With all we have to do as pediatricians, who would have thought that threats to our patients from cyberspace would be on the list?
This relatively new channel of communication is now not only a nearly universal source of fun and education for children, but also, unfortunately, a health hazard. Rather than plead ignorance about cyberspace, we really need to keep on our radar how electronics may be impacting our patients.
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All media is not bad, however it is up to parents to monitor and limit their child's media exposure.
As a pediatrician, I often have parents complain about their children not listening, fighting with siblings, and having sleep problems. When I ask about an incident, guess what is often the case. Media is the culprit! Kids are fighting over the remote, program choices, and computer or video game use; falling asleep with the TV on later than they should, and ending up sleep deprived and grouchy; and refusing to come to the table until the "game is over"! But the problems can be even greater than that.
Media use has been associated with low physical activity, "unconscious" snacking and overweight, rushing through homework, lower school performance, distractedness, and reduction in the important practicing of real face-to-face interaction needed to develop social skills.
Constant access to compelling media entertainment also leaves little time for creativity or downtime for experiencing peacefulness. Instead, exposure to the ubiquitous violence in the media increases aggression, desensitizes children to it, and can convey the idea that the world is scary even to the point of being traumatizing. The real-life emotional or physical consequences of sexual behaviors and models of responsible behavior are rarely part of the commonly portrayed sexiness in the media. Drug, alcohol, and tobacco use also are glamorized with little reference to health risks. One might hope that citing these problems would move parents to reduce and monitor the media their children experience.
But it is not so easy or so black and white. The Internet actually has medical value for teens, not only because use of online questionnaires yields more honest disclosures about risky behaviors such as sexual or substance use behaviors, but also because it provides intervention for them through Web modules teens can access at their convenience. It even accommodates their spontaneity by providing "point of life" information that pops into their cell phone right when they need to be buckling that seat belt or refraining from that alcoholic drink.
By Dr. Barbara J. Howard
But how about that kid who sees her "friends" apparently partying and wasn’t invited? How about the child who sees peers holding a bottle of beer when this wasn’t on his agenda? How about a teen who discloses her gender confusion and ends up frightened by cyberbullying or threats? Or the girl desperately trying to attract a boyfriend who posts naked photographs on the Internet? The ramifications can be serious – from a sense of exclusion and lowered self-esteem, to humiliation, depression, rejection, and even reported suicides. While the Internet may be a source of kindred spirits, the insults of Internet interactions have the largest impact on children who lack a real supportive social network. When a child spends most of her free time using electronics instead of interacting face to face, a social skills gap (or even depression) should be looked for and real social opportunities arranged.