Video Talk – Few points parents can be careful about while children attend online class

Video Talk (Malayalam) by Dr. Anas K A, Consultant Pediatrician, Keyhole Clinic, Edappally.

A child cannot attend an online class continuously for longer than 30 or 40 minutes.  A class is normally set for 30 to 40 minutes.  Because the attention span of an individual is normally around 30 to 40 minutes.  Therefore, when a child is attending an online class, whether it is on a mobile or a laptop or a computer, the device should be set at a distance of around 30 cm or 20 inches from the child.

A break of at least 20 seconds need to be taken after watching the mobile or computer continuously for 20 minutes.  We can focus on gazing at something a little distance away.  This helps to relax the eyes.  

During the class breaks, the child can engage in other activities that can help stretch the muscles.  Even in an office, where the employees are engaged in work that involves sitting for prolonged periods of time, it would be beneficial to take breaks every half an hour and stretch the muscles by walking or doing other activities and then continuing the work.  This would also help the blood circulation. 

While attending a class, the child should not engage in eating food as this can lead to obesity.   It is also necessary that the child should not be having junk foods while attending the class.

It is advisable for the kids to attend the online class in an open room where the kids can be monitored by the parents. It is good for the kids to be trained to sit in the open room at an early age itself and attend the class, because as they reach the teenage years it is likely they would feel more need for privacy if not trained in the early years.  An open room would be more safe as the parents would be able to monitor the child and keep an eye on the content watched by the kids.