"Let's raise the disabled and neurasthenics": the association of doctors opposed the "distant" learning

The results of the study are shocking in their findings.

Maria Dubinskaya

Since January of this year, as representatives of the organization note, about 17 SanPiNs (sanitary regulations and standards) have been canceled, which concerned the education, maintenance and health improvement of children.

As a result, much of what was previously considered unambiguously harmful to the child's body suddenly became - voila! - permitted.

Distance learning, digital technologies instead of full-fledged live communication between students and teachers - all this, according to doctors, will reduce the physical and mental health of children and adolescents, which will naturally lead to an earlier development of mental and somatic diseases, and in the long term will worsen the health of the entire nation.

Novye Izvestia examined the expertise. It occupies 41 pages and has over 60 references to specialized literature and data from the official regulatory framework of the Russian Federation.

To view the study, which was attended by twelve specialists with higher medical education, you can here.

We publish several excerpts that eloquently explain why the notorious DSP and "distant" cause such indignation in thinking people:

“Since March 2020, schoolchildren in Russia and around the world have lived in unfamiliar conditions. This was caused by the transfer of children to distance learning in connection with the new coronavirus infection declared a pandemic.

Globally, 1.3 billion children in the spring of 2020 were in self-isolation and did not attend school. The likelihood of a return to this form of education in the event of a worsening epidemiological situation persists even now.

Also on the territory of the Russian Federation, starting from 2016 - and, mainly, in 2020-2021. - within the framework of the national project "Digital School", methods using digital technologies are being actively introduced into the educational process.

These are such projects as MES (Moscow Electronic School) and RES (Russian Electronic School), digital educational environment, digital platform for personalized learning SberClass.

The implementation of such projects will invariably be associated with a longer stay of children in front of a computer screen and in a sitting position, with a decrease in physical activity; expressed limitation, or complete exclusion of live communication with the teacher and peers.

This will increase the load on the organs of vision, the musculoskeletal system, and the nervous system.

The time spent in front of the monitor of an electronic device will exceed age-specific physiological norms.

All of this causes concern for parents and teachers.

Representatives of parenting and teaching communities approached the Independent Physicians Association with their questions.

On January 1, 2021, new sanitary rules of SP 2.4.3648-20 "Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the organizations of education and training, recreation and health improvement of children and youth" came into force.

About 17 SanPiNs were canceled, which related to the education, maintenance and health improvement of children.

Instead, rules have been introduced that lack requirements to prevent the introduction of e-learning tools.

Much of what was previously considered harmful to the child's body is now allowed.

Periodic medical examinations to track changes in the health of schoolchildren have been canceled since 2017.

The data for the previous decade indicate the deterioration of the health of schoolchildren.

The number of neoplasms in children has increased by 103% over 10 years, these are very alarming numbers.

Diseases of the nervous system increased by 27%, eye diseases increased by 20%.

At the same time, there are no published full-scale studies proving the safety of making changes to sanitary standards.

Moreover, in the period from April 27 to May 26, 2020, the Research Institute of Hygiene and Health Protection of Children and Adolescents conducted an anonymous survey of 29,779 schoolchildren in the conditions of distance learning in grades 5-11 from 79 regions of Russia.

Analysis of the data obtained in the course of the survey revealed acute problems in preserving and strengthening the health of students in the context of digitalization : the lack of safe for health and accessible to students educational electronic publications and electronic teaching aids; lack of modern hygienic requirements and special sanitary requirements for the digital educational environment and distance learning.

It was revealed an increase in the duration of homework, which means staying in a static position on average in 50% of respondents, an increase in the time of working with a computer and other gadgets in 46.7% of respondents; the time of work with electronic devices equipped with screens 4 hours or more is noted by 77.2% of the respondents; a decrease in the duration of walks - in 68.3% and physical activity - in 55.2% of respondents.

Unsuccessful mental reactions of the borderline level were noted in 83.8% of the students; the presence of depressive manifestations can be assumed in 42.2% of respondents, asthenic states - in 41.6%, including syndromic asthenic syndrome - in 23%, obsessive-phobic states can be assumed in 37.2%, hyperkinetic reactions - in 29.2%, headache syndrome - in 26.8%, sleep disorders - in 55.8%, somatoform dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract - in 23.3%.

Every fifth student (21.2%) indicated that self-isolation is unbearable.

30.7% of the respondents showed signs of computer visual syndrome and 4.2% - carpal tunnel ("carpal") syndrome, typical for professionals associated with information and communication technologies and means of their support.

Most likely, these problems manifested themselves even more acutely among elementary school students.

Due to the lack of information in the available scientific literature on studies of the changes arising in children as a result of the transition to a new digital and distance learning form and the risks that this poses, we are experts with higher medical education and practice with experience in monitoring changes in the state of quality. health in the treatment and rehabilitation of children and adolescents, in our conclusions we will be based on the knowledge of the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the development of children, our professional knowledge and clinical experience, as well as on the sanitary and epidemiological standards for children that existed before January 1, 2021, so how they were scientifically substantiated and tested in practice.

... According to the data of the same survey conducted by the Research Institute of Hygiene and Health Protection of Children and Adolescents from April 27 to May 26, 2020 in the conditions of distance learning, with the massive use of digital techniques, adverse psychological reactions during the period of self-isolation in only 16.2% of students ...

In a number of observations (93 people), signs of severe mental maladjustment were identified, requiring urgent consultation with a psychotherapist: suicidal thoughts and tendencies, attacks of panic attacks, pronounced anxiety with psychomotor agitation, aggressive actions.

It should be noted that distance learning was introduced in March 2020, the survey was conducted in April-May 2020.

It is logical to assume that with a longer stay in this form of education, all these figures will increase significantly.

An important element of the learning process is feedback from student to teacher and vice versa.

When completely remote (without face-to-face communication between a teacher and a student) using technical means, including without visual contact, and not always in real time, there are problems of lack of feedback, and such psychological resources that affect results like empathy and interaction.

Distance and e-learning on an ongoing basis with an increase in the time spent on electronic means of training (computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.) will lead to a slowdown in the physical and physiological maturation of children, impaired formation of mental functions, impaired personality formation and thinking, weakening the most difficult mental functions of consciousness, intelligence and long-term memory, disinhibition of emotions and attraction, up to affects.

CONCLUSIONS of the International Public Organization "Independent Association of Physicians":

1. Distance learning and the active introduction of methods using digital technologies in schools and other children's educational institutions will invariably lead to an increase in the length of time children spend in a static position, an increase in the time they use a computer and other gadgets, a decrease in the duration of walks and a decrease in physical activity.
2. "Sanitary and Epidemiological Requirements for Organizations of Education and Training, Recreation and Recreation of Children and Youth" SP 2.4.3648-20 dated September 28, 2020 No. 28, which entered into force on January 1, 2021, were adopted without the necessary research and practical observations proving safety and adequacy of such changes in sanitary standards.
3. Distance learning on an ongoing basis and the active implementation of methods using digital technologies in schools and other children's educational institutions will lead to the following negative changes in the body of children: detraining of the heart muscle with a decrease in cardiac output and the subsequent risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system, overweight with the subsequent risk of developing primary infertility, pain in the eye sockets, forehead, dry eye syndrome, spasm of accommodation and subsequent development of myopia, progression of existing myopia, weakening of the most complex mental functions of consciousness, intelligence, thinking and long-term memory, disinhibition of emotions and attraction , up to affects. In adolescence - excessive suggestibility, sexual aggression, a tendency to protest to destructive and illegal actions. Changes in the musculoskeletal system: sluggish posture, impaired sacrum, muscular hypotonia of skeletal muscles, gravitational damage to the intervertebral discs, changes in the pressure gradient in the vessels of the head and neck, “stealing” of the brain with arterial blood against the background of decreased venous return to the right atrium.

All this will reduce the physical and mental health of children and adolescents, lead to an earlier development of mental and somatic diseases and, in the long term, worsen the health of the nation.

RECOMMENDATIONS of the International Public Organization "Independent Association of Physicians":

1. To recognize as unscientific and harmful the Resolutions of the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation of September 28, 2020 Nr. 28 "On the approval of sanitary rules SP 2.4. 3648-20" Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the organizations of education and training, recreation and health improvement of children and youth "(Registered 18.12.2020 Nr 61573) with the use of previously approved SanPiNs, before full-scale scientific research.
2. To resume the annual preventive examinations of schoolchildren at the beginning and at the end of the school year to assess the health status of children and the impact of the new sanitary rules on them.
3. Refuse the introduction of distance learning and the active implementation of methods using digital technologies in schools and other children's educational organizations, since the harm from these innovations already significantly exceeds the intended benefits.
4. Adopt and implement in Russian schools the principles of building a lesson set out by Vladimir Filippovich Bazarny, Doctor of Medical Sciences, to prevent damage to the musculoskeletal system in children and adolescents and approved by the Chief Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation back in 2010.