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CHILDREN SAFE WITH COMPUTERS
A leading Indian portal
for children to make internet surfing for the kids a safe experience recently
launched a safe browsing system. The CEO of the portal while launching the
new browser said in spite of the risks involved, it is necessary for the
children to explore the vast potential of the Net.
This is no doubt very true as millions of children make use of the benefits of computers at home and school every day. Computers have the ability to combine play and learning. It has become a toy in the hands of our children with unlimited possibilities.
Experts, however, have started expressing concern that the unbridled use of computers can pose health hazards for children. Like all things man-made computers too have their limitations. They can be harmful to a child’s physical health and well-being.
A child, with an access to a computer, spends anything between one to three hours on the gizmo and if he has access to the internet the time spent could be even more. Moreover, children, unlike their parents, use computers right from the time they are toddlers. Rather our children are today growing up with computers.
The risks to a child from unhindered computer usage can range from musculoskeletal injury to visual strain and in some cases even lead to psychological problems. They could develop poor posture problems. Confined to the computer work station can put undue stress on their Still developing immature bodies.
Today a large number of schools are going in for rapid computerisation but more often than not computers in schools are set up incorrectly with no consideration to the ergonomics. Children have to strain to see the monitors or reach the key boards or even the positioning of the mouse may be faulty.
Symptoms of computer-related disorders are not much different in adults and children but the problem is that they may not be so obvious in children and at times the child may not complain simply for the fear that they will have to stop using it.
Studies have indicated that prolonged exposure to computers can lead adults and children alike to a condition called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Anyone using the computers for two hours or more is at a risk of developing Computer Vision Syndrome. Symptoms of CVS include headaches, red and itchy eyes, sour eyes, fatigue, blurred vision and neck and shoulder pain.
Workstation design can also have a big impact on the overall health and well being of the child. There are a multitude of discomforts that can result from incorrect computer workstations. For example, poor chairs and/or bad posture can cause lower back strain or a chair that is too high can cause circulation loss in legs and feet.
And mind you, our body always tells us when some thing is wrong. It is important to listen to the signals our body sends to us. If our shoulders ache after a few hours at the computer, something could be wrong in the way we hold our shoulders while we are working.
The difficulty is that children, if they experience these problems, do not complain because they don’t perceive it as a problem. They assume that the way they see it would be the way anyone else would see it.
Hence it is imperative that parents and school authorities are made aware of the potential of such a problem. Children need to be encouraged to come forward and discuss their difficulties without the fear that they will have to stop using computers if they come out with their problems.
So, to make computer a safe experience for our children, we need to first educate ourselves and understand the nitty-gritty of safe working with computers.