THE OVERUSE OF MEDIA IS STUNTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CHILDREN Presented by: Tina McClintic & Kelsey Thomas Resource & Referral Specialists

Learning Objectives ◦Participants will learn about the negative effects of screen time on children’s social-emotional and cognitive development. ◦Participants will learn about the health implication of too much screen time in young children. ◦Participants will learn about the importance of real life experiences and face-to- face interactions to the overall development of young children.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF SCREEN TIME ON CHILDREN’S SOCIAL- EMOTIONAL & COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Language Delay In children under 3, the use of screen media is linked to a delay in language acquisition. Research shows that adolescents that watched 1 additional hour of television each day as toddlers have lower math scores and poorer school achievement.

Fast-Paced Television ◦Research shows that just 20 minutes of a fast- paced, animated show can negatively impact executive functioning skills in young children. ◦Executive functioning skills include attention span, delaying gratification, self-regulation, and problem solving.

Social-Emotional Well Being ◦Psychological difficulties including hyperactivity, emotional problems, and difficulties with peers have been associated with 2 or more hours a day of screen time for school-age children. ◦Screen time use increases with age and the negative effects of screen use increase through adolescence. ◦Adolescents who watch 3 or more hours of television a day are at risk for poor homework completion, negative attitudes toward school, poor grades, and long-term academic failure. ◦A study by Stanford University found that girls ages 8-12 that use social media heavily are less happy and more socially uncomfortable than their peers.

HEALTH IMPLICATION FOR TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME IN YOUNG CHILDREN

Obesity

TV and Sleep Problems ◦ Studies have shown that a greater amount of TV time watched per day is associated with and increase in both irregular naptime and bedtime schedules. ◦The same study showed that the amount of TV viewed overall by children during bedtime had a heavy association with sleep disturbances. ◦ The areas of sleep that appeared to be most impacted were: resistance to bedtime, later bedtimes, anxiety around sleep and less overall sleep.

Excessive Screen Time & the Brain ◦Research states there has been shrinkage in the part of the brain (gray matter) where processing occurs when there is a internet/gaming addiction. ◦Screen time is linked to “spotty” white matter. White matter is the part of the brain that controls the communications between the gray matter in the brain as well as all of the body functions we are unaware of like blood pressure and heart rate. ◦Studies show that when video games are being played, the brain produces a natural substance called dopamine which your body craves. The changes in the brain caused by this release of dopamine are similar to what happens when a person craves drugs. ◦With that said, immoderate amounts of screen-time appear to damage brain structure and function.

REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES AND FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS MATTER

The research is clear: infants, toddlers, and young children learn best through interactions with the people in their environment when all of their senses are in use. Real world, hands-on activities such as gardening, cooking and woodworking support children’s creative play where-as screen- time eliminates creativity. In early childhood, the developing brain benefits the most when children are talked to, read to, and played with. Children thrive when they are given opportunities to engage meaningfully with the adults and peers in their surroundings.

Books are Best! ◦“Nothing stimulates the intellect like a good book” –Richard Lewis, UK ◦Books require children to use their imaginations more than electronic devices. ◦E-readers and other devices distance young children from the real-world whereas books provide children with hands-on experience. ◦Paper books allow children to stay engaged with a story more than devices because devices have buttons to push and games to play.

Importance of Hands-On, Creative Play ◦Caregivers are more likely to provide more physically active experiences and plenty of time for child initiated play when screen-time is not an option. ◦Children are lacking fine motor development in their hands when they start school due to more time spent with screens and less time spent utilizing their bodies in meaningful ways. ◦Open-ended hands-on exploration and play fosters experiences for children to develop their creativity and problem solving skills. ◦Digital technologies limit opportunities for children to engage their curiosities because of the parameters that are already set with technological devices.

“It could be argued that active play is so central to child development that it should be included in the very definition of childhood”. –American Academy of Pediatrics

Resources ◦American Academy of Pediatrics ◦Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Alliance for Childhood, & Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment (2012, October). Facing the Screen Dilemma: Young Children, technology and early education. Boston, MA: Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood; New York, NY: Alliance for Childhood ◦Deam, Jenny. "E-Books vs. Print: What Parents Need to Know." Scholastic.com. Parent & Child Magazine, n.d. Web. 16 Mar ◦Dunckley, Victoria L., MD. "Gray Matters: Too Much Screen Time Damages the Brain." Psychology Today. Mental Wealth, 27 Feb Web. 16 Mar ◦Lerner, Claire, LCSW, & Rachel Barr, Ph.D. “Screen Sense: Setting the Record Straight. “Zero to Three”, 2014