reboot

Some of this is myth. Yes, school program It became heavier, more intense, but the methods also changed. The same computers take on part of the work of preparing tasks. Teachers are well aware of how much children can actually accomplish on their own, and it is unlikely that anyone will deliberately set a “disastrous” volume. There are, of course, students who try to do everything and do it “excellently”, while preparing for olympiads and participating in research activities etc. But there are only a few of them. Most “regular” schoolchildren will still do as much as they can (and even a little less).

No matter how much we talk about the dangers and benefits of computers for children, excessive passion for computer games does not remain without consequences. At least look at what your children are playing. If there is packaging, read the age at which you can play. If not, look up information about the game online. Manufacturers will not write restrictions in vain. The child's psyche is weak, it can very easily be broken by the advanced technologies used by game developers. By the way, the computer game “GTA”, popular among our children, is banned in the USA, where it was invented. And they sell it to other countries.

Jealousy of generations

Or maybe the whole point is that we are afraid of losing control. We are afraid to admit that some children are superior to us in many ways, which is why we try in every possible way to limit their access to the Internet. But this is a fact: the new generation will have to live in a completely different world. It's called a technological revolution, and it has happened. It's stupid to be jealous and limit. You just need to follow the limits of what is reasonable and safe for health.

Form the right habits

There should be a sense of proportion in everything. Do not allow children to develop using a tablet or mobile phone- means taking away from a child the opportunity in the future to demonstrate his capabilities 100%. In order for children to spend more time in the fresh air, instill in them this habit from early childhood. Teach them

Modern children know from the cradle what a computer is, and by the time they are one year old they can already operate a mouse and press keyboard buttons. The close “communication” of a child with a computer causes an ambiguous attitude: on the one hand, now there really is no place without a computer. On the other hand, constantly sitting at a computer is fraught with serious consequences. The most dangerous of them is the development of computer addiction in a child, which is a real disease that requires treatment.

Causes and types of addiction

Computer addiction in children is, first of all, an escape from reality, therefore main reason desire to plunge headlong into virtual world- lack of something in reality. Children may lack attention and participation from their parents, self-confidence, and recognition in the company of their peers. As a result, the child tries to satisfy his real needs not in the real world, but in the virtual world.

Dependency can be of two types:

Gaming addiction (cyberaddiction) – addiction to computer games. Some games are personalized, that is, a person plays on behalf of a specific hero, increasing power, conquering cities, acquiring superpowers. In this case, we can talk about role dependence. In other games there is no character as such, but the essence of the game is to collect points and win. In this case, the dependence is non-role.
Network addiction (netegolism) . This is a child’s dependence on the Internet, which can manifest itself in different forms, but in a global sense the essence is the same - a person cannot imagine his life without access to the Internet. Spending time on social networks, chats, and listening to music are options for network addiction. Even harmless Internet surfing is a type of network addiction, because a person spends a lot of time watching and reading absolutely nothing. necessary information, moving from link to link.

When to sound the alarm: 10 signs of computer addiction

Both children and adults are susceptible to computer addiction, but in children addiction develops much faster. How earlier child became acquainted with a computer, the more likely it is that the computer will displace real life. Addiction in a child can be recognized by the following signs.

The child cannot use the computer within the established boundaries. Even if there is a preliminary agreement, he cannot tear himself away from the computer in time, and attempts to restore order and remove him from the computer end in hysterics.
The child does not complete assigned household chores. Usually, children always have chores to do: wash the dishes, tidy up their things, walk the dog. A dependent child cannot plan his time and skips homework by sitting at the computer.
Spending time at the computer becomes a more preferable activity than chatting with family or friends. Even family holidays and visits are no exception.
Even natural needs cannot force a child to take his mind off the Internet , so he doesn’t part with his phone/tablet either during meals or in the bath.
The child is constantly looking for devices from which he can go online or play. If you take away his tablet or computer, he will immediately pick up the phone. READ IN DETAIL: The influence of a tablet on a child: 10 reasons to say “NO”! —
The child communicates mainly online, constantly making new acquaintances there, who remain in the virtual world. Even with real acquaintances (classmates, friends), the child prefers to communicate on the Internet.
The child neglects his studies: does not complete homework, becomes absent-minded, sloppy, and performance declines.
Deprivation of a computer causes “withdrawal”: the child becomes aggressive and irritable.
Without a computer, the child does not know what to do with himself , it is impossible to interest him in anything.
The child does not let you know what he is doing online. Any questions cause a negative reaction.

Note to moms!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...

Video 2 - Internet addiction in teenagers:

Computer damage

Presentation: “Computer: benefit or harm.” Completed by: student of grade 6 “B”, Elina Mulasheva (clickable):

The constant presence of both adults and children at the computer has become a familiar sight, which is why parents risk underestimating the danger of addiction to games or the Internet. In reality, computer addiction brings Negative consequences both for the body and for the psyche. Moreover, when it comes to children, these consequences are deeper and more difficult to eliminate, because the body and psyche of a growing person are still being formed.

We also read:

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and, finally, get rid of the terrible complexes of fat people. I hope you find the information useful!