Are children unlearning by smartphones holding a pen?

Experts warn against increasing finger muscle weakness in children

Children are finding it increasingly difficult to keep pens properly at school because they use too much technology, British experts warn. Excessive use of touch-screen smartphones and tablets prevents children's finger muscles from developing enough to hold a pen properly, says Sally Payne, director of children's therapists at the Heart of England Foundation NHS Trust.

She and other experts warn that even now children are no longer coming to school with the same hand and skill as was the case ten years ago. "Kids who go to school get a pen, but can not hold it anymore because they do not have the basic movement skills," the expert told the English newspaper "The Guardian.".

British experts warn parents against being cautious about using tablets and cell phones with their children. The early and excessive use of these devices could lead to missing prerequisites at school start. (Image: HERRNDORFF / fotolia.com)

Missing basic requirements

"To grab and move a pencil requires a lot of control over the fine muscles in the fingers," says Payne. Children need many opportunities to develop these skills. But the way of playing has changed and many of these options are now gone.

Strong competition to the classic toy

"It's easier to give an iPad to a child than to encourage, cut, glue, paint or use building blocks," says Payne. Because of this, you do not develop the basic skills that children need to grab and hold a pencil.

A British example

The British newspaper reports on six-year-old Patrick, who has had weekly sessions with a therapist for six months. This is to help in developing the necessary strength in his index finger to hold a pen in the right grip. Patrick's mother reproaches herself: "In retrospect, I see that I gave Patrick technical toys that I used to virtually replace the traditional toys," she tells the newspaper. When he got to school, Patrick could not move the pencil with precision.

Increasing problem

Pediatric occupational therapist Mellissa Prunty also fears that more and more children learn the basic handwriting skills too late because they use the technique too much. "One problem is that the handwriting develops very individually in each child," says Prunty. She wants to initiate research on this topic. Without research, there is a risk that too many assumptions will be made about why a child can not write at the expected age. If there is a confirmed technological reason, then it must intervene.

The world in which our children grow up has changed

"It is undeniable that technology has changed the world in which our children grow up," says deputy director of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Karin Bishop. While there are many positive aspects to using technology, there is also growing evidence of its negative impact. The lifestyle of many children is characterized by sedentary activities and increasing virtual social interaction.

Independent countermeasures

The specialist portal "Paediatricians in the Net" published a flyer to help parents find the right amount of work for their child. The experts propose the following measures:

• role model: Children often imitate the behavior of their parents. Therefore, screen media should be targeted and not used while eating, sleeping or boring.
• No educational function: Do not use technical equipment as a reward, punishment or reassurance.
• Give priority to real lifeTo enable children to have real experiences with other people, to listen to and speak to the child, to allow and encourage the creativity of the child, to spend more time in the free time than to use screen time.
• Do not start too soon: No screen media under the age of three.
• Accompany film experiencesTalking to the child about what's happening in movies, not giving the child the remote control on their own, turning off the sound in ad units.
• use time: Make clear rules on when to use a screen medium.
• enlightenment: A child should be educated on topics such as sex, privacy, social media, violence, pornography, and gambling before using the Internet on their own.
• Restrict electronic monitoring: The child should also be allowed to be unreachable and without a smartphone. Also, the child communication options should be shown without electronic devices.

(Vb)