Being online late at night contributing to tiredness and lack of focus in Limerick students

PRIMARY school students are coming into school more tired, unable to concentrate because of online gaming and late night internet use, according to one Limerick school. 

An Mhodhscoil are trying to combat this with a policy to delay access to smartphones and unsupervised internet access while children are still in primary school. 

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Deputy Principal of An Mhodhscoil, Jean Ní Ailpín said that more and more children are coming to school “tired and anxious, often as a direct result of online activity late into the night.” 

She added that being online too young can also affect speech and language development, as well as causing fine and gross motor delays. 

“More children are presenting with focus and concentration difficulties,” Ms Ní Ailpín said.

More than 200 parents attended an event about online safety, with information on staying safe online and how damaging unsupervised online access can be for young people. 

Ger Brick from iNetSafetyTalk told parents about online gaming and the dangers of children accessing games with much older age limits. 

Garda Martyn Wallace also spoke about the potential for online grooming, the sharing of inappropriate and often explicit sexual content and how vulnerable children can be online. 

Parents and children can now sign a voluntary charter committing to the delay of access to smartphones and the internet while students are still in primary school.