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It has become common to see children glued to a screen, whether a cell phone, electronic tablet, or television. This dependency can cause major problems in their cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional development. Although screens can improve education and learning, the time spent in front of them should be limited, especially for boys and girls, since it reduces the quantity and quality of interactions between people their age and adults. as well as their language development.
Many people have taken to social media like TikTok to complain about the famous “iPad Kids,” saying that they are an absolutely terrifying nightmare and that it is impossible to deal with them. For example, user Teresakayenewman, an educator, says that the time the Alpha generation spends in front of the screen affects their classroom behavior, social skills, and performance in school.
The reality is that today, it is rarer for children or adolescents to be disconnected than for them to have a screen addiction. That’s why you need to ask yourself if Generation Alpha kids are really “a terrifying nightmare” that you can’t deal with, as they say on TikTok. Are iPads and screens really to blame?
The impact on development in infants and adolescents
Today’s infants are digital natives since they were born in a constantly changing digital ecosystem, so much so that, according to a study published by the medical journal Cureus, they begin interacting with these technologies at four months. This publication aims to delve into the effects of excessive time in front of a screen and its impact on the development of children, as well as the strategies and responsibilities that parents and institutions can assume to manage and reduce time in front of a screen effectively.
Screens have become ubiquitous in homes and are increasingly used in school systems; however, this can harm student development. Research has shown that e-books and learning-to-read apps can improve children’s early reading and creative thinking skills. Still, they also suggest that overuse adversely affects cognitive development, such as executive functioning, sensorimotor development, and academic outcomes.
According to an analysis of the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Child Development, for every hour two-year-olds watch television, their participation in class decreases by 7% and 6% in math mastery units when they reach fourth grade. Other studies corroborate this since they found that the more time spent in front of a screen, the lower the academic performance. Even so, it is essential to clarify that the results of less attention and concentration may be due to the excessive use of technologies or multitasking behaviors. More research is needed to uncover this relationship, as language development has received the most attention in the research area of screen use and childhood rather than executive skills.
Regarding language development, the first years of life are where it is most crucial to acquire linguistic skills and learn vocabulary and phonology, which is obtained through human interaction. However, because infants increasingly spend time in front of a screen rather than interacting with others, they lose the opportunity to practice and develop them.
According to the Cureus study, increased exposure to television, even in the background, can adversely affect children under five’s language use, executive functioning, and cognition. Additionally, binge-watching can potentially impact language development and reading skills at an early age.
And it is not just the use of language but cognitive development and academic performance. Spending so much time in front of a screen can affect young people’s mental health, as well as the development of their physical abilities, which could result in obesity, sleep problems, anxiety, and depression.
One study even reveals that babies between six and 18 months old overexposed to this type of technology show emotional reactivity, aggression, and externalizing behaviors. In addition, it showed that adolescents who use computers and play video games instead of television are related to more severe depressive and anxiety symptoms. Another publication indicates that having a TV in a child’s room under six will cause a lower level of emotional understanding at eight. Another point is that infants under three years old grow accustomed to a 2D world instead of the real one, limiting their fine motor skills and awareness of their space.
The researchers who published their study in Cureus say that “the psychoneurological effects of addictive use of screen time include a decrease in social coping skills and the development of anxious behaviors that resemble substance dependence. “Structural changes in the brain related to cognitive control and emotional regulation have been observed in people with addictive behavior in digital media.”
This type of technology is not all bad; it also benefits the education and development of children and adolescents. From the age of two, for example, high-quality television programs or videos designed for educational purposes serve the early development of language and literacy in infants. These can support cognitive development, imagination, positive attitudes, and social and linguistic skills, especially for impoverished people.
On the other hand, the addictive use of screens also affects attention and performance in the classroom. The company Impero Software surveyed more than 2000 students between 11 and 18 years old. In this report, they found that a quarter have viewed violent content online while in the classroom, and 17% were viewing it on a school device. In addition to this, 10% have used gambling sites, 13% have accessed pornography sites, and 38% play video games, all of this in the middle of their classes or while they are at school.
However, the use of technology is not completely bad or harmful for children. It also brings benefits to the training and development of children and adolescents. From the age of two, for example, high-quality television programs or videos designed for educational purposes serve the early development of language and literacy in infants. These can support cognitive development, imagination, positive attitudes, and social and linguistic skills, especially for those who live in poverty.
Its excessive use can negatively affect executive functioning, sensorimotor development, and academic performance. Especially for younger children, early exposure to screens has been associated with lower cognitive abilities and academic performance in later years.
Screen time needs to be managed and reduced
The habit of excessive screen staring develops over time, so involving parents and teachers is crucial to helping children and adolescents reach their potential. The former can implement behavioral control at home through observation and establishing rules about its use.
Vic Raynor, protection expert at Impero Software, emphasizes the need for a balanced approach. For this, it is essential to remember that sons and daughters observe the behavior of adults; if they see that their parents spend a significant amount of time in front of the television, even at mealtime, the children are more likely to watch it excessively. If they see their parents watching television for four hours or more a day, they will be three times more likely to do the same.
The publication in Cureus demonstrates that restricting the use of screens is effective. It states that “ideal discretionary screen time limits are 0.5 to 1 hour/day for children ages three to seven, one hour for children ages 7 to 12, 1.5 hours for children ages 12 to 15 years and two hours for those over 16 years of age.” In the same way that families worry about their children’s nutrition, they should also be aware of the use of screens, both what they are consuming and the time they spend using them. It is important that caregivers, educators, and health professionals understand the risks and begin to promote alternative activities that help infants and adolescents reach their potential.
Tell us, have you come across any of these famous “iPad Kids”? Do you think the Alpha generation has behavioral problems and slower development caused by excessive use of screens?
Translation by Daniel Wetta
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This article from Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education may be shared under the terms of the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 
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