by Claire McCarthy on October 12, 2010
Dr. Claire McCarthy is a primary care physician and the Medical Communications Editor at Boston Children’s Hospital. Along with her blogs here on Thriving, you can find her at the Huffington Post and Boston.com. Follow her on Twitter @drClaire.
It keeps happening, despite my attempts to discourage it. I’ll be at work, seeing a patient or in a meeting, and I’ll get a text from one of my children: I feel sick.
Now, I’m the mom and a pediatrician to boot, so I do see that there’s some sense in contacting me. But I’m in Boston, nowhere near their school, and there is actually a clear protocol for these situations, as I text them when I can get free: Go to the nurse. I’m not even the one who would go get them—my husband or mother-in-law would. But Mark and Jude don’t do text messaging (they haven’t fully figured it out yet), so the kids text me. Full story »
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on May 7, 2010
Michael Richard, MD
Media expert Michael Rich, MD, MPH, director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children’s Hospital Boston, answers your questions about media use.
Last week he answered your questions about parenting with television. Here’s this week’s question:
Q: It seems like today’s generation is always on their cell phones, iPods, Nintendos, etc., whether they are 8 years old or 18 years old. How does this happen? Is this simply a fad, or are these children addicted?
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Curious about Kids in Lamar, CO
A: Dear Curious,
I recently came across an interview with three girls who are labeled “extreme texters.” It was fascinating to listen to them talk about how and how often they use technology, but what was most interesting to me was this comment:
Reporter: Would you say that you’re a little bit addicted to your cell phones?
Teen: I don’t think it’s being addicted to my cell phone, it’s the need to be talking to my friends, and the cell phone is just the way I get to that. Full story »
by Melissa Jeltsen on February 19, 2010
We’re all familiar with the myriad benefits of the Internet, a tool which has undeniably changed the way we communicate, learn and use entertainment. But how much of a good thing is too much? For a small fraction of kids, the Internet’s draw may prove too enticing, as Internet addiction (loosely defined as excessive use of the Internet that negatively impacts academic, social and family life) appears to be on the rise in much of the industrialized world.
We spoke to a neurologist specializing in the teen brain, media expert Michael Rich and a psychologist for this article about Internet addiction and its possible effects. Read on to find out what you need to know about your child’s Internet use–and how you can help them manage their screen time effectively.
That’s important to do, as a national survey recently found that the amount of time young people spend with entertainment media has risen dramatically: Today, 8 to 18 year olds spend an average of almost eight hours a day using digital media. And because they are often “media-multitasking” (like instant messaging on the computer while watching TV and texting friends on their cellphones) they actually manage to cram a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes worth of media content into those eight hours.
So, is it bad for kids and adults alike to spend so much time using digital media? The answer isn’t straightforward, as the article makes clear, and much more research needs to be done. A Frontline documentary also probes the question.
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on February 6, 2010
It keeps happening, despite my attempts to discourage it. I’ll be at work, seeing a patient or in a meeting, and I’ll get a text from one of my children: I feel sick.
