Computers may cause physical problems to children: Researchers

Parents are being warned that computers may be causing physical problems for their children.

The warning comes in a set of 12 new evidence-based guidelines - the first of their kind - produced by an international team of experts led by Professor Leon Straker of Curtin University of Technology.

The team, with representatives from Harvard University, the University of Queensland and the University of Washington, has researched the guidelines for more than 10 years. 

Professor Straker said the guidelines were important because computer use by children was extremely high globally and discomfort reported by children using computers was increasing.

"Nearly all children in affluent countries now use computers, with over 90 percent of enrolled school children in the US using a computer at school, and more than 90 percent of households with children in Australia having a computer at home," he said.

"School children also typically use a computer for substantial periods of time each week, with many children reporting discomfort related to computer use.

"In Australia, one in five children reported soreness at least monthly and the soreness reported was not trivial in nature.

"Of those with soreness, one in four had to limit their activities, one in 10 took medication and one in 20 sought health professional advice.

"The potential impact of computer use on the physical development of children can be significant, and we hope these guidelines will form the basis for teaching children the wise use of computers."

Professor Straker said the use of notebook computers was of particular concern.

"External devices like mice should also be provided to children using notebook computers at their desks," he said.

"Children should be taught proper posture when using notebooks as they only use it at their desks 34 percent of the time.

"Other postures like lying prone, floor sitting and sitting with the computer on their laps are very common, and alternatives to chair sitting postures should be encouraged only if these are reasonable postures."

The new guidelines have been published in the prestigious international journal, Ergonomics.

"We hope equipment designers and suppliers will take these guidelines into consideration," Professor Straker said.

"Online resources for parents, teachers and children will be developed and made available in the near future."