Table of contentsSummaryThe effects of technology on children's health and their long-term effectsWhat are the physical effects of technology on children?How are children affected mentally, emotionally and socially by technology? the long-term consequences of some of these effects? What needs to be done to avoid these negative effects and long-term consequences of technology? ConclusionSummaryTechnology has many benefits in adults and children. However, there are a number of negative consequences, which may outweigh the benefits, such as obesity, access to sexual material, low self-esteem and attention deficit disorder. Parents must be aware of this in order to improve the quality of life of their children. This research paper examines the effects of technology on children, the long-term consequences of these effects, and suggests solutions to avoid these effects. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayThe Effects of Technology on Children's Health and Their Long-Term EffectsAccording to Pew Research (2014), 78% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old own a cell phone, 80 percent own a computer, 94 percent have a Facebook profile and 95 percent have access to the Internet (“Teen Fact Sheet”). This means that a large number of children have access to and are engaged with technology. Although technology can be beneficial for both children and adults, it has more than its share of harmful effects. This article examines the wide range of negative health effects caused by technology by asking the following questions: What are the physical effects of technology on children? How are children affected mentally, emotionally and socially by technology? What are the long-term consequences of technology? some of these effects? What can be done to avoid these effects and the long-term consequences of technology? Understanding the negative effects of technology on children's mental and physical health can better prepare and inform parents on how to protect their children. What are the physical effects of technology on children? Although technology has positive physical effects, especially when it comes to fitness, when combined with inactivity, technology is quite harmful. An example of this is television. According to a study conducted by the Division of Nutrition and Health of the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico, "the risk of obesity decreases by 10 percent for each hour per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity and increases by 12 percent cent for every hour per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity. hour per day of television viewing” (Ebbeling, Pawlak and Ludwig, 2002, p. 475). There is a strong correlation between heavy television viewing and health problems, including: hypertension, high cholesterol, and increased prevalence of asthma (Strasburger, Jordan, & Donnerstein, 2010, pp. 761-762) . The increase in obesity can also be attributed to the number of advertisements for unhealthy foods shown on television. According to Strasburger et al. (2010), “Children and adolescents see between 4,400 and 7,600 advertisements per year for junk and fast food on television alone” (p. 761). This equates to between 12 and 20 ads per day. These advertisements have been shown to influence children's preferences and encourage them to believe that junk food is a normal, everyday thing. (Robinson, Borzekowski, Matheson and Kraemer, 2007, Results section, paragraph3). Overuse of technology is also associated with visual problems. Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is described by the American Optometric Association (n.d.) as a “group of eye and vision-related problems resulting from prolonged computer use” (para. 1). CVS is found in both adults and children and is not limited to computer use. It can also be the result of excessive use of video games, television and cell phones. Symptoms of CVS include blurred distance vision, eye fatigue, and dry eyes. If neglected, symptoms can worsen and become more and more of a nuisance. Despite the negative health impacts caused by technology, there are still some positive physical impacts. Concerning the safety of children, Campbell (2005) maintains that "the mobile phone therefore allows both the child to call his parents if they are in difficulty, but also offers the capacity to monitor parents who call young people » (p. 6). Parents can know where their children are at all times, send urgent messages and have the comfort of knowing that if their child is safe and in trouble, they will be able to call for help. Children can contact their parents in seconds in an emergency and arrange meeting places faster and more reliably. However, technology can also harm children's safety and privacy. According to Madden et al. (2013), 91% of adolescent social media users post a photo of themselves, which could make them the target of a predator. A lot of contact information is also publicly posted. 71 percent of teen social media users post the name of their school, 71 percent post the city or town they live in, 53 percent post their email address, and 20 percent post their cell phone number. Most of this published information is publicly available, meaning that anyone, even a child predator, can see this information by viewing a teenager's social media profile. There are also a few fitness apps for smartphones and tablets, including: NFL Play 60, Kids Fitness, and Awesome Diet. These applications are either oriented towards physical activity or towards healthy eating. However, according to Google Play (2014), of these apps, each has only 1,000 to 5,000 downloads, while apps more popular with kids, like Facebook, are used by 94 percent of teens (“Teen Fact Sheet” ), have over 1,000. to 5 billion downloads, and popular fitness app Nike has over 10 million downloads. Technology also allows children to view things that are inappropriate for their age. In a survey presented by Strasbourg et al. (2010), almost half of a group of 1,500 young people aged 10 to 17 were exposed to online pornography in the past year. Television shows aimed at children contain more sexual content than shows aimed at adults (760). These are things parents shouldn't want their children to see, or at least should discuss with their children. According to Strasbourg et al. (2010), the portrayal of sex on television gives adolescents the idea that sex is normative and safe, and that things like contraceptives are not important. Access to technology also allows for the possibility of sending sexually explicit images. According to a national survey of 13 to 19 year olds, 20 percent hadsent and 48 percent had received messages of a sexual nature (Strasburg et al. 2010, p. 761). How are children affected mentally, emotionally and socially by technology? Early childhood is a time of crucial and rapid brain development. Many experiences you have early in life will affect your reactions throughout your life (Kolb, 2009, para. 2). So what happens when a child is exposed to too much media from a young age? According to Strasburger et al. (2010), studies have shown that there is a “potential for language delays in infants exposed to excess television or videos” (p. 761). Another correlation is found: watching television more than two hours per day “in early childhood has been associated with attention deficit disorder (ADD) during the early school years” (p. 761). Technology is not so bad for early childhood development. . According to Taylor (2012), video games and other screen-based media improve visuospatial abilities and reaction times. Also through media, children and adolescents can learn tolerance toward people of other races and ethnicities. Important public messages can also be integrated into television programs, conveying educational messages in a way that children will pay attention to (Strasburger et al. 2010, p. 762). On a social and emotional level, technology facilitates communication with peers (Campbell 2005, p. 4), allowing adolescents to communicate and interact with each other, at any time. of the day, while helping them organize their projects. It also allows adolescents to express their interests, such as music, art, and magazines (Hutchby & Moran-Ellis, 2013, chap. 2). Children and adolescents can communicate with their peers at any time of the day. However, this ability to communicate 24/7 has drawbacks, particularly when it comes to harassment. By changing the way children can communicate with each other, bullying is now present in a new environment. Cyberbullying, defined as repeated online harassment over time (Lenhart 2010). Between 10 percent and 33 percent of teens are victims of online bullying, and 26 percent report being bullied via text or phone call. With the ability to remain anonymous when being bullied via text, phone call or internet, a child may never know who is tormenting them. Technology has indirect effects on the emotional health of children and adolescents. According to Must and Strauss (1999), childhood obesity can have lasting effects on self-esteem and body image (p. 3), and according to the Harvard School of Public Health (nd), obese people are more likely to have depression than people of normal weight. As technology is a major factor in childhood obesity, it can be partly blamed. Adolescents who are bullied have higher levels of substance abuse, depression, school avoidance, and may become bullies themselves (Lenhart, 2010), ruining their future. What are the long-term consequences of some of these effects? Childhood obesity is a life-prolonged health risk. Obesity has serious consequences on a person's quality of life and well-being. According to the Harvard School of Public Health (nd), obese men have a seven times higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and women have a 12 times higher risk than those of the same sex who were of normal weight. range. Obesity also affects the economy, costing the United States $190 billion each year..