Online classes taking physical, mental toll on students: Experts
new delhi: Medical experts have said that students are facing physical and mental ailments due to the online classes that might leave a long lasting impact on their overall health.
When 10-year-old Simarjit complained of wrist pain, Dr Maninder Singh, a senior Orthopaedic Consultant with Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) realised that the hand-held device the child is using for more than 10 hours a day for classes, exams, and games have strained his wrist and caused tendonitis (inflammation of muscles around the wrist).
"Children in the age group of 14-22 years are complaining of nagging back and neck pain the most, mainly caused by prolonged use of tabs and mobiles for gaming and chatting. Some of the children are also suffering from attention deficit, addiction to online games and some have suffered online bullying, some are withdrawn and interact less with friends and family, and have shown signs of depression," he said.
He added that disrupted sleep is also affecting a large number of older students who are beyond their teens. "About 20 per cent of the students enrolled for ISIC's physiotherapy course have informally requested to reschedule the class after 10 AM as they sleep as late as 3 AM and are unable to wake up in the morning," he added.
A Delhi University student meanwhile said that his eyes have started hurting and he is mentally disturbed due to the pressure mounted by online classes. "I have to attend eight hours of online classes and it is difficult to attend them all. I feel my performance will suffer due to this," he added.
Most of these children were suggested remedial measures through teleconsultation. "We suggested they use a chair-table combination for such long duration engagements. Also, they should take a 5-minute break every 40 minutes and between classes, looking away from the screen. Apart from healthy, home-cooked food, they must exercise – indoor exercises such as yoga or dancing, or outdoor exercises such as running or cycling," Singh said.
