COVID caused health problems, like early puberty in kids. Some studies found more children having this issue recently. It might be linked to the virus or spending too much time on screens during lockdowns.
Researchers in Turkey suggested that using smartphones and tablets for long periods might be to blame. Exposure to blue light from screens could make hormones change sooner, causing early puberty in rats.
Our bodies react to blue light as a signal to wake up. This can mess with our hormones, like melatonin, which affects sleep and puberty. Studies on rats showed that more exposure to blue light led to early puberty signs.
Even though this was a rat study, it suggests that blue light from screens could be a risk factor for early puberty in children. More research is needed to confirm these findings.
This research was published in The Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology and Frontiers in Endocrinology.
Vocabulary List:
Puberty /ˈpjʊː.bər.ti/ (noun): The period during which children develop physically and sexually mature.
Exposure /ɪkˈspoʊ.ʒər/ (noun): The state of being exposed to something such as light or influence.
Hormones /ˈhɔːr.moʊnz/ (noun): Chemical substances produced in the body that regulate various physiological processes.
Melatonin /ˌmɛləˈtoʊnɪn/ (noun): A hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles.
Research /rɪˈsɜːrʧ/ (noun): The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
Link /lɪŋk/ (verb): To make a connection between different things or concepts.
