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Welcome to Cite This for Me

About Cite This For Me

Cite This For Me is one of the most popular citation tools today. Launched in October 2010, we began with the mission of helping students create perfect citations in a fraction of the time. Since then, Cite This For Me has assisted millions of users across the world including in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and beyond.

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Save Time and Improve your Marks with CiteThisForMe, The No. 1 Citation Tool

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Welcome to Cite This for Me About Cite This For Me Cite This For Me is one of the most popular citation tools today. Launched in October 2010, we began with the mission of helping students create perfect citations in a fraction of the time.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Rare is the modern parent who hasn't complained that their child is 'addicted' to screens. For most of us, it's a throwaway comment stemming from irritation with a teenager's incessant messaging, or a toddler having an 'i-Paddy' when the tablet has to be powered down and put away.

But evidence is mounting that children's acute dependence on gadgets could become as damaging to their physical and mental health as recognised addictions to drink, drugs or gambling.

Yesterday, a British Heart Foundation (BHF) study of government data warned just one in 10 of the 'iPad generation' of toddlers is active enough to be healthy. Now so many frazzled parents use screens as a "dummy" to pacify their children, the majority of two year-olds don't even manage one hour a day on the move, let alone run themselves ragged. No need to spell out the damage this will do to future generations' wellbeing.

So how how do keep your child's tech usage at a healthy level, whatever their age - and how do you know if you've already got a screen addict on your hands?

To start with toddlers, any parent of a young child knows how much easier it can be to hand them a gadget when you're exhausted or need to keep them occupied. T here's no point demonising screen time altogether - it has its place even for this age group, not to mention developmental benefits - but equally too much can certainly make little Jack a dull boy.

Marooned on the sofa, he'll be getting little of the physical activity he needs, or the crucial inter-personal, offline interaction small children learn pretty much everything from. Not to mention free, uncluttered thinking space to daydream, use his own imagination or observe little wonders such as raindrops racing down a window.

Catherine Steiner-Adair, Research Associate at Harvard Medical School and author of The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, says the key is not to turn to tech as the default distraction: "Children learn from play, especially preschoolers and primary-aged children. Be sure yours spend more time playing and learning from hands-on engagement in the real world than they do on screens."

"The key is to explain clearly what you're doing and why, and expect tears - possibly yours as well as your child's"

Even as they get older, it's wise to delay buying them their own gadgets for as long as possible; an eight-year-old might want the latest iPad or smartphone but they certainly don't need it. Sticking with shared family tech makes it easier to take it away and indeed to monitor what children are doing online.

Crucial, too, is setting a decent example. Given how many of us are glued to our gadgets all day, every day - jumping to grab our phones every time a message notification bleeps, or checking the football scores under the table during Sunday lunch (certain adults in my house are guilty as charged with that one) - it's unsurprising our children soon learn to do the same.

And when they do, it's going to be pretty difficult to stop them without your own behaviour undermining your efforts.

With that in mind, Steiner-Adair warns that parents should worry if screen dependence starts to override pleasures they were previously keen on. So when that formerly sports-mad son no longer wants to kick a ball around and is instead glued to the sofa with the games console, or the once-sociable teen now only interacts online, a tech addition could be taking hold.

"My 15-year-old is often up until 2am. I go to bed, tell him it must be off, but he waits until I'm sleeping and then switches it back on"

According to Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist Dr. Jay Watts, the key characteristic of a true addiction is "when someone has a persistent, compulsive habit of doing something," adding that "addictions on-screen aren't that different from those off-screen, in nature."

Putting that into a screen-time context, if your son or daughter no longer seems to be able to control when they get online or cope when they can't - displaying hallmark withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, temper tantrums and denial - this should be a red flag.

Additionally, Steiner-Adair suggests looking for less obvious behaviour changes that are being triggered by the urge to power up. "If a child is lying about computer use, sneaking it in, avoiding school or other social activities, is more tired, irritable and withdrawn [than normal], and becomes defensive about their use and unable to cut back, there's a cause for concern."

In this light, writer and mother-of-two Sarah Holmes-Lancaster* believes her sons, Tom* 15 and Dan*, 12 are both in the grip of a full-blown addiction: "Screen time dictates their entire lives; without it they are raging wrecks," she says.

"As soon as they get out of bed and absolutely whenever they can, and often when they shouldn't, they're gaming or on Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter. My 15-year-old is often up until 2am. I go to bed, tell him it must be off, but he waits until I'm sleeping and then switches it back on. Our whole lives revolve around it and I'm concerned that they're online are not interacting normally person to person with either us or other kids."

The situation is putting understandable strain on her family's relationships, including her marriage, while she's also anxious about the boys' education and health. "It affects all of us. My husband gets angry and feels I undermine him when he tries to act (which I do, partly because switching things off causes such a lot of aggravation which typically falls to me to sort out - he just walks away and leaves the kids to scream and yell at me until I give in because I am too stressed to deal with it)."

In cases such as this, Steiner-Adair suggests a fairly full-on digital detox of up to a week, making exceptions only for genuinely educational use, given schools often set homework requiring internet research.

This approach is not for the faint-hearted - it requires strength, resolve and being prepared take a hit in popularity. The key is to explain clearly what you're doing and why, and expect tears - possibly yours as well as your child's.

"For parents grappling with more moderate Minecraft or i-messaging enthusiasts, then, simply encouraging - or enforcing - sensible screen usage should nip any potential addiction in the bud"

If this does not quell their dependence, it may be worth speaking to your GP about a referral to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). Private options for help include The Nightingale Hospital in London which runs a Technology Addiction programme and has seen patients from the age of 10 - although they are currently dealing with schools with concerns about pupils as young as eight.

Screen usage may be the inter-generational struggle of our times, according to Dr. Watts, but even she cautions against panic. "Parents never really quite understand what their kids are going through - there's always a generational chasm. So the 1950's fears about James Dean, sex and rock 'n' roll aren't so different from what's happening with screen time today.

"If you're educating your kids about sensible usage, in the majority of cases, there won't be a serious issue. And there's some great research showing that various video games, for example, can really aid concentration and brain agility."

For parents grappling with more moderate Minecraft or i-messaging enthusiasts, then, simply encouraging - or enforcing - sensible screen usage should nip any potential addiction in the bud. Your armoury here includes setting family-wide rules - perhaps no gadgets during dinner (parents too...) or when you have visitors over, and certainly not for an hour or so before bedtime, as screen glare is associated with sleep disturbance.

For better or worse, tech is a significant part of all our lives now - our children's being no exception. Our job, as parents, is to ensure it doesn't take over and become life itself.

Liat Hughes Joshi is author of How to Unplug Your Child, published by Summersdale (£5.99). To order your copy call 0844 871 1514 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk

*Names have been changed.

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Rare is the modern parent who hasn't complained that their child is 'addicted' to screens. For most of us, it's a throwaway comment stemming from irritation with a teenager's incessant messaging, or a toddler having an 'i-Paddy' when the tablet has to be powered down and put away.

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Susan* bought her 6-year-old son John an iPad when he was in first grade. "I thought, 'Why not let him get a jump on things?' " she told me during a therapy session. John's school had begun using the devices with younger and younger grades - and his technology teacher had raved about their educational benefits - so Susan wanted to do what was best for her sandy-haired boy who loved reading and playing baseball.

She started letting John play different educational games on his iPad. Eventually, he discovered Minecraft, which the technology teacher assured her was "just like electronic Lego." Remembering how much fun she had as a child building and playing with the interlocking plastic blocks, Susan let her son Minecraft his afternoons away.

At first, Susan was quite pleased. John seemed engaged in creative play as he explored the cube-world of the game. She did notice that the game wasn't quite like the Legos that she remembered - after all, she didn't have to kill animals and find rare minerals to survive and get to the next level with her beloved old game. But John did seem to really like playing and the school even had a Minecraft club, so how bad could it be?

Still, Susan couldn't deny she was seeing changes in John. He started getting more and more focused on his game and losing interest in baseball and reading while refusing to do his chores. Some mornings he would wake up and tell her that he could see the cube shapes in his dreams.

Although that concerned her, she thought her son might just be exhibiting an active imagination. As his behavior continued to deteriorate, she tried to take the game away but John threw temper tantrums. His outbursts were so severe that she gave in, still rationalizing to herself over and over again that "it's educational."

Then, one night, she realized that something was seriously wrong.

"I walked into his room to check on him. He was supposed to be sleeping - and I was just so frightened..."

We now know that those iPads, smartphones and Xboxes are a form of digital drug.

She found him sitting up in his bed staring wide-eyed, his bloodshot eyes looking into the distance as his glowing iPad lay next to him. He seemed to be in a trance. Beside herself with panic, Susan had to shake the boy repeatedly to snap him out of it. Distraught, she could not understand how her once-healthy and happy little boy had become so addicted to the game that he wound up in a catatonic stupor.

There's a reason that the most tech-cautious parents are tech designers and engineers. Steve Jobs was a notoriously low-tech parent. Silicon Valley tech executives and engineers enroll their kids in no-tech Waldorf Schools. Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page went to no-tech Montessori Schools, as did Amazon creator Jeff Bezos and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.

Many parents intuitively understand that ubiquitous glowing screens are having a negative effect on kids. We see the aggressive temper tantrums when the devices are taken away and the wandering attention spans when children are not perpetually stimulated by their hyper-arousing devices. Worse, we see children who become bored, apathetic, uninteresting and uninterested when not plugged in.

But it's even worse than we think.

We now know that those iPads, smartphones and Xboxes are a form of digital drug. Recent brain imaging research is showing that they affect the brain's frontal cortex - which controls executive functioning, including impulse control - in exactly the same way that cocaine does. Technology is so hyper-arousing that it raises dopamine levels - the feel-good neurotransmitter most involved in the addiction dynamic - as much as sex.

This addictive effect is why Dr. Peter Whybrow, director of neuroscience at UCLA, calls screens "electronic cocaine" and Chinese researchers call them "digital heroin." In fact, Dr. Andrew Doan, the head of addiction research for the Pentagon and the US Navy - who has been researching video game addiction - calls video games and screen technologies "digital pharmakeia" (Greek for drug).

That's right - your kid's brain on Minecraft looks like a brain on drugs. No wonder we have a hard time peeling kids from their screens and find our little ones agitated when their screen time is interrupted. In addition, hundreds of clinical studies show that screens increase depression, anxiety and aggression and can even lead to psychotic-like features where the video gamer loses touch with reality.

In my clinical work with over 1,000 teens over the past 15 years, I have found the old axiom of "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" to be especially true when it comes to tech addiction. Once a kid has crossed the line into true tech addiction, treatment can be very difficult. Indeed, I have found it easier to treat heroin and crystal meth addicts than lost-in-the-matrix video gamers or Facebook-dependent social media addicts.

That's right - your kid's brain on Minecraft looks like a brain on drugs.

According to a 2013 Policy Statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 8- to 10 year-olds spend 8 hours a day with various digital media while teenagers spend 11 hours in front of screens. One in three kids are using tablets or smartphones before they can talk. Meanwhile, the handbook of "Internet Addiction" by Dr. Kimberly Young states that 18 percent of college-age internet users in the US suffer from tech addiction.

Once a person crosses over the line into full-blown addiction - drug, digital or otherwise - they need to detox before any other kind of therapy can have any chance of being effective. With tech, that means a full digital detox - no computers, no smartphones, no tablets. The extreme digital detox even eliminates television. The prescribed amount of time is four to six weeks; that's the amount of time that is usually required for a hyper-aroused nervous system to reset itself. But that's no easy task in our current tech-filled society where screens are ubiquitous. A person can live without drugs or alcohol; with tech addiction, digital temptations are everywhere.

So how do we keep our children from crossing this line? It's not easy.

The key is to prevent your 4-, 5- or 8-year-old from getting hooked on screens to begin with. That means Lego instead of Minecraft; books instead of iPads; nature and sports instead of TV. If you have to, demand that your child's school not give them a tablet or Chromebook until they are at least 10 years old (others recommend 12).

Have honest discussions with your child about why you are limiting their screen access. Eat dinner with your children without any electronic devices at the table - just as Steve Jobs used to have tech-free dinners with his kids. Don't fall victim to "Distracted Parent Syndrome" - as we know from Social Learning Theory, "Monkey see, monkey do."

When I speak to my 9-year-old twin boys, I have honest conversations with them about why we don't want them having tablets or playing video games. I explain to them that some kids like playing with their devices so much, they have a hard time stopping or controlling how much they play. I've helped them to understand that if they get caught up with screens and Minecraft like some of their friends have, other parts of their lives may suffer: They may not want to play baseball as much; not read books as often; be less interested in science and nature projects; become more disconnected from their real-world friends. Amazingly, they don't need much convincing as they've seen first-hand the changes that some of their little friends have undergone as a result of their excessive screen time.

Developmental psychologists understand that children's healthy development involves social interaction, creative imaginative play and an engagement with the real, natural world. Unfortunately, the immersive and addictive world of screens dampens and stunts those developmental processes.

We also know that kids are more prone to addictive escape if they feel alone, alienated, purposeless and bored. Thus the solution is often to help kids to connect to meaningful real-life experiences and flesh-and-blood relationships. The engaged child tethered to creative activities and connected to his or her family is less likely to escape into the digital fantasy world. Yet even if a child has the best and most loving support, he or she could fall into the Matrix once they engage with hypnotic screens and experience their addicting effect. After all, about one in 10 people are predisposed towards addictive tendencies.

In the end, my client Susan removed John's tablet, but recovery was an uphill battle with many bumps and setbacks along the way.

Four years later, after much support and reinforcement, John is doing much better today. He has learned to use a desktop computer in a healthier way, and has gotten some sense of balance back in his life: He's playing on a baseball team and has several close friends in his middle school. But his mother is still vigilant and remains a positive and proactive force with his tech usage because, as with any addiction, relapse can sneak up in moments of weakness. Making sure that he has healthy outlets, no computer in his bedroom and a nightly tech-free dinner at the dinner table are all part of the solution.
*Patients' names have been changed. Dr. Nicholas Kardaras is executive director of The Dunes East Hampton, one of the country's top rehabs and a former clinical professor at Stony Brook Medicine. His book "Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids - and How to Break the Trance" (St. Martin's) is out now.

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It's 'digital heroin': How screens turn kids into psychotic junkies

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Susan* bought her 6-year-old son John an iPad when he was in first grade. "I thought, 'Why not let him get a jump on things?' " she told me during a therapy session.

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Tablets before bedtime cause sleep disruption

Sigman was recently interviewed on British TV - watch the clip here - about how the use of tablets and other electronic devices can disrupt children's sleep - indeed adults' sleep will also be affected by what is known as "Blue Light" that these tech products emit.

The light from digital devices is "short-wavelength-enriched," so it has a higher concentration of blue light than natural light - and blue light affects levels of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin more than any other wavelength.

"Recreational screen time has now moved in to the bedroom," warned Sigman.

"There is a strong link between tablet or any type of small screen that emits what is known as 'blue light' - good in the morning as it wakes us up; bad in the night as it wakes us up.

"The Kindle Paperwhite doesn't emit the same levels of blue light. And there are filter glasses and apps that actually change the type of light, but light isn't the only reason.

"Brains are being stimulated before bedtime in the way that books don't do. Exciting games just before bedtime is not a good idea. Electronic devices should be switched off at least an hour before bedtime," the expert warns.

It's not necessarily all bad

Experts who regard some screen time as beneficial urge parents to pay attention to how their kids act during and after watching TV, playing video games, or on the computer online. "If they're using high-quality, age-appropriate media, their behaviour is positive, and their screen-time activities are balanced with plenty of healthy screen-free ones, there's no need to worry."

But even these parents should consider creating a schedule that works for their family: including weekly screen-time limits, limits on the kinds of screens they can use, and guidelines on the types of activities they can do or programmes they can watch. See our guidelines below.

It's important to get your kids' input as well - media literacy and self-regulation help buy in. It's also a great opportunity to discover what your kids like watching, letting you introduce new shows and apps for them to try.

So how much screen time for children?

The simple answer: not much. None for children under two. That's right. The experts suggest that babies and toddlers are kept away from all screens. Sorry CBeebies.

Children aged 2-5 years should have no more than an hour a day, and children aged 5-18 years should have no more than two hours a day. That's a tough call for teenagers, especially with homework often requiring computer time. But remember that the real danger is non-educational, leisure screen time, so you may wish to discount homework screen time.

Parents should be able to decide if these strictures are too harsh, and allow some screen time flexibility, but not caring at all about the amount of time your children spend in front of screens is dangerous.

Parents and Children's Screen Time guidelines
Reduce exposure
Minimum screen time for children under three. The French government recommends no screen time in this age group. A maximum of two hours leisure screen time for children aged over 3. This does not include homework.
Check access and availability
Don't allow TVs, computers or any screen-based device into a child's bedroom. Sigman relates that he has spoken to many parents who have regretted allowing screens into bedrooms and feel removing them later is harder than refusing them in the first place. Even though it may be difficult, you should take the screens away from the bedroom. Otherwise you risk your child's cognitive and physical health.
Set rules
Most parents haven't devised screen-time protocols for their children, and need to create media-free zones in their homes, banish TV dinners, and put away their own digital devices when communicating with their children, he urges.
Explain the reasons
Don't just switch off the telly, tablet or computer - explain to your child why you are limiting screen time. Discuss the health benefits of reduced screen time. Children will listen to the health reasons for reduced screen time if the dangers are clearly pointed out.

Sigman debunks the notions that children who have little screen time will be less likely to learn as much as those who do enjoy unlimited time in front of computers or the TV. They also won't rebel later in life.

Technology is a tool for learning, not the end in its own right.
Parental role modelling
Ever catch yourself checking your email, using your smartphone or watching TV while your child is trying to talk to you? Stop using the device and communicate with your child face to face. This will help establish empathy and also set a good example of the child.

The parent is a child's primary role model, and sticking the kids in front of a screen is an example of what is known as benign neglect.

Don't have meals in front of the TV, and don't keep reaching for your smartphone while in front of the child. It tells the child that constant screen time is acceptable. And it will do you good, too!
Mums need to nag
It might sound sexist but Dr Sigman claims that a mother's nagging - "maternal monitoring" in nicer terms - is the best way to get children to change their behaviour. Dads need to enforce the rules, too.
Remove background noise
You may not realise it but passive viewing is ruining your child's concentration. A child's attention will wander if you're watching the TV news in another part of the room.
Monitor use
Take an average week and look at how much screen time your child, and indeed the whole family, is subjecting themselves to. Add up the favourite TV shows, smartphone and tablet app play, Internet browsing and video games, and that two hours is filled up very quickly.
Take breaks
Screen time often leads to over stimulation so take breaks to calm down a child's brain.
Stop multitasking
Multitasking is for adults, not children. Deep concentration in kids will lead to better, more creative thinkers. Research suggests that trying to get children to multitask actually makes them worse at multitasking because they don't learn effective concentration skills.
No screens before bedtime
Take a gap between screen time and sleep. Most screens these days use LCDs that emit a blue light that inhibits sleep and disrupts the circadian rhythm (body clock). Remember that the bedroom is not an entertainment centre. It's the place children go to sleep.

Alternatives to screen time

Dr Sigman is a big believer in what he calls the "gift of boredom". He rubbishes the idea that the worst thing that can happen to a child is for he or she to be bored. Children, he says, need to learn how to deal with boredom. Being over stimulated is worse than being bored. Learning to cope with being bored leads to greater self sufficiency, and less risk that children later become addicted to unhealthy activities to fill such gaps.

Alternatives include:

Physical activity. Screen time is usually sedentary so getting the child up and moving is by far the healthier option. The latest scientific research actually suggests that screen-time sitting is worse for one's health than standard sitting because of the over-stimulation that screen time induces in the user.

If you must use gadgets maybe invest in an activity tracker, from the likes of Fitbit or Jawbone. See Best Activity Trackers. There's even an Leapfrog activity tracker for very young children.

Being fitter, however, does not take away the harmful effects of screen time. Even keep-fit enthusiasts suffer ill effects of spending too much time sitting down.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology ran a study in Scotland that found that "recreational sitting, as reflected by television/screen viewing time, is related to raised mortality and cardiovascular disease risk regardless of physical activity participation."

Increased physical activity is, of course, beneficial but it doesn't mean you won't suffer an increased risk of death from over-doing your screen time.

So reduce hours of screen time by replacing with more physical activity, not just getting fitter while still spending too much time in front of the telly, computer or games console.

Hours of sedentary behaviour is linked not only to obesity, but other health problems such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. While you're thinking of how much time your kid is sitting down in front of a screen, do yourself a favour and have a walk about yourself.

Social activity. Don't fool yourself that being on Facebook all day is social. It's vital that kids get out and interact with other children in real life and not in phony virtual worlds.

Hobbies. It might not feel like it sometimes but children are very good at working out ways of filling their time when they have to, and finding out some stimulating hobbies - art, craft, fishing, sports, Lego, kites, collecting, bird watching, astronomy, cooking, museums, photography, music, gardening, etc - shouldn't be too difficult.
Now Read: How to keep your kids safe online and block websites Also: Best headphones for kids - keep your child's hearing safe with these kid-friendly headphones.

About Dr Aric Sigman

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine Dr Aric Sigman has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Psychology, a Master of Science degree in The Neurophysiological Basis of Behaviour, and a Ph.D. in the field of the role of attention in autonomic nervous system self-regulation.

The British Medical Association British Medical Journals' Archives of Disease in Childhood has recently published his paper on screen time as its leading article. Dr Sigman has addressed the European Parliament Working Group on the Quality of Childhood in the European Union, in Brussels, on the impact of electronic media and screen dependency. In 2012, the EU Parliamentary Working Group published his report on the impact of electronic media and screen dependency. Dr Sigman's previous books include The Spoilt Generation and Remotely Controlled: How Television is Damaging Our Lives.

He has published other papers, including Well Connected?: The Biological Implications of 'Social Networking', is published in The Biologist, Vol 56(1), the journal of the Society of Biology.?

His previous paper Visual Voodoo, on the biological effects associated with watching television, also published in The Biologist, and his talk at the Houses of Parliament, caused widespread public debate.

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Why you should reduce your kids screen time

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Sigman was recently interviewed on British TV - watch the clip here - about how the use of tablets and other electronic devices can disrupt children's sleep - indeed adults' sleep will also be affected by what is known as "Blue Light" that these tech products emit.

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Excessive use of computer games among young people in China appears to be taking an alarming turn and may have particular relevance for American parents whose children spend many hours a day focused on electronic screens. The documentary " Web Junkie," to be shown next Monday on PBS, highlights the tragic effects on teenagers who become hooked on video games, playing for dozens of hours at a time often without breaks to eat, sleep or even use the bathroom. Many come to view the real world as fake.

Chinese doctors consider this phenomenon a clinical disorder and have established rehabilitation centers where afflicted youngsters are confined for months of sometimes draconian therapy, completely isolated from all media, the effectiveness of which remains to be demonstrated.

While Internet addiction is not yet considered a clinical diagnosis here, there's no question that American youths are plugged in and tuned out of "live" action for many more hours of the day than experts consider healthy for normal development. And it starts early, often with preverbal toddlers handed their parents' cellphones and tablets to entertain themselves when they should be observing the world around them and interacting with their caregivers.

In its 2013 policy statement on " Children, Adolescents, and the Media," the American Academy of Pediatrics cited these shocking statistics from a Kaiser Family Foundation study in 2010: "The average 8- to 10-year-old spends nearly eight hours a day with a variety of different media, and older children and teenagers spend more than 11 hours per day." Television, long a popular "babysitter," remains the dominant medium, but computers, tablets and cellphones are gradually taking over.

"Many parents seem to have few rules about use of media by their children and adolescents," the academy stated, and two-thirds of those questioned in the Kaiser study said their parents had no rules about how much time the youngsters spent with media.

Parents, grateful for ways to calm disruptive children and keep them from interrupting their own screen activities, seem to be unaware of the potential harm from so much time spent in the virtual world.

"We're throwing screens at children all day long, giving them distractions rather than teaching them how to self-soothe, to calm themselves down," said Catherine Steiner-Adair, a Harvard-affiliated clinical psychologist and author of the best-selling book " The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age."

Before age 2, children should not be exposed to any electronic media, the pediatrics academy maintains, because "a child's brain develops rapidly during these first years, and young children learn best by interacting with people, not screens." Older children and teenagers should spend no more than one or two hours a day with entertainment media, preferably with high-quality content, and spend more free time playing outdoors, reading, doing hobbies and "using their imaginations in free play," the academy recommends.

Heavy use of electronic media can have significant negative effects on children's behavior, health and school performance. Those who watch a lot of simulated violence, common in many popular video games, can become immune to it, more inclined to act violently themselves and less likely to behave empathetically, said Dimitri A. Christakis of the Seattle Children's Research Institute.

In preparing an honors thesis at the University of Rhode Island, Kristina E. Hatch asked children about their favorite video games. A fourth-grader cited " Call of Duty: Black Ops," because "there's zombies in it, and you get to kill them with guns and there's violence ... I like blood and violence."

Teenagers who spend a lot of time playing violent video games or watching violent shows on television have been found to be more aggressive and more likely to fight with their peers and argue with their teachers, according to a study in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

Schoolwork can suffer when media time infringes on reading and studying. And the sedentary nature of most electronic involvement - along with televised ads for high-calorie fare - can foster the unhealthy weights already epidemic among the nation's youth.

Two of my grandsons, ages 10 and 13, seem destined to suffer some of the negative effects of video-game overuse. The 10-year-old gets up half an hour earlier on school days to play computer games, and he and his brother stay plugged into their hand-held devices on the ride to and from school. "There's no conversation anymore," said their grandfather, who often picks them up. When the family dines out, the boys use their devices before the meal arrives and as soon as they finish eating.

"If kids are allowed to play 'Candy Crush' on the way to school, the car ride will be quiet, but that's not what kids need," Dr. Steiner-Adair said in an interview. "They need time to daydream, deal with anxieties, process their thoughts and share them with parents, who can provide reassurance."

Technology is a poor substitute for personal interaction.

Out in public, Dr. Steiner-Adair added, "children have to know that life is fine off the screen. It's interesting and good to be curious about other people, to learn how to listen. It teaches them social and emotional intelligence, which is critical for success in life."

Children who are heavy users of electronics may become adept at multitasking, but they can lose the ability to focus on what is most important, a trait critical to the deep thought and problem solving needed for many jobs and other endeavors later in life.

Texting looms as the next national epidemic, with half of children aged 12 to 17 sending and receiving 60 or more text messages a day, Amanda Lenhart of the Pew Research Center found in a study released in 2012. An earlier study by researchers at JFK Medical Center found that teenagers send an average of 34 texts a night after they get into bed, adding to the sleep deprivation so common and harmful to them. And as Ms. Hatch pointed out, "as children have more of their communication through electronic media, and less of it face to face, they begin to feel more lonely and depressed."

There can be physical consequences, too. Children can develop pain in their fingers and wrists, narrowed blood vessels in their eyes (the long-term consequences of which are unknown), and neck and back pain from being slumped over their phones, tablets and computers.
This is the first of two columns on electronic media use by children and adolescents. Next week: Parents' role in children's use of electronics. Related: For more fitness, food and wellness news, "like" our Facebook page.

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Screen Addiction Is Taking a Toll on Children

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Excessive use of computer games among young people in China appears to be taking an alarming turn and may have particular relevance for American parents whose children spend many hours a day focused on electronic screens.

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science and technology:computers and technology community and society:relationships

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It's the new way to pass time between every other task in your day, just pick up a phone or tablet and bang, you're entertained! But what effect is all this screen time having on us? And what effect is it having on families?

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Technology addiction isn't always easy to recognize, especially since many of us must now be "plugged in" so much of the time, whether for work, school or for other reasons. And if a tech addiction is tough to spot, it can be even harder to admit. In fact, denying how much time is spent on devices, social media and the Web is a common warning sign. That's why it's important to understand the basics about this disorder, including the causes, telltale symptoms and risk factors that may be involved.

You should know:

Technology addiction is an umbrella term that may include addictive behavior to cybersex and online porn; video gaming; gambling; eBay and other online auctions or shopping; social media; excessive texting; or smartphone overuse as well as information overload.

One in eight Americans suffers from problematic Internet use, according to a study published in The International Journal of Neuropsychiatric Medicine, and rates are even higher in many Asian countries. An estimated 30 percent or more of the Chinese population is classified as highly addicted to the Web.

Six percent to 10% of smartphone users display signs of Internet addiction, estimates Phil Reed, a professor of psychology at Swansea University, in the U.K. While there's currently no standard for what constitutes smartphone addiction, some experts define it as spending more than seven hours a day using the phone and experiencing withdrawal symptoms when cut off from the device.

IAD may bring on chemical changes in the brain similar to those caused by substance use disorder, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Children who suffer from Internet addiction have an increased risk of depression, problems at school, obesity and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Causes

Since technology addiction has yet to be classified as an official mental health condition and is largely used as an umbrella term to describe a variety of obsessive or compulsive online behaviors, what causes someone to develop this addiction isn't very well understood. Like other types of behavioral addictions (think compulsive gambling, shopping or eating), an addiction to tech may result from a combination of biological, genetic and environmental factors:

Mental health history: According to studies at the Center for Internet Addiction, technology addicts are likelier to suffer from anxiety, depression, social phobia and sleep problems. And researchers have found that some of the same traits found in shopping addicts - namely materialism and impulsiveness - are often linked to smartphone addiction, according to a small study published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions.

Personality: There's truth to the cliché of the loner frequenting online chat rooms. Those with low self-esteem may turn to the Web and social media to escape and also to connect with others in an anonymous, non-threatening way.

Environment: Job stress and a lack of support at work have been found to increase the risk of developing an Internet addiction. And there's little doubt that our highly mobile-friendly culture - 58% of American adults have a smartphone, as do 37% of teens, according to the Pew Internet Project - is a big contributor to technology addiction.

Symptoms of Technology Addiction

Recognizing the signs of technology addiction is the all-important first step to getting help - and starting on the road to recovery. Start by asking yourself these questions, which include questions devised by leading IAD experts Dr. Kimberly Young and Dr. David Greenfield and other sources. Answering "yes" to five of these questions may indicate that you or a loved have a problem with technology addiction:
Do you or a loved one...

1. Feel preoccupied with the Internet (meaning thinking about previous online activity or anticipating the next online session)?

2. Feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?

3. Feel restless, moody, depressed or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use?

4. Stay online longer than originally intended?

5. Use technology as a way of escaping problems or relieving feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression?

6. Feel the need to respond immediately to your smartphone?

7. Constantly check the phone even when it does not ring or vibrate? (Phantom vibration, or thinking the phone vibrates when it hasn't, is a real phenomenon.)

8. Ignore what's happening in real time in favor of what's happening in the virtual world?

9. Feel anxious when away from the device or computer?

Have you or a loved one...

1. Made multiple unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back or stop Internet use?

2. Jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job or educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?

3. Lied to family members, a therapist or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?

4. Used the Internet as a way of escaping from problems?

5. Become defensive when confronted about the behavior?

Other warning signs of technology addiction include:

A sense of euphoria while plugged in

Neglecting friends and family

Skimping on sleep

Dishonesty about usage

Feeling anxious, ashamed, guilty or depressed as a result of technology use

Withdrawing from other activities that were once pleasurable

Physical symptoms of technology addiction may include:

Weight gain or weight loss

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Headaches

Neck or backaches

Dry, red eyes

Risk Factors

The more you know about technology addiction, the better your chances of stopping a problem from getting worse and seeking help if you or a loved one need it. Here are several red flags that may indicate an increased risk:

Gender. Both men and women can develop a tech addiction, but gender tends to influence the kind(s) of technology you or a loved one may use. Men are more susceptible to compulsive behavior with online/video gaming, cyberporn and online gambling, while women are more likely to become addicted to sexting, texting, social media, eBay and online shopping, according to Dr. Young.

Mental health disorder. A psychiatric disorder such as anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or bipolar disorder may raise the odds of developing an addiction to technology. Similarly, low self-esteem, loneliness, restlessness and withdrawal can be predictors of overusing the Web as a way to connect with others and increase self-confidence.

Another type of addiction. According to Dr. Young, more than 70% of Internet addicts also suffer from at least one other addiction, primarily to drugs, alcohol, smoking and/or sex. Studies have shown that using technology can bring about the same chemical reaction in the brain as is found in those with these types of addictions.

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Technology Addiction 101 | Symptoms of Technology Addiction

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Technology addiction isn't always easy to recognize, especially since many of us must now be "plugged in" so much of the time, whether for work, school or for other reasons. And if a tech addiction is tough to spot, it can be even harder to admit.

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8 ways to stop your kid from screen adiiction

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8 ways to stop your kid from screen adiiction

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I found this website and found about cure teenagers from getting addicted

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8 Ways to Help Cure Your Teen's Screen Addiction

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An advertising insider's advice for getting kids to, you know, talk

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reSTART® Life | Treatment for Internet, Video Game, VR Addiction

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reSTART® offers treatment for problematic Internet use, video game addiction, VR, and distracting texting, social media and gaming use.

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Children Addicted to TV & Video Games: Supernanny US

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Jo spends her first day with The Webb Family. Whilst Arthur heads off to work, Jo observes Cathy and the kids day to day life. Although she was expecting to see rampant children running wild, her immediate worry is that things are all too slow, with the kids reduced to staring at television or computer screens all day, to the point where that is all they can focus on.