6 Ways Screen Time & EMFs Can Negatively Impact Kids

WaveBlock™ was founded by a father who was concerned about his kids’ increased screen time during the pandemic. His children were doing school from home, which required hours of wireless earbud, laptop, and tablet usage. 

After doing just a small amount of research, he found that not only do these devices emit EMF radiation very close to the brain and body, but that this long-term exposure is more harmful to children than adults. 

Anyone under the age of 25 was essentially born in the digital era. Current younger generations were born into a world where smartphones and Bluetooth technology were commonplace rather than a luxury. Ever since the first iPhone was invented back in 2007, having a phone constantly near you and using it for nearly everything is just what people do. As technology continues to advance, wireless/Bluetooth devices have become more compact, easier to use, more accessible, and more powerful.

As we know at WaveBlock™, more power means more EMF radiation emitted. In other words, a flip phone from the early 2000s didn’t emit nearly as much radiation as a modern day iPhone because it didn’t do nearly as much (connecting to WiFi, playing videos, connecting to other devices, etc). After the iPhone came the iPad, then AirPods, and now we are living in a world where EMF-emitting devices are all around us all the time.

A study done ten years ago in France (think about how much more tech we have now) found that 58% of children under the age of two consistently played with/used a smartphone. Kids these days spend more time uploading TikToks and sending Snapchats than they do riding bikes and playing hide and seek. Screens are always on at home, in the car, at school, and even at restaurants. 

This increase in screen time means more EMF radiation emitted to your kids. The WaveBlock™ team knows that kids are more susceptible to this radiation because their skulls are thinner and their tissues/organs are still developing. While cell phones, wireless earbuds, laptops, and tablets may not emit as much radiation as a microwave, you’d be hard pressed to find a kid that spends as much time with a tech device close to or touching their body as they do in front of the microwave. The consistent, close-to-the-body exposure is cause for concern. EMFs may be a low-level form of radiation, they can still impact cell growth, bodily functions, and overall health.

In this article, we will talk about six specific ways that screen time can negatively impact your child’s development and health.

6 Ways Screen Time/EMFs Negatively Impact Child Development

1. Brain Development: From birth to ten years old, a child’s brain goes through something called The Critical Period. During this period, the brain is highly receptive to environmental stimuli and undergoes rapid changes that influence cognitive, emotional, and social developments that can have lifelong impacts. It is a highly critical developmental time for the primary sensory and motor cortex, cingulate cortex, thalamus, brain stem, cerebellum, and hippocampus. On a scientific level, this age 0-10 is when brain cells develop and migrate to where they belong in the brain. It’s also when the formation of connections between nerve cells happen. Because studies show that children are more susceptible to EMF radiation than adults, this critical process for brain development can be disturbed by the radiation from tech devices being so close to their bodies. Disruptions to cell growth/division can negatively impact overall brain function and things such as memory, cognition, and behavior long term.
2. Social Skills: A 2023 study done by JAMA Pediatrics testing over 7,000 mothers and their children found a clear association between increased screen time for one-year-olds and developmental delays in communication and problem-solving when that child hit the age of two to four years old. Studies also show that kids who spent more than two hours a day in front of screens scored lower on language and thinking tests. Dr. Jennifer Cross, a pediatrician and behavioral expert at Komansky Children’s Hospital in New York stated that it's safe to hypothesize that screen time can have a large impact on focusing capabilities, creativity, and desire to learn. Kids exposed to excessive amounts of screen time can also experience thinning in their brain cortexes which directly controls critical thinking and reasoning. Another expert in the field found that screen time early in life impedes a child’s ability to create interpersonal and communication skills. Instead of playing with kids and learning how to make friends at the park, a child stuck watching movies on a screen won’t learn how to interact with the world the way another child would. These social skill issues are both a product of EMF radiation dangers as well as kids using screens for entertainment rather than socializing. 
3. Eye Damage (from Blue Light): Currently, WaveBlock™ focuses on creating products that reduce EMF radiation from tech devices rather than blue light. However, it is still important to talk about the negative health effects that blue light emitted by phones, laptops, and tablets can have on children. While light, in general, can elevate mood and alertness, that is typically best achieved from natural light, such as the sun. Digital screens use LED diodes which emit a high-energy blue light. This artificial blue light can damage eyes. According to the Journal of Biological Chemistry, blue light has been connected with retina damage, destroying membranes in the eye, and macular degeneration. As with their brains, tissues, and other organs, children’s eyes are still developing until they hit their teenage years. They are at much higher risk for damage from blue light than adults. As humans age, our eye lenses naturally yellow. This yellowing protects our retina from harmful UV light, including blue light. Children, however, have not developed that defense early in life, making them more susceptible to eye damage.
4. Sleep Disruption (from Both Blue Light & EMF Exposure): Another side effect of consistent EMF exposure and staring at blue light for many hours is disordered sleep patterns. Humans have a natural sleep rhythm called the circadian rhythm that helps us tell our bodies when to be asleep or awake. While this process works on its own, environmental factors can disrupt this cycle. One of those factors is light, hence why your body tends to be awake during sun hours and asleep during dark hours. However, artificial light, like blue light, can completely disrupt the circadian rhythm by tricking your brain into thinking its day time, and therefore, inhibiting the secretion of melatonin. Sleep is far more important to children than adults. This is evidenced by the fact that infants sleep about 15-17 hours a day. While sleep time naturally decreases as humans age, children need good sleep in order to assist with bodily growth and development. Proper sleep helps our bodies repair themselves and regenerate.
5. Psychological Issues (Relating to Self-Esteem, Creativity, Curiosity): Studies have shown a direct correlation between excessive screen time and poor mental health — this one applies to adults, too! A recent study found that kids who had higher amounts of screen time experienced negative “physical self-concept” and psychological well-being. There have also been associations between screen time and depression. More often than not, children who aren’t engaged with friends or are isolating with screens, find themselves to be more depressed or lonely. Some psychological issues can also develop due to the decrease in curiosity and inability to stay focused on tasks that come with increased screen time. Teenagers find themselves with lower self image due to social media apps and self comparison that often happens online these days. 
6. Physical Health: Although kids can certainly use screens for school or learning, a lot of time they use it as a form of entertainment rather than doing something more physical. Increased screen time has also been linked to childhood obesity. Additionally, getting physical activity or playing team sports is something that many children and teens find support their mental health thanks to endorphins and camaraderie. An Australian study found that increased time on tablets directly linked to higher BMI thanks to less physical activity causing weight gain. As we all know, maintaining a healthy weight is a key aspect to maintaining good overall health for both children and adults.

How Can I Reduce My Child’s Screen Time?

The team at WaveBlock™ gets it. You don’t want to be the “uncool” parent who refuses to let their kid use the internet. We created our WaveBlock products because we want families to be able to use tech in a safer way, not because we want people to completely stop usng tech devices altogether.

So what can you do? Some ideas include:

1. Creating tech-free time for your kids, such as at the dinner table.
2. Create tech-free zones of your house
3. Limit screen time with apps or device settings.
4. Follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for screentime:

• Children under 18 months should have no screen time minus video calls
• Children 18 months to 2 years should be introduced to digital media via quality programming that helps them learn
• Ages 2 to 5 should do screen time for one hour a day
• Ages 6 and older should limit media usage and device types. Additionally, encourage proper sleep and physical activity when not on screens.
  

For those of you who have children old enough to be using screens for communicating, school, or fun, we highly recommend using our affordable, easy-to-use WaveBlock™ stickers! This way, when your kids are using their tech devices, you can have more peace of mind knowing that their EMF radiation exposure percentage has decreased significantly thanks to our patented technology.

Protect Your Children From EMF Radiation with WaveBlock™

As shown above, there is growing research to show that EMF radiation can have negative impacts on health. However, the scariest part is that most of the long-term impacts on children are unknown. Screens and tech devices being aplenty and everywhere is still a very new phenomenon in our world. 

Think about it like cigarettes. Many years ago, they were commonplace in our world without thinking much into it. It took many generations and a lot of scientific research for people to fully understand the negative health consequences of cigarettes later in life. 

Plus, because our youngest generations were born into a digital world, they will be exposed to far more EMF radiation over their lifetime than their parents will, which increases the likelihood of negative health impacts.

The point is that screen time can be a double whammy. Spending time on screens can impact social and behavioral health, and the EMFs absorbed from screen time can affect physical health. 

Our goal at WaveBlock™ is to empower families with informed solutions for a healthier tomorrow. We are proud to be the first and only company to receive a U.S. granted patent for our technology that reduces EMFs without compromising device efficacy. If you have any questions about our products, lab testing, or anything else, please feel free to contact our team.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kids, EMF Radiation, & Screen Time

1. How does screen time impact a child’s brain development?

Excessive screen time can disrupt brain development, especially during the critical early years. EMF radiation exposure may interfere with cell growth, memory formation, and cognitive function, leading to potential long-term effects.

2. Can EMF radiation from devices really harm children?

Yes. Children's thinner skulls and developing organs make them more susceptible to EMF radiation from phones, tablets, and wireless devices. Prolonged exposure may affect cell function, sleep patterns, and overall health.

3. What are the behavioral effects of too much screen time?

Studies show that excessive screen use can lead to developmental delays in communication, social skills, and problem-solving. It may also contribute to reduced focus, creativity, and curiosity in children.

4. Does blue light from screens affect kids’ health?

Yes. Blue light can damage children's developing eyes and interfere with their circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep. Poor sleep can, in turn, impact their mood, learning, and overall well-being.

5. How can I reduce my child’s screen time without completely removing technology?

Try implementing tech-free zones, setting time limits with parental controls, and encouraging outdoor play. Following the American Academy of Pediatrics' screen time guidelines can also help balance usage.

6. How does WaveBlock™ help protect children from EMF exposure?

WaveBlock™ offers patented technology that reduces EMF radiation from devices without affecting performance. Our easy-to-use stickers help minimize exposure, allowing families to use tech more safely.