In a recent interview, renowned neuroscientist and podcast host Dr Andrew Huberman advised the children to stay away from smartphones, as it can result in various psychological and health problems. In conversation with social psychologist Dr Jonathan Haidt, the renowned neuroscientist discussed the problems caused by using the phone for a long time. Dr Andrew Huberman claimed that children who spend a lot of time in front of screens, especially smartphones, are at increased risk of developing nearsightedness or myopia. As per the research and several studies, children’s eyes become larger if they focus more on nearby objects like phones. The light rays that need to be focused on the retina are focused a little before the retina.
Myopia occurs when images do not fall properly on the retina of the eye. As a result, only near objects look good and distant objects look dim. This problem is more for children who stay indoors more and get less sunlight. Myopia can be reduced by sunlight. The children are advised to play outdoors as sunlight is extremely important for their eye health.
Another health hazard which can be born in children from excessive use of smartphones is brain damage. According to a 2019 study, children’s thinking power and learning ability decrease if they spend too much time in front of a screen. According to this study, children who spent more time in front of a screen at ages 2-3 scored significantly lower on developmental tests at ages 3-5.
In the podcast, Dr Huberman says that children’s brains change very quickly (high plasticity). Their social skills, emotions and thinking power develop at a young age. Children’s brains will not develop naturally if they use smartphones during this important time. He claims that if children spend a lot of time playing games on smartphones and using social media, their brains will not develop properly. They will not be able to grasp, focus or learn anything easily. They will be more prone to distractions, he added. With the increased use of smartphones, children can also develop problems such as depression and anxiety. Cyberbullying can also take place if they spend too much time on smartphones.
