when screens damage a child's brain

According to Brad Huddleston, author and speaker, children under 12 should not use digital platforms.

Screens are more and more present in the lives of our children. Tiktok, Snapchat, Twitter, adolescents are more and more connected on social networks. A trend that is worrying, especially when we know that the founders of the applications themselves are wary of their creation. Like Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft or Steve Jobs, creator of Apple.

For Brad Huddleston, author and educator for parents on the dangers of digital consumption in children, this trend has a name: “Digital cocaine”. “In its simplest form, when a person cannot do without their digital device, they are addicted. Specifically, when any activity, including interaction with digital devices, interferes with normal life, it is dependent ", explains the author.

Between beneficial and destructive effects, there is only one step

During a talk at the Global Homeschool Conference in Manila, Philippines, he was interested in "The impact of digital on families and learning". According to the author, there is only a fine line between the beneficial stakes of technology and its destructive effects. “People have to realize that it is literally a chemical addiction, just like cocaine and heroin. Neuroscience shows that when a person snorts cocaine it stimulates the brain tremendously and generates a lot of energy. dopamine ", explains Mr. Huddleston. "Video games generate the same levels of dopamine in an hour of play as a rail of coke."

To see how addictive children are to screens, he advises denying them access for a while. "If you take a screen off a child and he has panic attacks all the time, he is literally addicted and his brain is damaged."

In his review, Brad Huddleston lists the three effects of “digital cocaine” on learning and adolescence.

  • 1] ADHD: "This condition has increased by 800% over the past 30 years. The internet is just over 30 years old. In my opinion and global experience, the clear majority of that 800% is digitally induced . It is true that some children are born with attention deficit disorder, but the number is extremely low. The dramatic increase is due to over-stimulation of digital devices. "
  • 2] Multitasking: "Neuroscience has proven beyond any doubt that the brain is a sequential processor, unable to pay attention to more than one stream of data at a time; yet schools often encourage this practice."
  • 3] Depression, Anxiety and Self-Injury: According to Mr. Huddleston, these are the main symptoms of digital addiction. "These are very real conditions that result from the misuse of digital technology, and often hamper a child's ability to focus on schoolwork."

To protect children, the author shares tips such as prohibiting the use of screens for children under 12. "This includes the use of technology for 'educational' purposes.But also, remove all screens for everyone in the room throughout the night. Do not play video games, do not read books online, and finally, do not hesitate to have digital detox moments.

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