Digital excess
Computer games could be as dangerous as cocaine for young brains, writes Karoline Tuckey. Nobel prize activist: We can change
CHILDREN who spend too much time on their digital devices are at risk of developing neurological disorders, a high school is warning parents.
While many schools embrace learning through laptops and tablets, Palmerston North Boys’ High School staff penned a letter to parents citing warnings from American psychologist Nicholas Kardaras.
Kardaras coined the phrase ‘‘glow kids’’ to describe the generation of children and teens growing up immersed in digital technology, and lit by a screen.
Computer games and websites are designed to be appealing and addictive. Evidence shows this addiction could be as harmful to the developing brain as cocaine addiction, but is more difficult to cure, he said.
His warnings, based on clinical practise, were discussed in a letter home to parents from Palmerston North Boys’ High School staff.
‘‘Exposure to technology is essential for our young men. However, it is essential the manner in which they are exposed to this technology is controlled and monitored so that the benefits are not diminished by the proven negatives,’’ the school said in the letter.
‘‘There is an increasing amount of clinical research correlating screen time with disorders such as ADHD, anxiety, depression and increased anxiety.’’
Clinical child psychologist Kirsty Ross said she always asks about children’s screen time and what they use digital devices for, as misuse can aggravate other issues.
‘‘What we are definitely seeing is young people who find it very difficult to leave their devices alone, and depending on the age of the young person it has a range of different effects.
‘‘There’s research on the impact on the brain in terms of the parts of the brain activated ... dopamine means it’s a pleasurable activity, and it’s hard to turn off voluntarily. It needs monitoring, it needs limits, because kids aren’t going to self impose those.’’
Devices should never be a substitute for quality time with parents or teachers, she said. For example ‘‘talking to them, reading a book to them and talking about the material – rather than the device reading to the children.’’
‘‘Devices introduced at a young age and used extensively can impact brain connections and have an extreme impact.’’
Feilding mumof four Hilary Humphrey said parents had to stay on their toes to monitor digital device use.
Her children – aged from 3 to 13 – as a rough rule of thumb are allowed no more than two hours using digital devices at home, including TV.
Without supervision at least one of her children would choose to spend all day using technology, and there can be strong resistance to switching devices off.
‘‘We want to support their engagement and competency with technology, but also to make sure they are doing all the other child things like going down to the pool with their friends, learning how to cook.’’
Auckland digital teaching specialist Damon Kahi is less worried about the length of time spent on devices, compared to the education and entertainment balance, in relation to addiction.
At the Mind Lab at Unitec he trains teachers to integrate technology into their practice, and said his experience was that teachers and even very young children were more inclined to see digital devices as tools for research and creating as part of a wider process, rather than entertainment.
Every generation has revolutionary new devices that are matched with a knee-jerk reaction, he said.
‘‘We have to face reality, in many houses there’s two or three computers and kids are immersed in that from an early age.’’ A Kiwi whose efforts to end nuclear weapons has led to a Nobel Peace Prize, says it’s proof that people can change the world.
Thomas Nash, a Green Party candidate from Palmerston North, was just one of thousands of people to be involved in the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which was recognised with the prestigious award after the Geneva-based activists helped create the UN nuclear weapon ban treaty earlier this year.
‘‘I feel like this is a prize that’s going to a campaign that thousands and thousands of people throughout the world have put in a lot of effort,’’ Nash said.
Nash’s first major protest came about as a high school student in 1995 when he travelled to France to protest against nuclear testing in the Pacific. He’s also led campaigns against cluster bombs leading to an international treaty against their use in 2010, now signed by about 130 countries.
In 2011, the Palmerston North man co-founded Article 36 – a nonfor-profit organisation against harm caused by certain weapons – and a year later Nash and Article 36 joined the steering group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
Nash said he hoped the Nobel Prize offered some hope during a time of conflict. ‘‘No matter how bad we think things are and no matter how much we think we can’t change things – the evidence from this is that we can. You can change things.’’
We want to support their engagement and competency with technology.’ HILARY HUMPHREY