Screen Time Excess: A Growing Concern for Children’s Mental Health on World Autism Day

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As the world marks World Autism Day, experts are sounding the alarm about the alarming rise in cases of VASD, a condition characterized by persistent difficulties in social communication and behavior. According to a recent study, children under five who spend more than four hours daily on screens are at risk of developing VASD. Excessive screen time, a growing health issue, is seen as a significant contributor to the condition, with experts urging parents to take immediate action to prevent or reverse VASD.

Lead:

The study, conducted by a team of researchers at the King George’s Medical University, highlights the alarming trend of children under five spending an average of 4-6 hours on screens daily, leading to increased VASD-related challenges in communication, social interaction, and behavior. The experts emphasize the importance of limiting screen exposure to prevent or reverse VASD, emphasizing that stopping screen exposure does not always guarantee complete recovery.

Risk Factors:

• Early exposure: Introducing screens to children as early as their sixth month can disrupt natural learning processes, such as observing others, exploring surroundings, and engaging in free play.
• Excessive screen time: Spending more than four hours daily on screens can lead to VASD.
• Environmental factors: Exposure to pollution, toxic metals, pesticides, maternal stress, high blood pressure, and diabetes during pregnancy can further increase the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children.

Expert Insights:

• Prof. Vivek Agrawal, Head of Psychiatry Department at King George’s Medical University:
  • "We are seeing 5-6 cases in the OPD now, compared to 1-2 cases three-four years ago. Instead of engaging with them, parents often hand over gadgets to children."
• Developmental Psychologist Pragya Verma:
  • "A global rise in VASD cases, particularly in the post-pandemic era, as many parents relied on gadgets to keep children occupied during lockdowns."
• Dr. Pranjali Saxena, Associate Director at Apollomedics Hospital, Lucknow:
  • "Parental awareness and communication play a crucial role. Ignoring early signs and poor parent-child interaction often worsen the issue. Aggressive behavior and tantrums can be managed if detected early."

Conclusion:

As parents and caregivers, it is essential to be aware of the risks associated with excessive screen time and take immediate action to prevent or reverse VASD. Limiting screen exposure, encouraging physical activity, and engaging in social interactions can significantly reduce the risk of VASD. By working together, we can create a healthier and more supportive environment for children to grow and thrive.

Keywords:

• Virtual autism spectrum disorder (VASD)
• Excessive screen time
• Childhood mental health
• World Autism Day
• Parental awareness
• Environmental factors
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Hashtags:

• Contents

  • 1 WorldAutismDay
  • 2 VASD
  • 3 ExcessiveScreenTime
  • 4 ChildhoodMentalHealth
  • 5 ParentalAwareness
  • 6 EnvironmentalFactors
  • 7 AutismSpectrumDisorder

  WorldAutismDay

• VASD

• ExcessiveScreenTime

• ChildhoodMentalHealth

• ParentalAwareness

• EnvironmentalFactors

• AutismSpectrumDisorder

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