expert are say youngsters ’ habituation to tech has left them absolutely hopeless when faced with more traditional methods of communicating .

It turns out that too much clock time in front of touchscreen devices has left many of today ’s kids unable to perform the simple bit of writing witha pencil .

“ fry are not come into school with the hand strength and dexterity they had 10 years ago , ” Sally Payne , the head paediatric occupational therapist at the Heart of England Foundation NHS Trust , toldThe Guardian .

“ To be able-bodied to spellbind a pencil and move it , you necessitate warm command of the fine brawniness in your fingers . ”

One parent was even get hold of by her kid ’s schooltime because – in her words – “ he was transfix his pencil like cavemen hold sticks . ”

Back in the good ol’ day , nipper might have strengthened their finger muscles by drawing , using construction blocks , cutting and pasting , or play with playdoh . Now , infant as untested as oneare too busy swiping , poignant , and pinch smartphones and tablet , which , seemingly , is doing very little for their finger’s breadth strength .

It ’s hardly news to anyone that kids today are extremely digitally savvy – so digitally savvy , in fact , that 42 pct of under - eights in the US own their own tablet , anda report card print last yearrevealed they spend an average of 48 transactions a twenty-four hours glued to a touchscreen gadget .

In the UK , thing are n’t that much better . tot drop an average of 44 transactions a sidereal day in front of a smartphone or pad of paper machine .

“ It is undeniable that engineering science has changed the world where our child are spring up up , ” assistant director at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists , Karin Bishop , toldThe Guardian .

“ Whilst there are many positive panorama to the usage of technology , there is acquire evidence on the wallop of more sedentary lifestyles and increase practical societal fundamental interaction , as children pass more time indoors online and less time physically participating in active occupations . ”

applied science is n’t all bad but the lesson here seems to be that it does n’t hurt to pick up a ingroup of coloring pencils once in a while . Having said that , until there is a field of study examining the effect of touchscreen use on handwriting power , we can not determine if and at what rates this increase in hand weakness is hap .

[ H / T : The Guardian ]