Kids and Technology

Research into how technology is impacting developing children. 

• 20 years ago kids would be playing outside, using imagination, building forts etc all of which didn't cost anything and often didn't need parental supervision. Family time would be spend around the dinner table.
• Nowadays, more time is spend on technology. Parents rely on communication through technology to make lives easier, faster and more efficient.
• A 2010 Kaiser foundation study found that elementary aged children use on average 7.5 hours per day of entertainment technology, 75 percent of these children have TV's in there bedrooms and 50 percent of American homes have the TV on all day. Dining room tables and conversation have been replaced by a big screen and take out.
• Children now rely on technology for majority of their play. This is not only limiting their creativity and imaginations but also limits the challenges to their bodies in order to achieve sensory and motor development. 
• The advancement of technology has seen an increase of physical, psychological and behaviour disorders. Some of these include ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities and sleep disorders. 
• "Four critical factors necessary to achieve healthy child development are movement, touch, human connection and exposure to nature."
• "Nature and "green space" has not only a calming influence on children, but also is attention restorative and promotes learning".
• Technology overstimulates children and the sensory imbalance creates a huge problem in overall neurological development. Young children that exposed to violence through video games and TV puts them in a high state of stress and adrenaline as their body does not know that what they are watching isn't real. 

Notes taken from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cris-rowan/technology-children-negative-impact_b_3343245.html