This is what we are seeing… • “Baby/Toddler Apps” • >50% parents let their babies use smartphone or tablet – 1/7 allowing for 4+ hrs/day
Survey Data U.S. children/teens (age 8-18) spend more time in • front of an electronic screen than with family/friends Most have no household rules on their use • – 7 hr/day • Television, cell phones, hand-held games, Internet games, Facebook and video games – 11 hr/day • 30% of kids are multi-tasking 11-hrs of content into their 7 hrs/day – 2-hrs/day • Violent video games Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-year olds, Kaiser Family Foundation 54% of kids preferred to spend time with the TV • compared to parents AC Nielsen report
TeleNav survey of 541 US mobile phone users in July 2011.
Q. Back in the 1990’s, when children/youth were admitted to hospital (i.e. 6E), what was their number one question?
Q. Back in the 1990’s, when children/youth were admitted to 6E, what is their number one question? A. Youth: “When are visiting hours? When do I get to see my parents?”
Q. Nowadays, when children/youth are admitted to hospital (i.e. 6E), what is their number one question?
Q. Nowadays, when children/youth are admitted to hospital (i.e. 6E), what is their number one question? A. When can I have my cell phone back? I.e. cellphones have become our teens’ single most important attachment …
Ways in which technology is bad
Why devices are bad for infants / toddlers • Speech/language pathologists in First Words programs increased numbers of children with speech/language delays due to overuse of technology • Digital devices are sedentary impair physical development including impaired motor skills and hand-eye coordination • Digital devices do not have ‘serve and return’ between parent/child necessary for language development • Digital devices cause child to connect with a device to meet their needs rather than human • Devices are particularly bad if we use them to soothe a child child learns that you use technology to self-regulate
Why devices are bad for children • Children are “hurt” by being ignored when a parent uses a device (Turkle, 2010) • And when our kids want our attention, we get more frustrated at them • Parents using devices are more likely to respond to their children in a harsh or negative manner (Radesky, 2014) • Screen time is... – Not restorative (unlike time in nature) – Nor does it meet our core needs – Nor does it promote creativity
Lack of face-to-face contact Loss of empathy Plugged in kids have… • – Less face-to-face communication with a live human being – Less opportunities to learn how to make eye contact, read facial expressions, interpret body language and tone of voice – Less opportunities to learn empathy Studies confirm… • – Many adolescents and teens today are having difficulty identifying emotions in people – Generations since the 70’s are more and more narcissistic and less empathic (Twenge, 2013) – UK Association of Teachers and Lecturers reports rising numbers of children who can swipe a screen, but unable to perform use building blocks, or socialize with others
Why technology is bad for parents • Parents using devices more likely to respond to their children in a harsh or negative manner (Radesky, J. Paediatrics, 2014) • Children emotionally hurt when ignored by parents distracted by a device particularly at 1) at meals, 2) at pickup after school, 3) extracurricular activities , sports events (Turkle, 2013)
“Screen sucking” • Screens are a “time suck” – Wasting time from spending cumulatively thousands of hours in front of screen learning few (if any) useful skills for life – Loss of child’s time from participating in other beneficial activities, such as being outdoors, getting exercise, reading a book, or doing schoolwork Dr. Hallowell, ADHD expert
How modern technology weakens parent-child relationships
Q. In the old days, who did children ask if they didn’t know an answer? A. Adults, such as parents
Q. Nowadays, if your teenager doesn’t know something, what do they do? A. Google – in other words, parents have been replaced by Google
Q. A child is playing ball with a parent. Who is going to be more competent at it?
Q. A child is playing ball with a parent. Who is going to be more competent at it? A. The Parent In traditional societies, the young learn from and thus respect their elders … Margaret Mead, 1956
Q. But in today’s technology obsessed world, who do our children turn to when they have a tech question?
A. Their peers
A. Our children know more about the technology than we do, which makes them think they are superior… I hope my Boy, my son dad is appreciates terrible! all this effort I’m making
Why are Screens so Darned Addictive?
What Fuels the Addiction in Children and Adolescents? • Developing, immature frontal lobe and executive functioning • Cultural shifts – Peer orientation and invalidation of adults Techies, adolescents and marginalized depicted as heroes Celebrity culture • Possibility of instantaneous success • Easy access to entertainment • Software designed to addict – “ Hooked” – Nir Eyal • Hardware designed to be personal and “all or nothing”
Screens give us “easy dopamine” When your brain gets used to “easy dopamine”, its harder to do things “Easy dopamine” , i.e. that provide less dopamine, that are provides lots of ‘boring’ like: dopamine, adrenaline • Going for a walk with little effort • Homework • Face to face contact • Driving • Looking at your child …
Screens are overstimulating • Although it gives our brains a rush of adrenaline / dopamine, it is actually not calming nor refreshing, and can trigger fight/flight responses • Especially in those with brain conditions, e.g. seizure disorders, sensory processing issues, autism, issues that affect filtering such as psychosis, or anxiety • Multi-tasking just makes this worse …
With excess screen use … • With excess screen use over time, the body is under chronic alarm, i.e. stress – Blood flow shifts from frontal (developed brain) to the more primitive parts of the brain • Thus, one can see problems with regulation, attention, creativity, social behaviour – Body makes cortisol, a stress hormone • High cortisol impairs memory (from hippocampus), disturbs sleep, disturbs concentration, causes weight gain • Electronic Screen Syndrome (ESS) – Signs of an overloaded brain can mimic any psychiatric disorder • E.g. inattention • E.g. mood/anxiety problems Dr. Victoria Dunckley
Quotes from Sherry Turkle • “Because you can text while doing something else, texting does not seem to take time but to give you time. This is more than welcome; it is magical .” Sherry Turkle
Quotes from Sherry Turkle • “Connecting in sips may work for gathering discreet bits of information, they may work for saying, "I'm thinking about you," or even for saying, "I love you," but they don't really work for learning about each other, for really coming to know and understand each other . • And we use conversations with each other to learn how to have conversations with ourselves. • So a flight from conversation can really matter because it can compromise our capacity for self-reflection. • For kids growing up, that skill is the bedrock of development.”
Quotes from Sherry Turkle • “You end up isolated if you don’t cultivate the capacity for solitude ; the ability to be separate; to gather yourself. • Solitude is where you find yourself so you can reach out to other people and form real attachments.”
Taking a Digital History • How do you spend your day? Walk me through your day… • What type of devices / electronics do you use? (e.g. TV, tablet, cell phone, etc.) • For each device, ask – Where? Where do you use your device, e.g. bedroom? – When? How many hours a day do you spend on ___? – What?, i.e. What games / devices / etc. do you use?” – Why? i.e. What do you enjoy the most out of using ____?’ (in order to assess for needs that might be replaced elsewhere) • Negatives – What’s the worst thing that has happened to you online? – Ever been bullied online? Ever done anything online that you’ve subsequently regretted? (e.g. posting, sexting, etc.)
Diagnosis of “Tech Addiction”
DSM-5 • DSM-5 does not recognize video gaming or technology addiction per se, although it does propose diagnostic criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder: Internet Gaming Disorder • Repetitive use of Internet-based games, often with other players, that leads to significant issues with functioning. Five of the following criteria must be met within one year: 1. Preoccupation or obsession with Internet games. 2. Withdrawal symptoms when not playing Internet games. 3. A build-up of tolerance – more time needs to be spent playing the games. 4. The person has tried to stop or curb playing Internet games, but has failed to do so. 5. The person has had a loss of interest in other life activities, such as hobbies. 6. A person has had continued overuse of Internet games even with the knowledge of how much they impact a person’s life. 7. The person lied to others about his or her Internet game usage. 8. The person uses Internet games to relieve anxiety or guilt –it’s a way to escape. 9. The person has lost or put at risk and opportunity or relationship because of Internet games.
“Tech Addiction” based on DSM -5 principles Technology “Addiction” • Repetitive use of technology (e.g. video games, computers, cell phones, tablets, etc), that leads to significant issues with functioning. Five of the following criteria must be met within one year: 1. Preoccupation or obsession with technology 2. Withdrawal symptoms when not using technology . 3. A build-up of tolerance – more time needs to be spent using technology . 4. The person has tried to stop or curb using technology, but has failed to do so. 5. The person has had a loss of interest in other life activities, such as hobbies. 6. A person has had continued overuse of technology even with the knowledge of how much they impact a person’s life. 7. The person lied to others about his or her technology use (e.g. online games). 8. The person uses technology to relieve anxiety or guilt (e.g. when upset, person uses technology to soothe). 9. The person has lost or put at risk and opportunity or relationship because of using technology.
Management/Interventions for the Technology Addicted Child
Treat any treatable DSM-5 conditions • Interventions for any mental health conditions such as ADHD, social anxiety, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – Untreated ADHD with inattention, high need for stimulation and lack of impulse control may make it harder for a child to detach from technology and thus, treating ADHD may help – Untreated social anxiety disorder, with an avoidance of live social contact may similarly make it hard for such a child to connect with people – A child with ASD who has no other social contacts or interests is possibly more likely to be overconnected with a device; hence, appropriate interventions with ASD may be able to help connect a child to healthier attachments
Education for Parents • Take a look at your own technology use. • Understand what children/youth need above all, is healthy connections with parents • Understand that technology is no replacement for genuine human interaction • Ensure you have a close relationship with your child that is nurturing and caring – Spend 1:1 time with your child – Be sure that you are the primary influence in your child's development rather than technology, to protect yourself and their children against negative influences from television, media, video games – Be close so that your child can turn to you to meet their core needs rather than technology
American Academy of Pediatrics (2013) • Have a family plan with reasonable but firm rules • Limit total screen time to < 1-2 hrs/day • Keep screens out of the bedroom • Monitor what media children are using • Enjoy with children and discuss • Enforce mealtimes & bedtime “curfew”
Resources • Consider 1) Dr. Dunckley’s “Reset Your Child’s Brain”, which has a four - week ‘electronic detox’ protocol for parents 2) Going to http://www.drdunckley.com and signing up for the “Save Your Child’s Brain” mini course – 4 newsletters that summarize the electronic detox protocol
Principles Be a role model for others on • healthy technology use Don't use technology to meet a • child’s needs that should be met by a human being E.g. don’t give a toddler a device to – soothe, but instead, pick up the child and co-regulate yourself If a child is complaining of • boredom… – Involve them with chores, or – Let them be bored so that they can then experience creativity Limit electronic toys • Use natural toys, e.g. wood •
Principles • As a parent, be a role model for your kids • Have rules/limits about technology – E.g. no video games / consoles in bedrooms • Have tech-free times so that family can connect – E.g. All family members (including parents) should put devices into a basket when they come in through the door, and only retrieve them at a pre-designated time, e.g. after dinner • Limit technology during times when people should be connecting – E.g. dinnertime (i.e. ideally no TV), in the car
Principles • Find alternatives to screen time – Encourage non-electronic activities such as reading, sports, crafts, nature, etc. Create rather than consume • Encourage technology to create – (e.g. writing a story, making a movie, etc.) Discourage technology that is just – about ‘consuming’, e.g. playing a violent video game, binge watching TV…
Recommendations • If there is screen time, ensure this is balanced by non- screen time – For every 1-hour of screen time, 1-hr of restorative nature time is needed (Louv, 2005) – For adults, every 90- min. of technology, give 10-min. rest (Rosen, 2014) – For children, every 1- min. of technology needs 5-minutes doing non-tech (Rosen, 2014)
Recommendations for age 0-2 • No technology – No TV – No handheld devices – No video games • No non-violent • No violent games • This includes background exposure – Background TV shown harmful for language development Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) Technology Guidelines
Recommendations for age 2-4 • Less than 1-hr a day of screen time • Less is better! Canadian Paediatric Society Guidelines
Recommendations for age 3-5 • Some technology – Some non-violent TV • 1-hr daily max – No handheld devices, e.g. no smart phones, no iPads – No video games • No evidence that video games (even educational video games) improve child development • “Positive studies” show improvements in isolated measures such as eye-hand coordination but not in development overall – Less is better !
Recommendations for age 6-9 • Some technology – Weekdays: • No gadgets at all • No screen time • No video games • No screen time in bedroom • * Exception is computer use for schoolwork – Weekends • Up to 2-hrs screen time (i.e. non-violent TV) under parental supervision • No screen time in bedroom at all Dr. Kimberly Young
Recommendations for aged 9-12 • Up to 2-hrs screen time / day • No use outside of parental supervision, and no access to online games such as multiplayer games • Permitted technology: Internet under supervision. Dr. Kimberly Young
Recommendations for aged 12-18 • Age 12-18 • Child must have responsibilities such as school, and home chores • Child must have healthy activities such as friends, peers Dr. Kimberly Young
Parent Handout: Unplug and Connect Available from • www.cheo.on.ca • www.eMentalHealth.ca Aussi disponible en français Contact us if you’d like to rebrand for our agency, or turn it into a policy statement
Summary
Attachment and Connection to our Children/Youth • Strong attachments (i.e. connections, relationships) of children to nurturing adults is one of the strongest foundations for mental health (i.e. resiliency factor) • Unfortunately, many factors such as modern society and technology have the potential to disconnect us from one another • Fortunately, there are many things that we can do as individuals to reconnect • Advocacy will likely also be required so that there can be changes in policy and industry, so that the technologies can be used to strengthen our connections, not weaken them
How society is making us… Peers Peers Parents / Child Nurturing Adults Technology Technology and things and things Adapted from Neufeld, 2005
How it should be… Peers Peers Parents / Child Nurturing Adults Technology Technology and things and things Adapted from Neufeld, 2005
Questions?
Technology Use from Tech CEO’s
Silicon Valley execs send their kids to a school with no computers Many top executives from Google, • Apple, Yahoo, Hewlett-Packard, send their kids to the Waldorf School of the Peninsula No computers in the • classrooms Younger pupils educated with • pencils, pen and paper, painting and knitting Students get frustrated that their • parents /relatives that can’t put down their devices There is one Waldorf school in • Ottawa… http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/techno Trille des Bois – logy/at-waldorf-school-in-silicon-valley- technology-can-wait.html?pagewanted=all
Computers in classrooms cannot replace good (human) teachers “Students who use • computers very frequently at school do a lot worse in most learning outcomes.” Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Report on Computers and Learning, 2015 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/computers-in-classroom- have-mixed-impact-on-learning-oecd-report/article26373533/
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