What Is the Major Concern When Children Spend More Time Exposed to Video Games and Other Media?

In an increasingly media-saturated earth, it can exist challenging for providers and parents to keep up with current recommendations for healthy media utilize for children. Parents often express business organization regarding how much screen fourth dimension is too much, how to differentiate "good" versus "bad" media and whether or not excessive media usage can contribute to psychological symptoms. These questions can exist challenging to reply considering recommendations vary by developmental stage, organization and even by type of media. Furthermore, at that place is non a single set of recommendations that are suitable for every family. This brief commodity will provide an overview of research on media usage and health outcomes in children followed by current recommendations and interventions designed to reduce screen time when indicated. Hither, media is divers equally whatsoever interaction with a screen, including watching television/content, internet, social media and app use, gaming, etc., on whatsoever platform (phones, tablets, computers, television set, etc.).

How much time are kids spending on screens?

Although estimates of media usage vary, children under age 2 spend approximately one hour per day on screen media, while children between two and viii spend an boilerplate of two hours per day (Five. J. Rideout, 2013). Children betwixt viii and 12 spend approximately four to six hours per mean solar day on screen media. Adolescents over 12 spend an average of seven to ix hours per day (Media, 2011; Five. Rideout, 2016). A major claiming is determining whether the media young children are exposed to has the potential to enrich learning or backbite from activities that would have more developmental value. Goggle box remains the most widely-used platform among younger children. Loftier quality programs that appoint children can serve as learning tools, particularly if parents co-view the plan and discuss it with them (Santomero, 2018). The question of the quality of media is especially critical during sensitive periods of encephalon evolution.

The developing encephalon and screen time

Excessive media use in children has been associated with a number of undesirable health outcomes, such equally reduced sleep (Unhurt & Guan, 2015), increased obesity, and language and social emotional delays (AAP, 2016). Even so, the furnishings of media usage on brain evolution and health outcomes are non fully understood at this fourth dimension. Early childhood is a time of rapid brain development; structural connections increase every bit brain networks become more segregated and specialized (Mills et al., 2016). These developments are related to a wide range of cerebral developments and are associated with self-regulatory processes. There is business organisation that excessive media apply may contribute to bug with attention, however, evidence is mixed. Smart phone use and media multitasking (using multiple forms at one time), has been associated with worse short-term attentional control, but long-term consequences are unknown (Wilmer, Sherman & Chein, 2017). Heavy smartphone usage has been associated with preferences for smaller, more immediate rewards (Hadar, Eliraz, Lazarovits, Alyagon & Zangen, 2015). Feedback from social media has been associated with activations in reward related encephalon regions (Wilmer et al., 2017), and has been shown to be weakly correlated with negative indicators of psychological well-existence (Huang, 2017). Even so, findings are often mixed or contradictory, which is likely related to the lack of specificity in cocky-reported measures and correlational designs. For immature children, the best way to teach higher-society cognitive skills (including attentional and emotional control) is through parent-child interactions, unstructured and social play (AAP, 2016). Letting toddlers utilise or view media on their own should exist avoided. In older children, more research is needed to sympathise how specific periods of brain development relate to media use.

Recommendations

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a set up of guidelines for media utilise based on a kid's developmental phase which are highlighted beneath.

• Historic period two and under: avert media use (except video chatting).
• Preschoolers: No more than one hour of loftier-quality programming per day.
• Form-schoolers/Teens: Don't let media displace other important activities such every bit quality sleep, regular practise, family meals, "unplugged" reanimation.
• All ages: Be a media mentor. Co-view media with your kids.

While information technology is crucial to moderate media use in children and ensure prophylactic practices, it is also important to consider the specific values of the family and the feasibility of implementing such recommendations. A helpful identify to start is the APA's digital guidelines. Parents of young children function as the gatekeepers of media usage early on in life — and parent media utilize has been strongly related to child media utilise (Jago et al., 2012). Digital monitoring (tracking/checking usage) is ane suggested practice which may be necessary when condom concerns are present simply could cross privacy boundaries for some parents. Research on parental mediation indicates that some forms, such as co-viewing, tin can exist beneficial (come across (Coyne et al., 2017) for additional information). Chiefly, children whose parents attempt to limit media exposure (e.thousand., not putting a TV in a child's chamber), actually spend less fourth dimension using media. Based on the current data available, recommendations regarding media use should encourage self-regulation, such as:

• Parents modeling good for you media use — including limiting phone interruptions.
• Design a plan with children that includes media gratis fourth dimension and limits exposure one to two hours before bedtime.
• Co-viewing media and discussing it when possible to enhance learning.

The goal is to inform and encourage, non shame or guilt parents. When used interactively and in moderation, media can enhance learning and strengthen family connectedness. The cardinal is to find and maintain a healthy relationship with media (assuasive room for imperfection and aligning). The post-obit resources may helpful for reducing or improving the quality of media apply.

• Discuss and model healthy media use with your children. Mutual Sense Media provides toolkits for parents.
• The AAP suggests that families create a tailored family media use plan.
• A helpful book for identifying loftier quality programming with a focus on social-emotional learning is Preschool Clues by Angela Santomero, creator of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.
• There are a number of apps for monitoring and limiting screen usage and additional interventions for reducing screen time be, see the APA'due south article on "Treating the misuse of digital devices." It is further recommended that parents seek counseling from a pediatrician or psychologist for guidance.

References

AAP. (2016). Media and young minds. Pediatrics. http://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591.

Coyne, S.One thousand., Radesky, J., Collier, Chiliad.1000., Gentile, D.A., Linder, J.R., Nathanson, A.I., … Rogers, J. (2017). Parenting and digital media. Pediatrics. http://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-1758N.

Crone, East. A., & Konijn, E. A. (2018). Media utilise and brain development during adolescence. Nature Communications. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03126-x.

Hadar, A.A., Eliraz, D., Lazarovits, A., Alyagon, U., & Zangen, A. (2015). Using longitudinal exposure to causally link smartphone usage to changes in behavior, knowledge and correct prefrontal neural action. Brain Stimulation. http://doi.org/x.1016/j.brs.2015.01.032.

Hale, 50., & Guan, S. (2015). Screen fourth dimension and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: A systematic literature review. Sleep Medicine Reviews. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.07.007.

Huang, C. (2017). Fourth dimension Spent on Social Network Sites and Psychological Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. http://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0758.

Jago, R., Stamatakis, E., Gama, A., Carvalhal, I.1000., Nogueira, H., Rosado, V., & Padez, C. (2012). Parent and child screen-viewing time and home media surroundings. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. http://doi.org/ten.1016/j.amepre.2012.04.012.

Media, C.S. (2011). Naught to eight: Children'south media employ in America. Common Sense Media.

Mills, K.Fifty., Goddings, A.L., Herting, Grand.M., Meuwese, R., Blakemore, S.J., Crone, E.A., … Tamnes, C.M. (2016). Structural encephalon development between childhood and adulthood: Convergence beyond four longitudinal samples. NeuroImage. http://doi.org/ten.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.07.044.

Rideout, V. (2016). Measuring time spent with media: The Common Sense demography of media apply by United states 8- to 18-year-olds. Journal of Children and Media. http://doi.org/x.1080/17482798.2016.1129808.

Rideout, 5.J. (2013). Cipher to eight: Children's media use in America 2013. Pridobljeno.

Santomero, A. (2018). Preschool Clues. New York: Touchstone.

Wilmer, H.H., Sherman, Fifty.Eastward., & Chein, J.Yard. (2017). Smartphones and knowledge: A review of research exploring the links between mobile technology habits and cognitive functioning. Frontiers in Psychology. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00605.

Almost the author

Elizabeth Hawkey, MA, is currently a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Washington Academy in St. Louis. Her research explores how executive office in early childhood relates to the evolution of encephalon network arrangement and the expression of neurodevelopmental disorders such every bit ADHD. Her current clinical practicum placement in child psychiatry at the Washington University School of Medicine has immune her to provide social-emotional interventions for young children.

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Source: https://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/newsletter/2019/05/media-use-childhood