Psychologist Dr. Aric Sigman stated that parents need to do more to stop children from spending too much time watching television or playing computer games.
The psychologist also said that “screen time” needs to have a daily limit similar to salt or alcohol intake.
Dr. Sigman called for parents to “regain control” or risk a “form of benign neglect.” He will speak at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s annual conference in Glasgow later.
He will argue that children spend an all-time high amount of time in front of screens, having access to an average of five screens in the home and often using more than one at once, such as a smartphone and the television.
Then he will say that this links to a sedentary lifestyle, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease and will also raise concerns that screen time might change children’s brains as they develop.
Researchers have shown differences between the brains of gamers and non-gamers. However, it is not known if playing games changes the brain or if people with certain brain structures are driven to play games.
Dr. Sigman told the BBC that “there are concerns that it alters the reward circuitry in the brain,” which may lead to “dependence.”
The psychologist mentioned that many children and adults overuse technology and develop an unhealthy dependency on it, regardless of whether they are formally ‘addicted’ to screen technology.
He continued: “It is always the principle of caution in children, except for screen time.” He argues that children up to the age of three should have little or no screen time.
Then, he recommends a maximum of an hour-and-a-half up to the age of seven, and a maximum of two hours up to the age of 18.
Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott has also called for parents to cut the amount of time families spend in front of the television or playing on a computer.
She said: “By 2025, nearly half of men and over a third of women will be obese, so we must start helping and empowering parents to do the right thing.”
The Department of Health stated: “Physical activity offers huge benefits – all children should be encouraged to be active.” It advised that under-fives should spend as little time sitting still as possible.
Meanwhile, doctors at the conference have updated the way they check that children are growing properly. New growth charts will help doctors and school nurses compare a child’s height, weight, and age, making it easier to spot obese children and those not going through puberty properly.
Dr. Charlotte Wright, who played an instrumental role in the design, stated that the new charts are “simpler to use” and will provide a “more accurate picture” of children’s health.
Content contributed and edited by Graeme Paton, Education Editor, reported from London, UK, sourced by telegraph.co.uk
