How do digital devices affect the child’s nervous system?

The child’s brain is constantly evolving. Practically up to around the age of 23, it is in constant “renovation” — individual parts of our brain are developing in their time. A preschool child’s cerebral cortex is at an early stage of development. Consequently, the functions of distinguishing between the real and virtual worlds, decision-making or objective judgment, are undeveloped or weak in children.

This only justifies why you can’t completely count on responsibility, reason or objective judgment in children. Based on the theory of cerebral cortex development, we can assume that the child will not put down the tablet themselves or recognise the shooting in the game as something unreal or dangerous.

Digital devices and stimulation

Emerging research suggests that the constant bombardment of images to young people makes them constantly need to receive new stimulation. This leads to a state where it is difficult for a child to sit still in the place of silence without performing any activities. Parents often confuse this with ADHD. While this is often the result of the abuse of digital devices.

Digital devices and emotion regulation

It is also essential to deal with emotions. The children’s ability to move their finger on the screen and achieve results that are adequate to expectations teaches them to get “what they want in a short period.” In psychology, this is called the phenomenon of immediate gratification. In practice, this may be manifested in the fact that the child becomes impatient. It is difficult for him to process a scenario in which he does not get what was expected ( after all, finger movement on the tablet always result in the expected outcome). The phenomenon of incorrect ways of responding to various stressors is also worth mentioning. This occurs when children in their early years do not get support in dealing with intense feelings and experiences. For example, they stay without their parents present while experiencing a psychologically aggravating scene on a screen (such as in a computer game or Internet video). Studies also show that being engrossed in computer/internet games can be a means of emotional regulation, with children displacing or avoiding negative emotions by participating in the virtual world.

Digital devices and the ability to think creatively

When raising children, we usually want them to have the ability to think independently and be able to defend their beliefs. We read fairy tales, tell stories, and buy interactive toys to strengthen their imagination and creativity. Imagination is often associated only with the fairy-tale and children’s world, while in scientific terms, it is understood as the reproductive activity of the mind, i.e. memory and thinking. In summary, cognitive processes are an important foundation for our child’s social functioning. This guarantees independence and a chance for continuous mental development and self-realisation on many levels of life. Nowadays, we can unknowingly contribute to weakening the above-described abilities in children. In what way?

Studies show that the length of free time that a child uses for screen devices negatively correlates with creative thinking and its individual dimensions. This means that using screen devices contributes to weakening imagination, creative thinking or maintaining one’s own direction of thinking. Consequently, teenagers are often perceived as undecided, uncertain of their desires and unhappy. This can largely be attributed to the weakening of cognitive processes that typically prevent individuals from being reproductive, passive and submissive to environmental suggestions

It’s not about putting the tablet away, but everything that happens next!

To sum up, using screen devices can enrich our and children’s lives. However, given any side effects, it is worth creating some limits and restrictions on their use. Importantly, it’s not just about putting down the tablet or phone but a way to compensate the mind for the time spent sitting in front of a screen. Taking care of the so-called balance. Investing in cognitive abilities is like good roller skate pads. They protect against falls and enable safe play and endless entertainment. Whether it’s going for a walk and searching for shapes in the clouds, identifying animals encountered, building a house of cards, or preparing a meal together, what matters is engaging in screen-free, creative-friendly activities together.

Ps. If you need specific solutions in the form of ready-made suggestions for games and activities, let us know. We are here to help!