Dementia is a defect in cognitive abilities that affects thinking and memory, leading to a complete change in human behavior. It is common knowledge that dementia affects the elderly, but what we are talking about in this article is a specific type of dementia that affects children and adolescents; that would be digital dementia.
Digital Dementia.. the Scourge of the Century
Digital dementia is a decline in children's and young people's cognitive and behavioral functions, in addition to memory confusion and poor concentration, due to excessive use of technology and an inability to dispense with it in every little detail. They use calculators to make little calculations, calendars to remind them of significant dates, and spend most of their time watching videos and playing electronic games on their mobile phones.
All that reliability has led in one way or another to a decline in cognitive abilities due to the use of modern technology; that is how digital dementia was defined by the German scientist Manfred Spitzer. He cites the notion that the brain is like a muscle; if you do not exercise or use it, it wastes away. Digital dementia occurs because, on the one hand, electronic devices stimulate the right hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for visual perception and distinguishing shapes and sounds, but on the other hand, the activity of the left hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for tasks that include logic, language, numbers, and analytical thinking, decreases.
The symptoms of digital dementia are short-term memory loss, delayed mental development, anxiety and depression, as well as social isolation, lack of physical activity, balance disorders, uncoordinated movements, and neck curvature due to incorrect posture while holding the phone and looking at the screen. If a child or young person shows one or more of these symptoms combined, they may be suffering from digital dementia.
Protection
There are several methods to reduce digital dementia; they can be applied to children, adolescents, and even young adults. Most importantly, limit screen time for children, and replace it with physical games, such as running and exercising, or mental games, such as chess and cubes. Reading is a great alternative to electronic devices, for teens and young adults, and exercising as well.
As we previously stated, social isolation is a symptom of digital dementia, so it is essential to specifically include children in various social activities, and integrate them with other children of the same age to practice artistic and physical activities; even just talking to each other is of considerable benefit.
Additionally, sitting in the correct posture is critical to maintaining the health of the eyes, and the vertebrae of the neck and back. Most electronic device users do not take this point into consideration; the device is usually below eye level, so the user bends their head forward, which affects the vertebrae of the neck. The fact that the phones are held too close to the eyes also affects eyesight. It is preferable to sit on medical chairs while using desktop computers or laptops, to tighten the back and keep it in a proper position.
Conclusion
Technological devices have become an integral part of our children's lives and ours. However, we must bear in mind the negative consequences of their wrong usage because they can greatly affect entire future generations.
References
psychologytoday.com
sycamorevalleychiropractic.com