UAE's doctors have urged the youth and their parents to monitor and review any health issues that may emerge from long hours of screen time during online classes. This development has come in view of the prolonging virtual learning mode across various schools and universities across the UAE in order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Reportedly, a significant number of students are facing health issues including back pain, obesity, poor eyesight and improper posture among other lifestyle-related illnesses in the aftermath of the unprecedented transition towards online learning in 2020.

In this regard, doctors have appealed to the parents to ensure that children have well-ventilated areas in the house along with comfortable chairs. They have also advised providing breaks during online learning to children to manage screen time.

Dr Guhan Zina, pediatrics specialist at Bareen International Hospital-MBZ City in Abu Dhabi, said that young children are facing troubles in sleeping and their eating habits are also changing drastically. Parents are saying that their children are crying or throwing tantrums for no reason or are generally irritated with normal things.

Some are moodier, some are complaining of back and body pain, some are facing eyesight problems and all these are getting tough for parents, especially those who are working from home, Dr Zina added.

Dr Alva said that eye strains are becoming common due to exposure to bright lights, increased screen contrasts, and flickering images. These changes are taking a toll on children’s eyes. He also noted that too much screen use is also giving children headaches. He further explained that studies have shown that overuse of digital devices increases stress levels which can affect the sleep cycle, digestion, and emotions.

Dr Alva stated that sitting still for long hours in front of the screen can put stress on joints and muscles, further resulting in physical fatigue and poor sleep patterns. While such digital devices keep children still for a longer duration, a lack of physical activity can contribute to obesity in children and increase other health risks.

Taking note of the situation, Dr. Zina has advised parents to design a routine with some form of physical exercise for children. She added that while it may be important to provide a little extra screen time for your children so that you are able to get some work done, playtime can be designed in a way to turn chores into games. She also asked parents to validate their and their children’s experiences before changing their schedules.

“Validation acknowledges how a person is feeling without agreeing or disagreeing. It shows children and adults that they are heard and helps them manage their emotions,” Dr Zina added.

She explained that sticking to a routine similar to one practiced for school days will assist in an easy return to schools after they will reopen and bring a shape to each day. Dr Zina suggested parents try to keep their children's morning and bedtime routines the same as if they were preparing for school. In addition, keeping meal-times similar to the school schedule will also help in a smooth transition.

Recommended screen time for different age groups (According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organisation (WHO)):

Children younger than 18 months - No screen time at all. However, an exception can be made during video chatting with grandparents or family and friends.

Toddlers (18 months to two years) - Limited exposure to less than an hour. Also, parents must accompany their kids to watch high-quality educational content in order to make them understand what they are watching on the screen.

Children between 2-5 years old - No more than one hour of screen time each day. It is recommended that parents must plan TV-time in advance.

For 6 to 10 year-olds - Up to 1 to 1.5 hours per day

For 11 to 13 years - Up to 2 hours per day