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How social media platforms impact kid and teen mental health

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How social media platforms impact kid and teen mental health

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This article on how social media platforms impact kid and teen mental health from PBS dives into the negative effects that social media is having on our youth. They speak about how in this day in time, since COVID, many children have chosen to stay online, on their phones and inside rather than get outside, play with their friends and be social because this what they are used to. COVID-19 pushed a lot of students into depressive phases that they may never have experienced before because they were not able to socialize with others their own age and had to rely on their devices to communicate with their friends and peers. According to Weigle, there has been a drastic increase in children's mental and physical health due to social media. Many children nowadays are experiencing a lot of neck and finger pain from constantly looking down at their devices and using their thumbs to text away. This article pertains to teaching health in K-4 classrooms because nowadays, technology is just at the finger tips of most students across the world. More and more students are receiving their own iPads for school or chrome books to just name a few devices. Teachers should try to limit the students screentime in the classroom because who knows how much screen time they receive at home and how it can negatively affect their students each and every day.

Ellis, N. (2021, October 28). Watch: How social media platforms impact kid and teen mental health. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/watch-live-how-social-media-platforms-impact-kid-and-teen-mental-health

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As more reporting emerges over how platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat handle young users, and how the content they consume affects their mental health, focus has also turned to the role parents and caregivers play in keeping their children safe while engaging with the apps.
WATCH: Kids' mental health, safety in the spotlight as social media execs face Congress
What responsibility are the companies taking to remedy these concerns and what do parents and caregivers need to know about how the use of these platforms may impact young children and teens?

Washington Post technology reporter Heather Kelly and Hartford HealthCare child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Paul Weigle joined PBS NewsHour's Nicole Ellis on Friday, Oct. 29 to answer viewer questions on what this means for our understanding of social media and its effects on kids.
Watch the conversation in the player above.
Below are highlights from the live discussion.

The role of parental controls

Social media companies have pointed to parental controls as a preventative measure. But experts explain that they are not an infallible solution.
One key consideration is age, Weigle said.

"Parental controls are especially important for younger kids. To give them unrestricted access to the internet. It doesn't mean they're not useful. They just don't replace other traditional forms of supervision," Weigle said.

But excessive vigilance and use of parental controls can also be counterproductive, Kelly said.

"Kids might be exploring their own sexuality or asking questions they don't want to ask you. Even when you do use these tools you have to step back and let them breathe a little," Kelly said.

Why social media rewards 'more extreme ideas'

Social media sites, including Facebook, use algorithms to select which posts are seen by what people. These algorithms have come under scrutiny by experts and lawmakers over how they affect behavior and public discourse.

"There's always going to be people posting bad things and good things and the algorithms are literally deciding which of those things you view," Kelly said.

Kelly said social media companies such as Facebook have tried to lower some "problematic content" in the algorithm. However, users are still rewarded for more engagement, including when it is extreme.

"There's also an incentive to get views, to get likes and comments and engagement and be a creator and I think they found you can game some of these algorithms by being way more over the top, by having more extreme ideas," Kelly said.

Over-reliance on social media has mental and physical consequences for children

Weigle says that children have come to rely on more social media use over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic as they have spent more time at home and less time socializing in person.

Social media companies have pointed to parental controls as a preventative measure to shield children from the potential harms of the platforms. But experts explain that they are not an infallible solution.

"Over the course of the pandemic we've seen a greatly increased reliance on social media to meet the social needs of teens," Weigle said.

But now, more information is coming out about the physical and mental consequences of over-reliance on mobile and social technology, including neck pain, skyrocketing cases of depression and severe social anxiety, according to Weigle.

He said that the use of social media is a major contributor to "an epidemic of sleep problems and depression."

"Increased reliance on social media is dangerous to the health of young people," Weigle said. "It's a terribly negative effect on their sleep and sleep is so important to the physical and mental health of young people."
What can parents do?

Kelly, who frequently fields questions from parents at the Washington Post's Technology Help Desk says it always comes down to getting to know your kids, interacting with them inside the social media apps they're using and asking questions of them.

"You can throw tech at this all you want, but my biggest takeaway is talk to your kids."

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WATCH: How social media platforms impact kid and teen mental health

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As more reporting emerges over how platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat handle young users, and how the content they consume affects their mental health, focus has also turned to the role parents and caregivers play in keeping their children safe while engaging with the apps.

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Healthy eating curriculum may contribute to eating disorders in kids

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Healthy eating curriculum may contribute to eating disorders in kids

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This article on healthy eating curriculum may contribute to eating disorders in kids from The Washington Post shares a story of a mom and daughter who struggle with their relationships with food. In schools, health and physical education teachers seem to be classifying certain foods as good and bad foods. Parents and teachers of course want all their students to eat "healthy" foods since we are taught from a young age that fruits and vegetables help us grow up to be big and strong. However, that can be a lot counterproductive to some people. That phrase might be doing more harm than good. Rather than explicitly saying you should eat this kind of food over this one because it's more healthy, we should teaching students good decision-making skills when it comes to picking foods. If they are educated and have the knowledge to know why one food might be classified as healthier over another, then they might be more inclined to make that decision for themselves. This article pertains to teaching health in the K-4 classroom because it isn't just up to the PE teacher to teach our students good decision-making skills. Some classrooms might have a "class snack corner" for students who might get hungry during the day or could forget their lunch. It's important to give students a balance of choices of foods to pick from while they are in our classrooms.

Tarpley, M. T. (2023, August 21). Healthy eating curriculum may contribute to eating disorders in kids. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/parenting/2023/08/21/curriculum-trigger-eating-disorder/

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This article on Environmental Wellness from the National Institutes of Health provides ways for people to improve their personal health and wellbeing. There are so many things we can do internally to improve our overall health and wellbeing but there are also many changes we can make to our environment and what's around us. For example, as it starts to get warmer out and the pollen increases in our enviorment, it's important to keep up with our allergy medicine and staying away from things we know attract pollen to keep our allergies under control. We can also take steps to keeping our bodies healthy overall with the weather changes. We should not stand outside for too long as we might start to experince heat exhaustion or other heat-related illnesses. To avoid this, we can wear a hat to protect our scalp, we can wear sunglasses to protect our eyes and wear sunscreen to protect our skin. Finally, we can also take note to the news when the temperature changes and what the air quality is like outdoors. If we know we are apart of a sensitive group, that should be our sign to stay indoors as long as we can until the air becomes more clear. This pertains to teaching health in the K-4 classroom because some of these things parents might be msising out on teaching their children this at home. Some kids just love being outside even when it's in the 90s with no sunscreen and they might not have parents to tell them it's time to come inside or even remind them to reapply sunscreen to avoid sun burns. In the classroom, teachers can try to do an experiment with an LED light and an object that can signify our skin and show how staying under the rays for too long can long-term damage our skin and can potentially lead to skin cancer. This could be a cool science experiment to try with students.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024, January 4). Environmental wellness toolkit. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/health-information/environmental-wellness-toolkit

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Learn how to make your environment safer and limit your exposure to potentially harmful substances to stay healthier.

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This article Coping With Grief from News in Health shares ways to adapt when losing someone who is close to you. Everyone deals with grief in all different kinds of ways because everyone expresses their emotions differently; Whether they are happy or sad. The hardest thing to wrap your head around when it comes to grief is that it is the process of letting something go that you maybe never wanted to let go of ever. For some, it's in their best interest to keep themselves busy so that they do not get lost in their minds and wander into unhealthy places. This could look like surrounding themselves with loved ones, playing sports, going to the gym, cooking a new meal etc. For some, this could be seeing a therapist, crying, screaming, etc. What is most important when dealing with grief is taking care of yourself and recognizing what you need to do for you to be okay. There is life after loss and you will get through this tough time. Everything will be okay! This is a super important lesson for k-4 students to learn because they might experience this first hand with a grandparent or close friend. Young children do not know how to properly deal with their emotions so it's important for us teachers to support our students when they are going through a difficult time. I don't necessarily think this is something that should be talked about a lot in the classroom (I think there should be a small portion, of course) However, you never know what a student has gone through and I would never want to trigger any of my students. I think it's important to still touch on the topic in class and leave it at that. If students have any questions, I would leave that door open for them to ask.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022, July 26). Coping with grief. National Institutes of Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2017/10/coping-grief

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Losing someone you love can change your world. There’s no right or wrong way to mourn. Finding healthy ways to cope with loss can help you make it through tough times.

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Reported drug use among adolescents continued to hold below pre-pandemic levels in 2023

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Reported drug use among adolescents continued to hold below pre-pandemic levels in 2023

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This article about how Reported drug use among adolescents continued to hold below pre-pandemic levels in 2023 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse shares that children as young as 8th grade are in possession of some type of drug or drink alcohol. It shares that even trying to push back adolescents to use any sort of drug by just one year, that can be a step in the right direction when trying to get users to decrease their use in the future. Using drugs or drinking alcohol is extremely dangerous for young children and we need to get drugs and alcohol out of the hands of young children. This can be incorporated into the classroom by doing the straw experiment. I think this has been a common experiment in the elementary schools to get students to understand what it feels like to breathe when you are a smoker. I think they have to run in place and then blow through a straw. The idea we want to get students to understand is that the more you smoke, the more damage you do to your lungs. It's become a lot harder to run, play and just breathe when you start smoking. This experiment should (if carried out appropriately) shy students away from beginning to use drugs or alcohol in general.

Reported drug use among adolescents continued to hold below pre-pandemic levels in 2023. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2023, December 13). https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2023/12/reported-drug-use-among-adolescents-continued-to-hold-below-pre-pandemic-levels-in-2023

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Reported drug use among adolescents continued to hold below pre-pandemic levels in 2023 | National Institute on Drug Abuse

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New data show relatively low use of illicit substances, and yet overdose death rates among teens have risen

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Sesame Street launches TV show for children affected by Syrian civil war

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Sesame Street launches TV show for children affected by Syrian civil war

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This article Sesame Street launches TV show for children affected by Syrian civil war from PBS explains how Sesame Street has created some new characters that share all kinds of emotions and feelings to help children who were suffering from trauma during the Syrian civil war. These children have suffered a lot of trauma already and they deserve all of the love and support. These new episodes were created just for these children to explore different ways they can work on coping skills with their emotions. They also of course, offer in comic relief from time to time to add a smile onto these poor children's faces. This is another important topic for students to learn and teachers to teach in the K-4 classroom because we may not know what kind of trauma or experiences some of our students have experienced before stepping into our classrooms. It's important for teachers to teach how we can deal with our trauma and that our trauma does not define us or how we choose to live our lives. In the classroom, teachers can talk largely about all different kinds of emotions, not just the happy ones. Ones to include could be but not limited to: anger, fear, frustration, nervousness or loneliness. It's important to teach students that there are so many ways to express our feelings.

Kennedy, M. (2020, January 22). Sesame street launches TV show for children affected by Syrian Civil War. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/sesame-street-launches-tv-show-for-children-affected-by-syrian-civil-war

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Sesame Street launches TV show for children affected by Syrian civil war

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“Sesame Street” in the past year has tackled everything from foster care to substance abuse. Now its latest effort is trying to help children suffering as a result of the Syrian civil war.

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This article Water safety for children from the Better Health Channel highlights different safety precautions for adults to take when your child is around water. To some, learning how to swim and support yourself is an essential skill that most parents want their child to learn. God forbid they go to the beach or a pool, the parents will feel secure knowing that their child can swim and keep their head above water safely rather than them having no idea how to do that. It's a good idea to start children with water and experience what it feels like to have water on their skin before going into a swimming pool or any body of water. Flotation devices are good to use as well as that will slowly foster their confidence to swim on their own. This topic could be addressed in the classroom when the temperature is warm or it's getting closer to summer and the teacher knows that their students will be going to a shore or pool for the summer. It is not our full responsibility to teach children how to swim but we should still educate them on water safety and practices when they get to a shore or pool. The teacher can share photos and ask what is a good decision or not a good decision. (Ex: Sally has not learned to swim yet. Should she put on her floaties or leave them on the side of the pool before jumping in?) Questions like this should get students thinking and could be exact thoughts of what some of them could think of when around a pool.

Department of Health & Human Services. (2002, May 13). Water Safety for Children. Better Health Channel. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/water-safety-for-children

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Drowning deaths

Drowning is a leading cause of death for toddlers. On average, 3 children aged from birth to 4 years drown every year in Victoria. Most drowning deaths occur in rivers, creeks or lakes, bathtubs and backyard swimming pools.

Approximately half of toddler drowning deaths occur in regional Victoria, typically in dams and baths. In metropolitan areas, backyard swimming pools record the most toddler drowning deaths.

It is estimated that for every child that drowns, another 8 are hospitalised for non-fatal drowning, and may have long-term effects such as permanent .

Toddlers are most at risk near water

Toddlers aged between one and 4 years are most at risk, because they are mobile and curious, but don't understand the danger of water.

You can considerably by actively supervising your child around water at all times and teaching them to by enrolling them in swimming and water safety lessons.

Taking precautions to reduce the risk of drowning around your home is also very important. A toddler or child can drown in 5 centimetres of water. Every exposed water source, no matter how shallow, poses a significant danger.

It is important to install barriers, such as pool gates and fencing around dams, to restrict access to water sources, and to be mindful of other water around the home that could pose a threat, such as septic pits, melted ice in an Eski, pet water bowls and bathtubs.

You should also learn and lifesaving techniques so that you know what to do if you are faced with an emergency.

Supervise your child around water

The most important preventive tactic is to actively supervise your child around water at all times.

Active supervision means focusing all of your attention on your children all of the time, when they are in, on, or around the water. Supervision is not an occasional glance while you are busy with other activities, but being in constant visual contact with your child.

Don't assume they will splash and yell for help if they get into trouble. Twenty seconds is all it takes for a toddler to drown.

Learn to swim

Children can take formal swimming instruction from the age of 4 years. Water safety skills make up part of the tuition.

Swimming programs are available for younger children and babies, but the emphasis is on building confidence and encouraging the child to enjoy water, rather than teaching them to swim.

Children under 5 years of age may not be able to use their swimming skills in an emergency, so never rely on this to keep them safe.

Flotation devices

If you buy personal flotation devices like inflatable vests or 'floaties', make sure that they conform to Australian Standards for and - always check the label. You should think of these devices as something to help familiarise your child with water, not as a safety item.

A flotation device is not a replacement for supervision. Always supervise your child when they are wearing their personal flotation device, in case they tumble upside down or slip through the vest.

Water safety around the house

Suggestions for reducing the risks of your child drowning in and around the home include:

Always actively supervise your child in the bath.

Never leave an older child to supervise the younger child in the bath.

Take your child with you if your telephone or doorbell rings while supervising your child in the bath.

Empty baths and sinks immediately after use.

Always keep the doors to the bathroom and laundry securely closed.

Use a nappy bucket with a tight-fitting lid, and keep the bucket closed at all times and out of your child's reach.

Cover ponds, birdbaths and similar water sources with mesh.

Keep pet water bowls, aquariums and fish bowls well out of little children's reach.

Water safety around backyard pools and spas

To reduce the risk of your child drowning in the backyard pool:

Install a fence - is required by law for any swimming pool or spa in excess of 300 mm (30 cm) in depth - and it must be maintained for the life of the pool or spa. Pool fencing must comply with the Australian Standard AS1926. Your can provide information on pool fencing laws.

Regularly check that the safety latch on the gate is in good working order.

Clear surrounding area - don't leave any items or equipment close to the pool fence that would allow your child to climb up and over the fence.

Pack toys away - don't leave floating toys in the pool or your child may try to reach for them.

Tip out water - empty wading pools immediately after use.

Check your surroundings - when visiting other people's houses, ask whether or not the owners have a pool, spa, pond or other body of exposed water on their land.

Water safety at public pools

Suggestions for reducing the risk of your child drowning in a public swimming pool include:

Actively supervise your child at all times.

Children under 5 years must be within arm's reach at all times and children under 10 years must always be in your sight.

The supervision of children in aquatic facilities is not the sole responsibility of lifeguards.

Lifeguards are employed on a 1:100 ratio. This is based on the expectation that parents will provide direct supervision of children.

Parents are required to provide the constant and direct supervision needed for young children.

Water safety at the beach

Suggestions for reducing the risks of your child drowning at the beach include:

Actively supervise your child at all times.

Conditions can change quickly. Don't assume that a beach that was safe in the past is safe now, since the action of waves, weather and wind can influence depth and rips.

Only take your child to beaches with lifesaving patrols and make sure you and your child swim between the red and yellow flags.

Learn how to spot and avoid rips and have knowledge and skills to get out of one, otherwise swim at a patrolled beach.

Teach your child what to do if they get into trouble: remain calm, float and raise an arm to signal for help from a lifesaver or lifeguard.

Understand and prepare for the conditions, and ensure your skills and activities are appropriate before deciding to enter the water.

When supervising children and others around water, ensure activities and skills are appropriate for the conditions and their abilities.

Read safety signs located at the beach and ensure you understand the local hazards and dangers.

Water safety at dams and waterways

Suggestions for reducing the risks of your child drowning in dams and other waterways include:

Supervise your child around waterways.

Warn your child of the dangers of swimming in dams and rivers.

Make sure you have a safe play area for your child well away from any dam or waterway.

Always swim with a friend or family member.

Be aware of changing abilities and fitness levels.

Know what to do if something goes wrong - learn first aid and CPR.

Understand the environment including weather and water conditions and remember that these can suddenly change.

First aid and CPR courses for parents

Emergency medical treatment for young children or babies isn't always the same as for adults, which is why all parents should take an infant or child course that includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

How to give CPR to babies 0-12 months

How to give CPR to young children 1-5 years

Visit the for detailed CPR instructions and translated videos for and .

Where to get help

In an emergency, always call triple zero (000) and ask for assistance from any nearby people who may have resuscitation skills

Your

Tel. - CPR and first aid courses, aquatic education programs for toddlers and children

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Toddlers are most at risk of drowning because they are mobile and curious but don't understand the danger of water.

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How much physical activity do children need?

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How much physical activity do children need?

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This article of How much physical activity do children need from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommend that children ages 3-5 need to be active throughout the day. Once they turn 6 up until they are 17, children are recommended to be active for at least 60 minutes every day. This activity could be literally anything from walking around the neighborhood, walking up and down the stairs or even a few pushups here and there. Anything to get children's blood moving is what we want! It's also important to recognize that there are age-appropriate activities for different age groups. 7 year olds should not be lifting weights just yet but kicking a ball around the backyard with neighborhood kids a perfect activity to engage in. Talking about being active and staying physically active to children is important to talk about with children because it's really to jeep them happy. Physical activity is good for everyone physically of course, but also emotionally and spiritually. When we take just 60 minutes out of our days to do something for us, we come out of it being in a better and happier place. In the classroom, teachers can utilize brain breaks and getting students up and out of their seats like just dance, a short children exercise video or just a dance party to get them up and moving.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, June 30). How much physical activity do children need?. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/index.htm

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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The amount of physical activity children need depends on their age. Children ages 3 through 5 years need to be active throughout the day. Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 need to be active for 60 minutes every day.

This may sound like a lot, but don't worry! Children may already be meeting the recommended physical activity levels. You can also see ways to encourage children to participate in activities that are age-appropriate, enjoyable, and offer variety.
Recommendations for Children Ages 3 Through 5 Years

Be physically active throughout the day for growth and development.

Adult caregivers should encourage children to be active when they play.

Recommendations for Children and Adolescents Ages 6 Through 17 Years

60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity each day.

Aerobic activity: Most of the daily 60 minutes should include activities like walking, running, or anything that makes their hearts beat faster. At least 3 days a week should include vigorous-intensity activities.

Muscle-strengthening: Includes activities like climbing or doing push-ups, at least 3 days per week.

Bone-strengthening: Includes activities such as jumping or running, at least 3 days per week.

Want examples of what counts? Check out the aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening activity for children and adolescents.

Also, school-based physical activity can help children meet the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.

On a scale of 0 to 10, where sitting is a 0 and the highest level of activity is a 10, moderate-intensity activity is a 5 or 6. When children do moderate-intensity activity, their heart beats faster, and they breathe much harder than when they are at rest or sitting. Vigorous-intensity activity is a level 7 or 8. When children do vigorous-intensity activity, their heart beats much faster than normal, and they breathe much harder than normal.

Another example is when children walk to school with friends each morning, they're probably doing moderate-intensity aerobic activity. But when children run, or chase others while playing tag during recess, they're probably doing vigorous-intensity activity.

Some physical activity is better-suited for children than adolescents. For example, younger children usually strengthen their muscles when they do gymnastics, play on a jungle gym, or climb trees. Children do not usually need formal muscle-strengthening programs, such as lifting weights. As children grow older and become adolescents, they may start structured weight lifting programs. They may do these types of programs along with their sports team practices.

How can you help children get the recommended amount of physical activity? Find out here.

Connect with Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity

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How much physical activity do children need?

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The amount of physical activity children need depends on their age. See recommendations for ages 3 through 17.