A new report in the health section of a national newspaper has revealed that the prolonged use of handheld devices is causing spinal deformities in children as young as 10. Quoting health experts, it said that there is an increase in the number of young people seeking treatment to straighten neck curve problems which were in turn due to long hours of either video or mobile gaming or both and taking to constant computer and mobile use. The news report is a clear indicator of how children today are veering towards gadgets and technology usage while forsaking physical activities associated with traditional ‘playtime’. The shrinking of public places and playgrounds where children can play or indulge in outdoor activities have led the younger generation indoors to vegetate before television sets or hunched over mobile handsets and video game appliances. Not many realize that increasing non-activity from a young age can lead to health issues starting from obesity to spinal problems in later life. Young children prone to growing television viewing time not only affects their eye sight but has other far reaching psycho-emotional impacts that not many people realize. The barrage of advertisements during television programs that young children watch constantly often plug mostly packaged or processed food, which is not healthy. Rather, the presentation of such food items are done in such appealing formats that more and more parents today fall into the pressure of tantrums thrown by children in terms of the kind of food products they see on TV and then want to consume. While films beamed on Television do come with notices on ‘parental guidance’ in case the contents of the films will cause issues of confusion or fear etc on young minds, cartoon channels, which are the favorite of almost all young children are hardly given scrutiny in terms of their content and their impact. While children may enjoy the playful presentation of cartoon characters, it is a fact that what passes off as comic content can also be turning a blind eye to messages or visuals that are violent. Also, leaving children to watch TV alone without adult supervision or without having them understand what is real and make believe can lead to dangerous play offs where they end up accepting that super heroes exist and will ‘save’ them from fatal situations. There are reports in public domain where children have ended up as casualties following instances of jumping down from tall buildings, all in the belief that a ‘super hero’ (in the garb of ‘superman’, ‘batman; etc) will whisk them away to safety.
Even as young children get stuck as couch potatoes before TV sets and resort to mobile phone or video gaming, adolescents and those starting from age 10 are increasingly veering towards online use and abuse. Many can turn around and ask whether it is possible that majority of older young people are turning to internet use considering that the majority of households in the state or the country posses computers or laptops. But the truth is that the internet does not have to depend on having computers and laptops but can simply be accessed through mobile handsets and internet packs. In urban and upper middle class school settings, school home work assignments are in fact encouraged to use the internet as a resource while conveniently sweeping away the fact that without a comprehensive guide on what internet sites are child friendly and not, the push towards early internet usage can lead to complicated scenarios where children can be abused by their peers or preyed upon by adults. For young people who are being subjected to stay indoors due to the lack of space or because of safety issues, watching the television, getting engrossed in video/mobile games and getting hooked in the internet comes easy. But it is the internet with its broad ambit of everything on offer that is most dangerous in the long run. The reality of appropriate content for young people on the internet and the usage of social networking sites has in fact led to various debates and discussions not only in the country but abroad as well. Recently, the Delhi High Court following a PIL has directed the Delhi Government to look into the question of cyber-security and asked for a ban on minors from opening accounts on online platforms. But at the end of the day, the nature of parenting and involvement with one’s children will be what will make all the change.