Fewer children and young people are breaking bones in their arms, legs and hands in the United States. Data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, an official body of the North American government, show that, until the year 2000, boys led the number of annual hospitalizations due to accidents, with more than 15 thousand cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, followed by girls , with around 10 thousand. However, in 2018, hospitalizations in each group had already fallen by half. The news could be considered wonderful, however, in several countries, the number of anxious, depressed and severely socially isolated children has increased. In other words, while physically children are “whole”, psychologically they are in an increasingly worrying state and one of the causes for this problem may be the increasing and more frequent use of screens, such as cell phones and computers.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Brazil is the country with the highest prevalence of anxiety in the world. In the country, 36% of young Brazilians developed anxiety and depression during the most acute phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of São Paulo (USP). However, the phenomenon may have started much earlier. If in past generations children ran around the street, played tag and played football, today this events only occur in a virtual environment, in games, and the outdoor games that were constant in the past have become an old practice.

Alessandra Cieri, clinical psychologist, master and behavioral analyst, believes that we still suffer from what happened during the Covid-19 period. “All of this was intensified during the pandemic, which drastically increased the use of technology. What was in person before the pandemic became virtual, including leisure moments, such as parties and get-togethers. Social isolation increased technological dependence and the use of screens became almost integral”, she highlights.

She states that excessive technology has been one of the biggest concerns in the area of ​​public health. “Studies indicate that the same mechanism capable of making a person dependent on drugs can also cause dependence on technology. Addiction to technology, called nomophobia, can cause significant damage to mental health and even mask anxiety and depression. A common example is when a person hides in virtual environments where showing is more important than living”, she explains.

According to her, despite some short-term effects, excessive exposure to technology also creates problems in the long term. “Parents should pay attention to signs such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, loneliness, tension, dissatisfaction, fear, self-control and violence, as well as pain, vision problems and mood changes. Assess whether the child’s academic performance is being harmed. It is very important to recognize the existence of the problem and seek psychological help”, she advises.

For Telma Abrahão, biomedical doctor, specialist in neuroscience and child development, physical exercise for children is essential: “not only for their physical development, but for their mental health. The child who goes to play outdoors is carrying out an activity necessary for the proper development of their brain through movement, relationships and connections. We, human beings, have a need to belong, to socialize, to talk, to look into each other’s eyes, to smile at each other and to touch. This is very strong in children”, she assesses.

Alessandra emphasizes that the secret to using technology without causing harm to your health is balance. “Electronic devices are not harmful. They are resources that can be used to our advantage and in a beneficial way in several ways. What can become harmful is a lack of self-control that leads to compulsion. Establish time limits for using social networks and electronic devices, value your family ties and ensure that children do not depend on approval on social networks or believe everything that is posted on them and, above all, do not give up their leisure time with your children”, he advises.

For Telma, a respectful education with children begins with the emotional re-education of parents. “Anyone looking to have healthy children needs to make time for the child every day. Dedicate at least 30 minutes to the child to talk, play and be emotionally present. Many parents work a lot, they say they are tired when they get home from work and that they don’t have time. However, the child also needs to be a priority in their life at some point in their day,” she says.