Cris Rowan BScOT, BScBi

It’s back to school time, and there isn’t a parent out there who doesn’t want their child to make friends and do well. Preparing children for school isn’t just about getting new clothes and re-establishing sleep routines, it’s also about making sure children’s minds are able to pay attention and learn.

Studies have found that children who use more that 1-2 hours per day of combined technology (TV, video games, internet, texting), are likely to encounter a variety of difficulties, both at home and at school.

A wise parent might consider helping their children “unplug” their way back to school, but “pulling the plug” is too extreme. Parents should manage a balance between activities children need to grow and succeed, with technology use.

Balanced Technology Management (BTM) is a concept developed by Cris Rowan, a pediatric occupational therapist and child development expert with Zone’in Programs Inc.  Cris states that children need to learn how to manage balance between activities they need to grow and succeed, with technology use.

1. What do kids need to grow and succeed (e.g. what are the 3 critical factors for child development)?

Movement

• Young children require 3-4 hours per day of active rough and tumble play to achieve adequate sensory stimulation to their vestibular and proprioceptive sensory systems for normal development
• Vestibular and proprioceptive input ensures normal development of posture, bilateral coordination, optimal arousal states and self regulation necessary for achieving foundation skills for eventual school entry
• Infants with low tone, toddlers failing to reach motor milestones, and children who are unable to pay attention or achieve basic foundation skills for literacy, are examples of inadequate vestibular and proprioceptive input
• The use of safety restraint devices such as infant bucket seats and toddler carrying packs and strollers, have further limit movement, as have TV and videogame overuse
• Many of today’s parents perceive outdoor play is ‘unsafe’, additionally limiting essential developmental components usually attained in outdoor rough and tumble play  

Touch

• Tactile sensory input is a biological need, without which humans would die
• Skin is the largest organ of the body, with 70,000 receptors per square inch
• Tactile stimulation is integral to child health and well being
• When infants are deprived of human touch, they develop into children who exhibit excessive agitation and anxiety, and may become depressed by early childhood (Dr. Ashley Montagu)
• Technology is grossly limiting access to necessary tactile stimulation, and many children are touch deprived

Human Connection

• Defined as the primary attachment bond between infant and parent
• Critical period for attachment development is the first year of life
• Connection to technology is causing a disconnection from self, others, nature and spirit
• Disconnection is most apparent in children with Autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression and bipolar disorders, all of which are increasing in number and severity
• Attachment disorders are causally related to child and adult addictions

2. What is the impact of technology on child physical, mental, social, and academic health?

Physical

• Obesity – 15% of Canadian children (doubles if TV is in child’s bedroom)
• Developmental delay – 15% of Canadian children  are diagnosed with a DD; hugely impacts on ability to print and read
• Stress – chronic high adrenalin state detrimental to immune and cardiovascular systems
• Sleep disorders – difficulty getting to sleep and maintaining sleep duration

Mental

• Anxiety and depression – 14.3% of Canadian children have a diagnosed mental illness.
• ADHD – 9% of Canadian children; every one hour per day of technology use prior to the age of seven, increases that child’s risk of attention problems by 10% upon school entry.
• Behavior diagnosis and medication (Unplug-Don’t Drug initiative).

Social

• Social isolation – Brandon Crisp from Ontario example
• Aggression – Daniel Petric from Ohio example; media violence classified as a public health risk in the US due to resulting child aggression.

Academic

• Learning disabilities – 15% of Canadian children are classified LD
• Illiteracy – developmental delays result in failure to print and read
• Lower grades, higher drop out from high school, lower university pursuit

3. What can parents, teachers and therapists do to balance achieving critical developmental factors with technology use?

• Become informed.
• Parents need to disconnect from technology to reconnect with kids.
• Enhance child performance skills in alternate activities.
• Ensure critical milestones of movement, touch and human connection are met of 3-4 hours per day.
• Address parent misperceptions of outdoor safety.
• Restrict all technology use for toddlers under two years of age, and limit technology use to no more than two hours per day for elementary aged children.
• Restrict all media violence (including cartoons!) for children under the age of eight years.
• Remove all TV’s from bedrooms.

Visit www.zonein.ca. For general questions regarding products, workshops, training or consultation services, contact Amy Dickson at info@zonein.ca.  For specific questions, contact Cris Rowan at crowan@zonein.ca.

Cris Rowan, OT (Reg), BScOT, BScBi, SIPT, Approved Provider for ACTBC, AOTA and CAOT
CEO Zone'in Programs Inc. and Sunshine Coast Occupational Therapy Inc.
6840 Seaview Rd.  Sechelt  BC  V0N3A4
604-885-0986 O, 604-740-2264 C, 604-885-0389 F
crowan@zonein.ca
websites: www.zonein.ca, www.suncoastot.com