I will try to address main points in the "article" as we go.
1. Rapid Brain Growth. The author here states that handheld electronics are causing things like ADHD, developmental delays, and tantrums. The article she cites clearly states, "longitudinal data of early television exposure and subsequent attentional problems have been lacking." In short, this means there are no long-term reputable studies to support this theory. The article she linked is simply stating that there IS a theory. It said that based on *available data* there was a 10% chance that children would have ADHD at age 7 if they had experienced watching TV at age 1-3. It also doesn't mention other variables that could potentially contribute to this diagnosis. I don't know about you, but to me that is hardly conclusive.
2. Delayed Development. The article was purportedly written by a pediatric occupational therapist. I may not be an OT, but having had my fair share of experiences with them in regards to my daughter's development, I can say that not one of them has said that handheld devices are bad for fine motor skills (an OT's specialty). In fact, learning to manipulate touch screens is both a motivating and functional task for anyone to learn in this modern day society. The dexterity required will go a long way toward helping to improve fine motor skills. I know a speech therapist personally who is an avid supporter of hand-held electronics, since they often aid in communication. Both The Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authority and Medicaid agree and will even pay for hand-held devices for developmentally delayed people who could potentially use iPads specifically for that purpose. Handheld devices help to PROMOTE development, not hinder it. In addition to this fact, lets look to our public school system, who uses programs such as K-12 as fully acceptable and encouraged forms of free and public education. Using technology to aid in learning is not a new concept.
3. Epidemic Obesity. Okay. I get that sitting down in a stationary position can lead to greater chance of obesity, and yes, we all know it is a health risk, blah, blah. But lets take a closer look. I don't know about you, but I can't get my kids to sit still. I have to bribe them with a game on my phone or a movie on the iPad just so I can have a 10 minute conversation without "yelps" and "wheeees" in the background. Lack of movement has not been a major problem for my kids under 12. On a broader scale, I believe the electronics industry has addressed this issue many times over and in the end it comes back to personal lifestyles, family input, extra-curriculars, and diet. Reading is a more sedentary thing than using an iPhone (which is by nature, portable, and meant to be used "on the go"). I don't think any of us would say that books should be banned for anyone under age 12 because we have to be still while reading. The key is to ALSO encourage movement. Might I also say that thanks to TECHNOLOGY, we have things like the Wii, the Xbox Kinect, and other games that encourage exercise as a form of gaming. This also improves hand-eye coordination, cognitive skills, and more. Just saying.
4. Sleep Deprivation. This one I can bend a bit on, because as a modern society with access to UV light at all times of the day from screens and various light sources, our bodies are not producing Melatonin at the rate they naturally should. I think this is less of an "addiction to electronics" issue, and more of a "use of light after sundown" issue. We use Melatonin supplements when we have issues (completely natural, no side-effects, and cheap over the counter), but we try to circumvent that when possible by keeping the lights low, turning off the TV about an hour before bed (handheld devices are still allowed based on our family rules) and having a good bedtime routine. It helps.
5. Mental Illness. *Deep breath.* Let me quote the main article here. "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" You see... my daughter has Autism and Developmental Delays, both of which the author blames on the use of handheld devices. In fact, with the rates of Autism alone being about one in 50, I would say that just about everyone reading this probably knows SOMEONE who has Autism. Now, imagine that what this author said is true, and just by taking away the damned iPhone, BAM! Autism would never have happened! If only someone had told Steve Jobs, maybe they could have added a little Puzzle Piece to the Apple logo! I have heard a LOT of wacky things about what causes and cures Autism, but I have to say this is up there in the top 5 crazy. And that's not even TOUCHING the other things she mentioned... depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, ADHD, bipolar, psychosis, ODD. Just no. No.
6. Aggression. This issue has been brought up many times over and I have yet to hear a consensus among my fellow parents on this. Generally speaking, if you don't want your child seeing violent things on TV/YouTube/etc, then monitor it. A gentle reminder that we are focusing solely on children under the age of 12, so parental monitoring should be happening anyway, and age appropriate locks and filters can be put on just about any electronic device out there. I also feel the need to address the increased use of seclusion rooms and restraints for children with aggression. We are talking primarily about children with severe issues like Autism who are incapable of controlling their outbursts, and who have them for very good reasons that most of us cannot personally experience or fully understand. I have to say that if I were in a situation where I was not able to speak due to things like audio processing disorder or brain damage from epilepsy, I would be very frustrated trying to communicate to people who often don't take the time to understand what I need. I can't tell you how often I have seen this first hand. Thankfully "our people" that work with Abbi are good folks, and as a result, her meltdowns or "aggression" has lessened significantly. Regardless, the correlation between an increase in outbursts/restraints/seclusion rooms and the use of handheld devices is not at all linked. The author is making a dangerous assumption that cheapens the very real and tragic experience that many people with anxiety, depression, bipolar, psychosis, odd, autism, and more, face every single day. I don't think even one of them would blame their condition on the use of handheld devices.
7. Digital Dementia. I admit I had never heard of this, so I did a little research. From what I've found, it is essentially saying that we "techno-junkies" over-develop one part of our brain, to the detriment of the remainder, leading to what the media is referring to as "digital dementia." This article specifically stated that in those who are completely "addicted" and immersed in technology, the left side of the brain grows quickly, while the right does not advance as quickly. Because the right side of the brain is geared toward concentration and memory span, researchers are saying that there *could* be a potential 15% increased chance that we will wind up with dementia. However, according to the CDC, by 2013, nearly 20% of our entire population will have dementia. Their projected cause? We are living longer. Nowhere on their website or in any CDC publication that I have found has it cited use of digital media as a potential cause for concern in regards to dementia. In fact, many studies have shown that websites, apps, and programs such as Lumosity actually help to increase memory and cognitive function. For children, it would be things like BrainPop and BrainPop Jr.
8. Addictions. This is a very real concern, and I hope that most families will use technology responsibly. I will point out that addiction is not limited to technology. Food, alcohol, technology, and even exercise can be addicting to the point of causing harm. It is a parent's responsibility to determine what is or is not okay, and what is or is not too much of any one thing. There are resources out there for those who find themselves or their children facing addiction. The big message here? Don't over-indulge, and if you cannot seem to help yourself, try to seek help from someone who cares about you, and/or from a professional.
9. Radiation Emission. I freely admit that I am no scientist. I will point out, however, that the author of the article did not present confirmed information that shows a direct link between technology and harmful medical effects. I do hope that more studies are done, but as of yet, there is nothing specifically to say that using handheld devices is definitively harmful to our health.
10. Unsustainable. The first thing I will point out here is that the author is focusing on the negative effects of free-range overuse of technology. We are talking 7+ hours per day of direct exposure to unlimited and unrestricted technology. For most children, this is not a reality, or even a possibility. With the exception of online school, most children are in the classroom, playing with friends, eating dinner, and doing homework for much of the day, even those children who have handheld devices. I also disagree that technology is not sustainable. Unless you take into account the possibility that technology may one day implode via the likes of Skynet, I can't see how technology is considered something unsustainable. On the converse, some would say that technology is helping our nuclear families to become more sustainable. We can organize our schedules, shopping lists, and keep in better communication when we aren't immediately together. We can play games together that help us bond, laugh, talk, and exercise. We can learn together, and find entertainment together.
I have homeschooled my children (using both online and hard-copy supplies), and I have my middle child in a Waldorf school (which is very focused on natural play and learning). These same children have iPhones, iPads, and video games. We monitor their use, encourage reading in actual paper books, and spend a lot of time outside in the fresh air. We are an incredibly techno-savvy household, but pending a visit from the Terminator, or super-cellphone-radiation powers, I have yet to see any reason why my kids under 12 should not have access to handheld devices.
