Experts warn parents over risks on digital games

ISTANBUL

Some digital games downloaded on smartphones and tablets are becoming more and more dangerous in terms of mental health and the psychological development of children, experts warn parents.

As some games that seem innocent because they improve children’s problem-solving skills with puzzles draw children into a different world with their stories, experts are worried that these games may lead children to violence in their developmental stage.

Veysi Çeri, a child and youth psychiatrist, said that presenting violence and sexual attitudes as a choice, even in the virtual world, may lead children to make wrong choices if they encounter a similar situation in real life.

“The attitudes that they will have to choose in such games clearly affect the developing values of children,” Çeri said.

Noting that the main factors that formed the value judgments and inner worlds of children in the past were limited to the environment, family and friends, the expert stressed that the tablets are more effective than parents today.

Osman Tolga Arıcak, Green Crescent’s science board member, has underlined the precautions that parents should take to protect children from digital games.

Noting that smartphones are not toys and should not be given to children for play-distraction purposes, Arıcak said that starting to use the internet at an early age will not make the child smarter.

“Children up to the age of 11 may be allowed to play educational games for not more than one hour a day,” Arıcak said, stressing that parents should be a model for children in using these devices appropriately.

Stressing that the child should be brought up in a sport or art field that is suitable for their personality and abilities, the expert said that the more intensively the child uses their five senses and their bodies, the better they will develop mentally.