Working with children for the last 15 years, watching them grow, develop new skills, learn new things, crying, laughing…it sure  amazed me.  I felt they were growing up way too fast compared to my childhood.

I was born in Hungary 38 years ago, in a small, quiet, friendly village that could not be found on most maps.  The village was only a couple of streets to the left and a couple of streets to the right. My childhood was very peaceful, fun, and adventurous , but if I had to use only one word to describe it, I would say it was ‘simple’. Simple in a very good way. Playing in uncovered sandboxes, climbing on trees, eating fruits fresh from the trees, sunbathing on garage roofs, ‘flying ‘ on half broken, rusty boat swings was my whole world. I was the happiest kid on Earth! I did not learn how to read or write before first grade, did not have a cell phone, iPad, iPod, and Leapfrog didn’t exist for me to practice my spelling and numbers.

Having a 22 months old boy and expecting my second child in July while operating a preschool in my home makes me want to find the answer to one of the most important questions I have ever asked: how do you make a child happy?  If I go back and look at my childhood, I was one of those lucky children who played outside till dinnertime every day after school.  Exploring, being one with nature, and socializing through fun games helped me become a happy, carefree, spirited child.

I traveled to Canada in 1998 where I lived for a year and a half, then I came to the United States in 2001. Ever since, I have been trying to keep up with the fast pace that surrounds me here. Working with children gave me an even clearer picture about the about the rat-race world we live in.

Do the children these days have a carefree, happy life? Or are we just pretending that everything is fine, that this is the way it should be?  Watching the children around me made me realize that their lives are consumed by the ever-changing technology. It seems that everything has an on/off button, works with batteries, has blinking lights, and talks or beeps Do we substitute ourselves as parents with these technologically advanced toys?  Is this the new parenting style?

Children are getting more and more isolated just by playing with these gadgets alone for hours and hours instead of learning by playing with others. Is this really what we want for our children? Is there a healthy balance between these two different worlds, or do we have to pick one to be good parents and raise happy children?  Is the rapidly changing technology taking over our children’s lives and destroying our families or this is the new ‘normal’?  Am I the one who needs to conform?

We all know that children are like sponges. They learn and they learn quickly.  A two year old nowadays can easily operate an I pad or play educational games on a Leapfrog or other device.  Am I a bad mother because I don’t want my son to play any of those ‘technologicallyawesome toys’ and instead I want him to play outside, make friends, explore and learn through his senses? Will he be left behind if he misses out on those things? Will he be bullied if he does not know how to read or write before Kindergarten? The more I ask these questions, the more confused I become. Are these gadgets truly educational for the children, or is there a hiddencompetition between parents that lies behind all of this? Are we creating an overachieving generation even if it costs their childhood?

Here is an article that is worth reading from Cris Rowan, who is a Pediatric occupational therapist, biologist, speaker, and author:

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Society of Pediatrics stateinfants aged 0-2 years should not have any exposure to technology, 3-5 years be restricted to one hour per day, and 6-18 years restricted to 2 hours per day (AAP 2001/13, CPS 2010). Children and youth use 4-5 times the recommended amount of technology, with serious and often life threatening consequences (Kaiser Foundation 2010, Active Healthy Kids Canada 2012). Handheld devices (cell phones, tablets, electronic games) have dramatically increased the accessibility and usage of technology, especially by very young children (Common Sense Media, 2013). As a pediatric occupational therapist, I’m calling on parents, teachers and governments to ban the use of all handheld devices for children under the age of 12 years. Following are 10 research-based reasons for this ban. Please visit zonein.ca to view the Zone’in Fact Sheet for referenced research.

1. Rapid brain growth
Between 0 and 2 years, infant’s brains triple in size, and continue in a state of rapid development to 21 years of age (Christakis 2011). Early brain development is determined by environmental stimuli, or lack thereof. Stimulation to a developing brain caused by overexposure to technologies (cell phones, internet, iPads, TV), has been shown to be associated with executive functioning and attention deficit, cognitive delays, impaired learning, increased impulsivity and decreased ability to self-regulate, e.g. tantrums (Small 2008, Pagini 2010).

2. Delayed Development
Technology use restricts movement, which can result in delayed development. One in three children now enter school developmentally delayed, negatively impacting literacy and academic achievement (HELP EDI Maps 2013). Movement enhances attention and learning ability (Ratey 2008). Use of technology under the age of 12 years is detrimental to child development and learning (Rowan 2010).

3. Epidemic Obesity
TV and video game use correlates with increased obesity (Tremblay 2005). Children who are allowed a device in their bedrooms have 30% increased incidence of obesity (Feng 2011). One in four Canadian, and one in three U.S. children are obese (Tremblay 2011). 30% of children with obesity will develop diabetes, and obese individuals are at higher risk for early stroke and heart attack, gravely shortening life expectancy (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2010). Largely due to obesity, 21st century children may be the first generation many of whom will not outlive their parents (Professor Andrew Prentice, BBC News 2002).

4. Sleep Deprivation
60% of parents do not supervise their child’s technology usage, and 75% of children are allowed technology in their bedrooms (Kaiser Foundation 2010). 75% of children aged 9 and 10 years are sleep deprived to the extent that their grades are detrimentally impacted (Boston College 2012).

5. Mental Illness 
Technology overuse is implicated as a causal factor in rising rates of child depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, attention deficit, autism, bipolar disorder, psychosis and problematic child behavior (Bristol University 2010, Mentzoni 2011, Shin 2011,Liberatore 2011, Robinson 2008). One in six Canadian children have a diagnosed mental illness, many of whom are on dangerous psychotropic medication (Waddell 2007).

6. Aggression 
Violent media content can cause child aggression (Anderson, 2007). Young children are increasingly exposed to rising incidence of physical and sexual violence in today’s media. “Grand Theft Auto V” portrays explicit sex, murder, rape, torture and mutilation, as do many movies and TV shows. The U.S. has categorized media violence as a Public Health Risk due to causal impact on child aggression (Huesmann 2007). Media reports increased use of restraints and seclusion rooms with children who exhibit uncontrolled aggression.

7. Digital dementia
High speed media content can contribute to attention deficit, as well as decreased concentration and memory, due to the brain pruning neuronal tracks to the frontal cortex (Christakis 2004, Small 2008). Children who can’t pay attention can’t learn.

8. Addictions
As parents attach more and more to technology, they are detaching from their children. In the absence of parental attachment, detached children can attach to devices, which can result in addiction (Rowan 2010). One in 11 children aged 8-18 years are addicted to technology (Gentile 2009).

9. Radiation emission
In May of 2011, the World Health Organization classified cell phones (and other wireless devices) as a category 2B risk (possible carcinogen) due to radiation emission (WHO 2011). James McNamee with Health Canada in October of 2011 issued a cautionary warning stating “Children are more sensitive to a variety of agents than adults as their brains and immune systems are still developing, so you can’t say the risk would be equal for a small adult as for a child.” (Globe and Mail 2011). In December, 2013 Dr. Anthony Miller from the University of Toronto’s School of Public Health recommend that based on new research, radio frequency exposure should be reclassified as a 2A (probable carcinogen), not a 2B (possible carcinogen). American Academy of Pediatrics requested review of EMF radiation emissions from technology devices, citing three reasons regarding impact on children (AAP 2013).

10. Unsustainable
The ways in which children are raised and educated with technology are no longer sustainable (Rowan 2010). Children are our future, but there is no future for children who overuse technology. A team-based approach is necessary and urgent in order to reduce the use of technology by children. Please reference below slide shows onwww.zonein.ca under “videos” to share with others who are concerned about technology overuse by children.

Problems – Suffer the Children – 4 minutes
Solutions – Balanced Technology Management – 7 minutes

The following Technology Use Guidelines for children and youth were developed by Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist and author of Virtual Child; Dr. Andrew Doan, neuroscientist and author of Hooked on Games; and Dr. Hilarie Cash, Director of reSTART Internet Addiction Recovery Program and author of Video Games and Your Kids, with contribution from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Pediatric Society in an effort to ensure sustainable futures for all children.

Technology Use Guidelines for Children and Youth

 

 

Please contact Cris Rowan at info@zonein.ca for additional information. © Zone’in February.

Many parents like myself are feeling pressured to go with the flow, but I will not stop asking these questions until I find the right balance between the lives of these little human beings and this highly advanced gadget world!

Can’t wait to hear your solutions and ideas on this matter.