At a special summit discussing the development of children at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, researchers have proposed that children under 7 years old should be banned from playing computer games because the technology that video games use can ‘rewire’ their brains. According to the study, bombarding the senses with ‘fast-pace’ action games can shorten attention span, and harm a child’s ability to learn.
The study is necessitated by the increasing number of products that require children sitting isolated in front of a computer screen. These products include computer games, toys, educational software and virtual worlds for children. In spite of the supposed benefits of computers to children, it has become essential to also take their healths and well-being into consideration.
Experts therefore hope that parents would be wise enough to keep their under-aged children away from computer games until they reach the age of seven so as to allow their brains develop normally. This is opposed to just over 6.5 years which is the average age US youngsters started to use electronic gadgets since 2005.