Whether it comes in the form of gaming systems, TV, phones, computers, tablets, or the Smartboards they use in the classroom, one thing is for certain; children are exposed to nonstop visual and auditory input from screens. All those hours spent consuming digital media can seriously impact brain development, social-emotional functioning, and our children’s health and well-being.
Dr. Shefali Gandhi, a licensed psychologist in Scottsdale, Arizona, notes that adverse health outcomes such as poor sleep quality and decreases in physical activity are documented in the research on technology use. “New information shows that increased media use is associated with a range of impacts on cognitive processes, including changes in attentional control, preferences for immediate rewards, disrupted emotional regulation, and changes in how children modulate their emotional experiences,” says Dr. Gandhi.…