We are all faced with a situation never seen before, confined indoors and resorting to gadgets more than ever – to continue our children's’ education, to work from home, and as a source of entertainment.
In these times, everyone is concerned about this increase in screen time, and how it will affect our eyes. In children, spending increased time in front of a screen has been linked to the development of myopia (nearsightedness) that would require spectacles for correction, and hence every effort should be made to restrict the gadget use to only as much is necessary.
It is important to try and find alternatives to excessive gadget usage for younger kids. Once they are done with their online school work, try to engage them in other methods of play that do not involve looking at a screen. If they have to watch something, try to choose a screen that is bigger and placed farther away. A TV is preferable to an iPad, which in turn is better than a phone.
The recommendations for screen time in children state –
Parul Gupta
Mansi Zaveri
Rati Ramadas Girish
KSP Team
