English 101 Essay: The Detrimental Effects of Screen Time on Children

This essay, prepared for English 101, examines the negative impacts of excessive screen time on children's development. It highlights the critical period of brain development in the first two years of life and how too much screen time can hinder language acquisition. The essay references the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidelines and discusses the link between screen time and ADHD, emphasizing the increased likelihood of focus-related conditions in children with high screen exposure. It further explores the detrimental effects on social-emotional well-being, imagination, and sleep patterns, leading to potential behavioral and academic problems. The essay concludes by advocating for limited or no screen time for young children, especially those under two years old, and suggests that if screen time is unavoidable, it should involve educational content and parental engagement to support healthy brain development.

English 101
09/20/22
Why Parents Should Limit Their Children’s Screen Time.
The effects of too much screen time are bad for development in young
children. Since a parent or guardian play a role in how much television their child
watches, they can minimize the chances of their brains not developing correctly.
The first 2 years of life are considered a critical time for brain development.
Experts say too much screen time can hinder a young child’s language
development skills. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ screen time guidelines,
which call for no screen time for children 2 years and under. As well as limiting
screen time for children from 2 to 5 years of age to 1 hour of educational
programming a day. Children left to watch a television or tablets don’t build
imagination or autonomy around language. Listening to a story being read and
engaging with it as well as listening to people and engaging in good conversation
are the best thing for language development.
Screen Time and Kids with ADHD aged 5 or younger who experience two or
more hours of daily screen time are nearly eight times more likely to be diagnosed
with focus-related conditions which include (ADHD), says Michael Manos, director of
the ADHD Center for Evaluation and Treatment at the Cleveland Clinic. Too much
screen time may negatively the social and emotional well-being of your child.
This reduces their motivation, and it limits their imagination. Children may be numb
to the outside world, where they can only feel pleasure with the stimulation of a
device’s visuals, sounds, and entertaining content.
When your child has too much screen time, especially right before
bedtime, their body is put into an unnatural state of arousal. This makes it difficult
for them to fall asleep and stay asleep. When they do eventually fall asleep, their
body does not fall into a normal sleep pattern. Not enough sleep causes children to
be aggressive, emotional mood swings, problems with self-control and problems in
school.
Children who spent longer with screens at 24 months showed worse
performance on tests at 36 months, and a similar trend was seen for screen time at
36 months. Also, with test performance at five years old. When young children are
observing screens, they may be missing important opportunities to practice and
master interpersonal, motor, and communication skills. They need all of these to be
able to perform in school successfully.
In conclusion, too much screen time is bad for brain development, sleep,
focus, test performance and imagination. No child under the age of 2 should have
screen time if possible. If it is not possible, it should be a show or learning game
that is educational, and the parents should watch it with them. Make sure it is
engaging and age appropriate, for children’s brains to develop properly.