The author, Victoria L. Dunckley M.D. is an integrative
child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, the author of Reset Your Child’s
Brain and an expert on the effect of screen time on the developing nervous
system. Victoria is concerned psychiatrist who wishes to educate the public
about the possibilities of excessive screen time on children and teenagers. The
tone of the author is educational.
Victoria mentions how parents often overlook one of the most
common environmental causes of change in a child’s behaviour which is everyday
use of electronics. She states that an electronics fast can and would help in
allowing the nervous system to “reset”. Ab evident change will be able to be
seen in the child’s behaviour as the child if and only if done correctly. Once
the fast is completed, allowing the child to use electronics and if it is so
for how long, are all questions the child’s parents have to answer. The reason
as to why this electronics fast is so effective is because it reverses much of
the physiological dysfunction produced by daily screen time.
She says that we do not realise that it doesn’t take much
electronic stimulation to throw a child’s still developing and sensitive mind
off track. Not many know that interactive screen time is more likely to cause
sleep, mood and cognitive issues rather than passive screen time. Furthermore,
she also lists 6 physiological mechanisms that explain electronics’ tendency to
produce mood disturbances with facts to back up her claims. These mechanisms
are screen time disrupts sleep and desynchronises the body clock, screen time
desensitizes the brain’s reward system, light at night is produced by screen
time, screen time induces stress reactions, screen overloads the sensory
system, fractures attention and depletes mental reserves and lastly, screen
time reduces physical activity levels and exposure to “green time”.
Although the author has stated some excellent points on the adverse
effects of screen time on children, one cannot simply eradicate screen time as
a whole from a child’s life. This is because we all own at least one television
or entertainment set in our homes. When the elders wish to watch something, the
child being in the room would join in too. Also, we should not forget there are special
apps nowadays that promote brain activity and sensory stimulation. Yes, they
are not like what you can get from toys or books but it’s a pretty good substitute
for us to adjust with the technological advances.
Even with the existences of such apps, parental guidance is
essential. A child should not have the freedom to use it when they desire to.
Hence parents play an important role.Excessive screen time may not be the sole
reason as to why children are acting up. They may be facing problems in school
and choose not to disclose them. Investigate. Talk to you children. Tha author
fails to address such issues.
To conclude, the intentions of the author are pure and sincerely
to help us cope with moody children who unplugged from the real world which may
be because of excessive screen time. However we should not completely rely on
an article to determine the reason as to why your child is reacting in such a
way. Research is compulsory,
Thank You.
Nadia Binti Mohd Nasim Hamayon
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