Technological advancements have brought limitless benefits in diverse sectors including medical science, communication, infrastructure, education, etc. In this era, boundless access to technology is also affecting children. Many kids are getting addicted to excessive screen time. Let's discuss the implications of digital addiction on kids. We will also discuss how to beat internet addiction in children. Is Technology Addiction a Real Threat for Children? Technology advances and changes at the same rate as children. It is only normal for a parent to be concerned about what their children are experiencing as a result of their continual exposure to devices. According to research, the physical structure of the brain changes as a result of repeated encounters. However, it is the child's interpretation of the experiences that produce this blueprint for brain growth, not the experiences themselves. Also Read: How to Break Internet Addiction? Nerve impulses are fired in the brain every time a youngster goes through an experience. These brain pathways are repeatedly activated as a result of repeated encounters. The stronger neural connections get the more frequently they are used. As a result, a youngster who watches TV or plays video games on a regular basis will have a brain that is physically different from a child who does not. Similarly, parts of the brain that are not used frequently can get rusty. When neuronal connections are not used on a regular basis, they gradually stop working. The internet provides an escape for children and teenagers to avoid unpleasant feelings or situations for which they intentionally spend more time on screen. They let go of sleep in order to spend time online. They are also found to isolate themselves from family and friends in order to escape into the comfortable online environment that they have sculpted and have the power to more or less control. Children with a lack of rewarding or caring interactions, as well as inadequate social and coping skills, are more likely to engage in improper or excessive online behavior. They turn to invisible strangers in online chat rooms for the attention and camaraderie they lack in their real-life because they feel alone, alienated, and may have difficulty making new friends. Also Read: Generation growing up with digital addiction since childhood They may come from homes where there are serious problems, or they may be bullied or have difficulty socializing in school and extracurricular activities, so they use the internet to cope with their problems. They learn to instant message buddies instead of developing face-to-face interactions, which might have an impact on how they relate to their peers.

Addiction to the internet happens when people get dependent on the use of the internet. It can be texting, constantly peeking, or using social media. Professionals have compared this addiction to drug addiction because it impacts a person’s health, daily life, work performance, mental process, and engagement with others, the same way drugs do. The American Psychiatric Association has reported that children between the ages of 13 and 17 are practically always online. These figures demonstrate that addiction to the internet is becoming more prevalent and real on a daily basis. Are you addicted to the internet? Do you want to know the way out? Stay with us! Why is Digital Media Addiction Harmful? Health professionals often state that too much sitting is the new smoking. However, perhaps it is more worrying is what people normally do when seated. Like, mindlessly browsing through social media accounts when they have a few free minutes. And, as we presumably instinctively understand, and as researchers confirm, this is a harmful practice for our collective psyche. Here are a few most terrific impacts social media addiction can bring upon people’s overall health. A Sense of Inadequacy Social media users are aware that the photographs they see on these media are edited. These things nevertheless make them feel uneasy about their appearance or current circumstances. Similarly, people mostly share only the great aspects of their life, seldom the terrible ones that they encounter. However, this can provoke the emotions of jealousy and unhappiness when an unhappy person goes through a friend's retouched images doing exciting things like visiting an exotic beach vacation, celebrating a new job promotion, partying in a lavish restaurant, etc. Read Generation growing up with digital addiction since childhood Fear of Not Having Anything There is a term for it that refers to The Fear of Missing out or FOMO. FOMO occurs when social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook seem to intensify emotions that other people are having fun or enjoying lives that someone else dreams of.  The belief that one is missing out on some things might have a negative effect on one’s self-esteem, and provoke one’s anxiety. Which in turn will motivate that individual to engage in even more social media usage.

Children’s addiction to digital devices, particularly smartphones, is now a growing problem for the development of their mental and physical health, according to experts. Some children even cannot be fed without letting them watch smartphone contents in many cases in Bangladesh. The children are losing their social life due to excessive addiction to smartphones, they said. Sumaiya Khatun, mother of two children, said rearing children is now a challenge for her as both of her children are addicted to smartphones. Read Social Media Addiction: How to detach yourself from the cycle "My son who is four years old is desperate for digital devices. He is used to watching internet content. He can’t think of his time without the smartphone. This is now a lifestyle for him as he always keeps the phone with him to watch cartoons and other porgrammes," she said. She also said that her two-year-old daughter is also  interested in internet content like his brother. "We have tried a lot to get them out of this habit. We provide them with smartphones as it is not possible to stay with them all the time. But it looks odd for us as they always stay with smartphones," she added. Sumaiya said their concentration on smartphones is a matter of tension for us as they may browse different websites or content which is not appropriate to their age. Read Are You Shopaholic? How to Stop Your Online Shopping Addiction? Another working parent shared his concern over the issue as their seven-year-old girl, who is studying in class one, cannot think of a moment without looking at her phone. The father of the Girl Faisal Hasan who is working as the Senior Information Officer in the Press Information Department posted in Dhaka while a private job holder Mother along with her daughter lives in Chattogram.  "We are really concerned about her mental and physical health and social grooming as she spent most of her leisure time watching online content. We allow it as we are busy with our job," the father of the daughter told UNB. Read Quit Smoking: How to prevent Nicotine addiction He also said that they did not find any alternative to allowing her to spend time on smartphones. "But it seems a dangerous thing for her creativity and proper social grooming. She now prefers watching online content to playing with other friends. The pandemic makes the situation worse than usual," he added.  “Now the digital addiction is the key barrier to children's proper social grooming,” said a businessman Abul Hossain. Also read: Effects of Video Game: Benefits, and risks of too much gaming Founding President of Dhaka University IT Society and writer Abdullah Al Imran said that today's children are the future. But internet addiction is destroying their future. The addiction is even more intense when children have been immersed in online content since childhood.