Child, Teen,Therapy: Screen time, Anxiety, Behavior Phoenix , Scottsdale, Cave Creek Arizona
Saturday, November 17th, 2018
Too much time spent on Screens : I-pads, Smartphones, Video gaming, and watching television is linked to heightened levels of anxiety and depression in children as young as two years old.
Children were seen to have less emotional stability, lower senses of control, greater inability to finish a task or follow directions and a lower sense of psychological well being among children, teens ,and adolescents in another research study published in Prevention Medical Reports.
Those in the study that spent less than one hour on screen time vs those spending 7 hours on screen time were fifty percent less likely to suffer from anxiety and depressive disorders in a giant research study that used 40,000 plus youth data and reports.
Preschoolers that had more screen time than one hour (4) had more temper outbursts and forty six percent of pre school children were NOT able to calm down.
Curiosity diminished among youth eleven through thirteen with the more screen time. The more screen time above one hour correlated with less and less curiosity in life.
Studies show that time spent on screens is linked to poor shifts in brain connectivity compared to say reading. Studies show that screen time is connected to poorer language cognition as well as poorer levels of behavioral or self control.
Changes were seen in the reward circuits of children and teenage adolescent brain, in the ratio of the neurotransmitter GABA to other neurotransmitters. Research shows social media taps into the brains addictive pathways.
Here are some more negative results of screen time for your child or teen whose brain is developing. Screens negatively impact children’s sleep. This is huge because sleep is connected with mood and performance and much more ( academic performance).
Screen time use is an identified factor in childhood obesity and teen obesity. Screen time can undermine learning for young children and babies.
Night time exposure to screens and LED devices : smart phones, Ipads, Video Games, computers etc suppresses melatonin and disrupts sleep!
Your child’s brain is in hyper mode and moving very rapidly when interacting with screens and video games and computers and smart phones. When your child or teenager is taken off their devices their brains are still moving a million miles a second. It will take your child a significant amount of time for his or her brain to adjust. Your child may be bouncing off walls in his unconscious attempt to find stimuli that is moving as fast as his brain.
Research shows a child’s vestibular system gets thrown off with screen time which is responsible for calmness and mood.
Our child may be great at playing video games however you must look at how their interpersonal relationships look like, their sports and music and other aspects of their life.
www.lifeworksaz.com has expertise working with children , teens and families to create health and balance and success in all aspects of life. www.Lifeworksaz.comhelps children, teens and parents with : Parenting, self esteem , social skills, mood regulation , anxiety management, anger management, Behavior Modification, depression management, sports mental training, and much more.