Health

18 HEALTH • Fall 2018 Screen time for kids worries some experts \\ By Grant Welker J ackie Mello, a nurse who works with newborns at UMass Memorial Medical Center, is always conscious of how much time her two young kids have in front of an electronic device each day. Mello, a Hudson resident, does not keep strict trime limits on her 6-year-old daughter, Emma, and 3-year-old son, Mason. CAPTIVE AUDIENCES But Mello says she keeps screen time to when needed in a pinch and makes sure it's an educational game or a full-length movie that keeps their attention. "I'm fortunate in that my kids like to be active and like to be outside," Mello said. Otherwise, she added, they'll become fixated on whatever game or video is in front of them. "They turn into zombies when they do," she said. Mello isn't the only one worried about what effect might be had on children's development as a result of how much time is spent each day in front of a screen. Doctors say too much time looking at screens can harm brain develop- ment, contribute to a inactive life- style, and lead to delayed or poor reading skills. "It's definitely something that should be on every parent's mind," said Dr. Jennifer LaBonte, who prac- tices family medicine at the Saint Vincent Medical Group in Worcester. "Because digital media is around us all the time." Hours a day in front of a device Unlike with past generations of kids who might sit in front of a TV for a few hours a day, it's harder for today's parents to keep track of how much screen time their children have, especially once they're older and have their own phones. But two reports from the nonprofit Common Sense Media give an idea of just how many hours children are spending in front of screens. Kids up to age 8 were found in a study last year by Common Sense Media to spend more than two hours a day in front of a screen, and nearly three hours for those between 5 and 8. Lower-income homes had even higher numbers. A 2015 study by the nonprofit said that for teens, the average daily screen time was six hours and 40 minutes. "Video games, YouTube, social media and television are all incredi- ble addictive," said Stephany Godfrey, a family medicine doctor at Nashoba Family Medicine in Groton. Graphics have been scientifically researched to have appealing tech- nology that makes they far more stimulating to the brain than car- toons or early video games did 30 years ago, Godfrey added. "I have absolutely seen children who are glued to a device, either watching or playing a game, who when it is taken away have literal meltdowns," she said. Potential harmful effects Whether parents are just looking to keep their child busy while wait- ing for an appointment or quiet dur- ing dinner out at a restaurant, stud- ies have found many harmful effects from looking at a screen for so much time. D R E A M S T I M E . C O M

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