Monday, March 24, 2014

Early Screening and Early Intervention for Technology Overuse

In my last blog I discussed the need to conduct early technology screenings and the need for early intervention - by "early" I am referring to preschool and elementary school. Due to the proliferation of tech devices young children are saturated with digital media which creates change resistant patterns of technology consumption.

The key is for parents to carefully regulate technology use in order to prevent change resistant patterns from emerging. How much time should children be using technology?

0 to 2 years NONE

3 to 5 years 1 hour per day of non violent TV/DVD (no handheld devices or video games!)

6 to 9 years 2 hours per day of  total screen time (non violent TV/DVD and non violent video games such as Wii Sports or Resorts - no handheld devices of any kind!).

9 to 12 years 2 hours per day of total screen time (non violent TV/DVD 60 minutes, non violent video games 30 minutes, handheld devices 30 minutes).

13 to 18 years 2 hour per day of total screen time (non violent TV/DVD 30 minutes, non-violent video game, violent video games 30 minutes, hand devices 30 minutes).

No technology in bedrooms!

Rule of screen time use: for every one hour of screen time your child/teen must engage in 2 hours of physical activity.

In my next blog I will discuss 5 ways to successfully unplug children and teens from technology with the aim of maintaining a balance between offline life on cyber life.

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