In a world where ‘screen time’ is becoming simply ‘time,’ a new research has revealed that screen-based activities can’t replace personal interactions. The article stresses the importance of direct interactions with family members for infants’ development and finds no scientific evidence for benefits of iPad or DVD programs, which in fact might even cause language delays.
The neurons in infants’ brains are busy processing input involved with sensing, seeing, and hearing, and imitating facial expressions, recognizing family members, and formulating language are all important aspects of development. External coupling of the brain to technology cannot replace these direct multisensory interactions.
More and more studies show cell phone use can increase the risk for brain and mouth tumors. But, because there are not enough studies done on its long term effects (10+ years) nothing is being done by the U.S. government to protect consumers, especially children.
In 1950 a controversial U.S. study came out claiming cigarette smoking could cause lung cancer. Nobody took it seriously for many years to come and the government did nothing because it did not believe smoking cigarettes was the cause.
It makes me wonder if cell phones one day will be responsible for more cancer than cigarettes. Today, 4 billion people worldwide own a cell phone! An astonishing number when just 10 years ago it was rare to see a cell phone.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), health agencies in six nations (Switzerland, Germany, Israel, France, United Kingdom, and Finland) have recommended reducing children’s exposures to cell phone radiation. Better safe than sorry is their approach. But here in the U.S. we are waiting until the damage is done.
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