How IPads And Smartphones Affect Children Under 2 – You Are Parent

Those who warn of possible health hazards usually argue using certain clues of serious illnesses, such as tumors and cancers. However, it is also valid to say that to date we have not come across any conclusive research results which can indicate whether this is true or not.

In any case, you can never be too careful. Especially if we consider the following arguments, which are quite true.

It has been said that the use of all types of electronic devices, including smartphones and iPads, promotes a sedentary lifestyle. This is one of the main causes of obesity in the world, and the indices are constantly increasing, especially in the juvenile and child population.

From a social perspective, critics point to the poor socialization that is encouraged by the excessive use of these devices. Because often, children prefer to “have contact” with the telephone rather than with other children.

Babies need to move

Regardless of whether the studies that postulate against the use of these devices are valid or not, we must keep in mind that babies under 2 years old (and older ones too) need to explore their environment to grow well. They have to crawl, walk, trip, jump, roll, run, dance… all this is not possible when you are sitting on an armchair with a tablet in your hands.

Why do they have to move?

Children’s brain development is a process that begins in the womb, but continues for up to 4 or 5 years after birth. That is to say that during this period, the brain structures continue to form. As are synapses (unions between neurons). This is activated by experience and the organism’s need to generate responses to the demands of the environment. So how can watching videos on mom’s cell phone help brain development?

Children need to know their body, and learn to control it through experience. Even if it messes up the house and makes a lot of noise.

Babies need to experiment with the senses

Brain development involves the nervous system processing information that comes in through the five senses. And that he is able to use them to learn. It is also important that children can assimilate vestibular (balance and movement) and proprioceptive (sensations that come from the body) stimulation.

All this is possible when the child plays, discovers new textures and temperatures, when he uses musical instruments… Or when he goes to the park, when he plays on the swing, when he sings, when he gets dirty. Not when he’s playing the latest trending iPad game.

Babies need to develop their communication skills

Knowing how to communicate does not mean viewing images on an iPad and knowing how to name them. Knowing how to communicate means being able to let someone know what we want to say, and being able to understand what others are saying, and what is happening around us. Having vocabulary is important, but communication is not that.

Babies learn to communicate by having contact with people, not with machines. They have to listen to mom, play with their siblings, play in kindergarten, solve problems, sing, listen to stories…

It is communication that helps develop social skills. And which allows the little ones to grow up knowing how to respect the opinions of others, waiting their turn to play… And knowing how to listen and look people in the eye when they talk to them. None of this can be learned from mom’s cell phone.

Babies need to know some basics

Basic notions are concepts that are learned through experience. We are talking about things like notions of space (up, down, near, far, in front, behind, inside, outside), and notions of time (before, after, before, quickly, slowly, during).

Other concepts are included in these basics, such as weight, similarity, and distance. There are certainly games that address these concepts on electronic devices. However, they do not allow the child to learn what is “above”. Or which toy is heavier than the other, for example. They only serve to evoke what we already know through experience, in order to be able to select the correct answer.

It’s not all so bad

Smartphones and iPads won’t cause irreversible damage to your baby, when they don’t replace the experience. That is, you shouldn’t spend time showing him iPad games. Instead, invest this time and effort in playing outside if possible, or if not, playing with toys. Only in this way will you be able to develop your child’s intelligence. Even if social pressure sometimes makes us think the opposite.

A child who runs, falls, messes up, dances and fights with his siblings is a healthy growing child.

Use the iPad or smartphone when the situation really doesn’t allow you to have toys on hand. Choose educational games, without lying to yourself that your child is really learning. He’s just putting into practice something he’s already learned in real life. And the device only serves to keep him quiet, that’s all.