It’s the first time for all of us. Schools struggling to impart learning, parents arranging for a spare device for the child. Those with more than one child need to provide both children with a device at the same time and kids, who are at the receiving end of all this are clueless as to what's going on.
Lots of emotions/ behaviour are being reflected in children who are unable to get access online. Such as fear of missing out (FOMO), children feel they are not included when they see other strata children join e-classes, there is a lot of resentment from children towards parents who can't afford a computer or internet and this is leading to conflicts in the family. Children are feeling more anxious as unavailability of resources is seen as a direct threat to their academic year
Some children find it more taxing to understand a concept. This happens more frequently as each child has his own learning style (some kids learn by seeing, some by hearing, some by doing).
For children with special needs, it’s more challenging as they are used to a specific schedule, learning in a particular way, with a particular teacher or with particular resources. Sitting tolerance gets affected; they get distracted more easily, difficulty in following instructions increases.
For the child, it is too demanding to pay attention to a screen sitting alone having no interaction with friends. If there is home-work, then that is also to be done on an electronic device. Kids are actually missing out on the class environment.
Common eye problems coming up are blurred vision, discomfort, eyestrain, fatigue, dryness, and headache. Children should be encouraged to take breaks after 20-30 minutes by looking at a distant object or instructed to take a 10-minute break from the screen after one hour of use.
A distance of at least a foot away from the gadget is mandatory when sitting straight. The monitor needs to be kept slightly below eye level and the brightness needs to be adjusted to comfort the eyes. The place needs to be adequately lit as too much or too little light both can cause eyestrain. Encourage the kid to blink eyes as it naturally lubricates the eyes and prevents dryness and irritation, discourages kids from rubbing eyes as it would increase irritation.
Kids are seen to use earphones increasingly to listen to online lectures. Too loud a noise for long hours can cause sensorineural deafness. Using earphones for more than 1 hour is not advised. Using the speaker-phone is recommended. Kids present with headaches, irritability, and the very young kids are becoming cranky.
If some child can get access to e-learning, then it’s nice but if some child cannot get it, then it is still ok. Priority is to be ok and survive through. When the road is slippery, it is sensible to walk slowly. If we try to run, we are more likely to fall and get hurt. Our mental health is more important and has to be given priority over other things including academics. Once we are out of this and are free of stress, learning can happen as usual.
Inputs from:
Dr. Vishnu Swarup Reddy, MS (ENT), CARE Hospitals, Hyderabad
Dr. Nikhil Kamat, M.B.B. S, M.S. (Ophthalmology), Consultant Ophthalmologist, Mother care Hospital, Madgao, Goa
Dr. Aditya Tiwari, Consultant Homoeopath, Psychiatrist and Art-based therapist at Angel’s Clinic, Mumbai
Ms. Kajal U. Dave, Psychologist, and Play Therapist at Mindsight, Coffee Conversations, Borivali, Mumbai
