Notes

The AAP's new View

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is changing its position on "screen time" or at the very at the very least, shifting its position to the present.



The upcoming revision to the AAP's policy statement released in October, is driven by a recognition that its current screen-time guidelines which are best known for banning any screen time for children under 2 and restricting older children and teenagers to two hours per day, are no longer relevant. Some of the current guidelines was written prior to the advent of internet usage. Ari Brown, a pediatrician and chairperson of the AAP Children, Adolescents and Media Leadership Work Group, sent this email. "Our prior recommendations were made because we had enough health and developmental concerns about potential risk of TV use to educate parents about it."



With schools eagerly implementing technology wherever funding permits, not to mention classes for students in grade school that teach programming software that lets children compose music using computers and the overwhelming evidence that playing Minecraft can benefit kids with autism, espousing strict minimization ignores the obvious. Today's kids are "digital natives." Technology is in their blood.



The AAP's latest view which is described in "Beyond 'turn it off' How to counsel parents about media use," sees TVs, gaming systems, computers, smartphones and tablets as mere tools. Based on how they are used, time spent with them could be beneficial or detrimental to children.



The AAP made addressing children and media a top priority starting in 2012, an effort that culminated in the May 2015 "Growing Up Digital" symposium. The symposium brought together experts on child development and pediatrics, social science, media, neuroscience and education, and called attention to the growing body of evidence supporting the potential (and potential) benefits of screen time for children and adolescent growth.



Brown reports that social scientists presented research at the symposium that show that teens can interact online with peers. These peer connections can be "significantly valuable" and sometimes even more supportive than real-life friendships.



She says the message is that there are a lot of positive online opportunities for acceptance and encouragement to help teens develop their self-esteem as well as identity.



Other findings suggested possible ways to strengthen digital media's educational potential. Neuroscientists, she says presented research that showed that children as young as 2 years old learn new words via video chat as they do through live interaction, indicating that it's the interaction between two parties that's most important. Technology that facilitates that back-and-forth will be more likely to aid in learning.



But here's the problem is that giving a toddler an iPad and walking away isn't going to cut it, no matter what the software does to facilitate.



Brown says that all of the experts agreed on the importance of co-engagement. The involvement of parents determines the final nature of screen time. Particularly for young children, positive outcomes rely on "screen time" as well as "together time."
yourbestbet


The potential of screen time for good, hinges on the parents, no matter if the child is 3 or 13. The AAP recommends parents join their children in the digital world as often as they can, and familiarize themselves with their kids' devices of choice even if they do not participate in the activity.



Parents should establish guidelines for screen time. They should also establish "screen-free zones" (hint and dinner table) and be aware of all content. Screen time can bring advantages however, there are potential risks.



Brown says that "Parenting is not changing." Brown says that the same rules apply to all environments your child is in: home, school technology, home, etc.



Although the AAP's new policy statement regarding media and children will not be made public until the end of the year in the year, Brown states that it will "acknowledge the research gaps... look at the digital age as an opportunity to make the most of the potential and minimize dangers." It is practical enough to be universal and adaptable enough to be updated as the technology advances.



Now That's Cool Kids with Autism have their own private Minecraft server. "Autcraft" allows them to reap all the benefits of Minecraft without the bullying that takes place in the main Minecraft space.


Website: https://yourbestbet.info/