The impact of video games on children's brains...

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Children come standard adapted for change, their brain is more plastic precisely to learn. They do not care to change; On the contrary, it stimulates them. Adults like change less because it is not pleasant to change our way of thinking when we have been doing it in a way for 40 years. When poetry and theater appeared, Plato criticized it in The Republic, criticized the appearance of books in the Middle Ages, because it corrupted the minds. Later, television "stuns" the brain and now, more of the same, with computers, tablets, smartphones and video game consoles.

First we must consider the age of the child associated with their capacity of choice and responsibility and then assess the type of activity they perform with the device. It is not the same to see a video of Peppa Pig that play to kill monsters or that interact in social networks with strangers

Up to three years

From the second year of life, children can interact something with devices in basic games type What is the lion? They are essentially passive spectators who do not interact with the device. In simple games they do not last more than five minutes because they require sustained attention and proactivity that can not keep a long time. They get bored not being fully aware of the goals, achievements, levels and rewards of the game, which motivate older people, their interest does not go beyond the colors and dolls moving.

His relationship with electronic devices focuses on watching cartoons, cantajuegos or some absurd videos, like a girl who opens 50 surprise eggs. From the psychological point of view, there is no difference with watching television and proximity does not hurt your eyes because if you bother them, you get tired eyes or dry your eyes, just stop looking, which older children do not actively play .

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Between three and six years

At this age they are still watching music, cartoons and movies. They see them again and again and do not follow the storyline although they can repeat the memory dialogues.

On the other hand, they start playing simple games since they do not have fully developed cognitive skills for advanced games. Some necessary cognitive faculties of analysis, planning and execution are not ripe in your brain. Apart from that it is consolidating the necessary literacy for many games. You can try it, but your attention does not exceed a few minutes. In simple games, like Candy Crush, if they can be longer but they end up getting tired, especially if there are other game alternatives, abroad or with brothers or friends.

The precautions that we must take are the same as for those under three years in terms of time, luminosity and volume and an additional precaution. You can not go to sleep playing because the game requires proactivity and stimulation and we would go against the dream vector that requires the opposite.

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Between six and nine years

We can take the ratings of the section between three and six years, but increasing the tendency to video game, especially by children with sports games and, most importantly, the beginning of the use of the computer.

At this age there has been the consolidation of literacy and, therefore, the computer and the smartphone opens a world of possibilities that must be monitored because accessing unsuitable or inappropriate content is easy. At these ages, the child should see how normal we interact with them and of course the possibility of accessing the history of use to detect access to inappropriate content.

On the other hand, it is obvious that the computer is the greatest information tool today and will be in the future. Therefore, learning and interaction should not be limited if done properly. If a seven-year-old child hears the word brontosaurus and goes to his electronic device to search Google, its meaning is quite positive, just as it was in our time when we consulted the encyclopedia

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From the point of view of the environment where we have evolved as a species, the best game is that produced outside, moving and in groups of children of different ages. The game is the best way to learn dexterity and cognitive skills of all kinds including social skills. The benefits are immense, for example about myopia.

The use of electronic devices for entertainment is another alternative. More than reject we must integrate electronic devices into the lives of our children, taking advantage of their advantages and trying to avoid their drawbacks. Video games improve different cognitive abilities, there are several serious studies that corroborate how to optimize planning, resource management and executive functions. Even several multinationals seek their leaders among the best video game players.

Children especially like the freedom, self-direction and competence they find in video games. They make their own decisions and strive to overcome the challenges they have chosen themselves, they can solve difficult problems and exhibit extraordinary abilities. In the game, age does not matter, but ability does. In this way, video games are one more form of true game.

When they are small you have to control the type of light, brightness, volume, that does not reduce hours of sleep and that is not the only means of entertainment, electronic devices are just one more. As you grow you must monitor the type of activity and what is more important the content that they access, especially in social networks.

If a child seems obsessed with video games and unhappy when he is not playing, do not draw the conclusion that games are the cause of unhappiness. Because we would not do it if I read ten hours a day blaming the books, and psychologically it's the same obsession. Instead, we have to figure out what may be missing or working poorly in other aspects of your life and whether or not you can help solve that problem. Many cases of obsession to play in virtual worlds are because the real world does not produce the same happiness in the child and we must find out why. It can be school, parents, friends or just a way to get away from everyday problems.

THANKS,STEEMIANS...