Virtual Futures – Screens are killing children, and it’s not a slow death

The ways in which we are raising and educating children with screen technologies are not sustainable. Current levels of screen overuse are resulting children who are sedentary, isolated, neglected and overstimulated leading to early death, poor relationships and failure to work. We are losing a whole generation of children to screens. They are growing up physically unfit, obese/diabetic, sleep deprived, no coping skills, dependent on parents – post-grad, addicted to video games, social media or pornography, normed to high levels of physical/sexual/verbal violence, mentally ill and often medicated, impulsive and attention deficit, unable to learn and illiterate…to name a few. This article is research referenced and written by biologist and pediatric occupational therapist Cris Rowan who is very, very concerned for the future of our children.

Screens are Sedentary

  • Cancer: Over three decades, from 1990 to 2019, the global incidence of early-onset cancer (EOC) increased by 79.1%. Irit Ben-Aharon, MD, PhD, from the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, Israel, presented this alarming figure during her keynote lectureat the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting 2024. Ogino emphasized that the incidence of EOCs, defined as cancers diagnosed in individuals younger than 50 years, has been increasing sharply for decades. This rise is just the tip of the iceberg, as once these younger patients age, it will also lead to an increase in chronic diseases and cancers in older adults. Notably, many of these cancers affect the gastrointestinal tract and are linked to obesity, highlighting the importance of the an unhealthy diet, excess weight, and sedentariness.
  • Obesity/Diabetes: Give a child a device and they sit, take it away, and move. Bodies are designed to move for best cardiovascular fitness, prevention of obesity and diabetes, to build strength and coordination needed for attaining literacy, and to prepare the brain for learning.
  • Illiteracy: when children move, they strengthen core stabilizers which are precursors to development of fine and gross motor coordination required for printing, reading and math literacy. When children sit still,
  • Developmental Delay: “use it or you lose it” is applicable when trying to comprehend the exponential rise in developmental delay. The body is comprised of muscle tissue that when not stimulated with movement, results in muscle atrophy. Just think of the mouth which has cheeks, tongue, lips…all muscles. When parents are on their screens, they talk 90% less to children. When children watch screens, they stop talking altogether. Speech delays are just one example of the escalating rise in global developmental delay.

Screens are Isolating

  • Suicide: human beings are ‘pack animals’ and don’t do well when separated from their packs (family, school mates). Screens are designed to be divisive, addictive and ultimately serve to isolate humans from the social connection and love they so need to survive. Yet – this is the biggest lie as the tech industry (and your children) will tell you they need their devices to ‘socialize’ with their friends. The internet and social media is all breadth and no depth, leaving users always looking for more. This loneliness they feel from lack of meaningful connections, fuels the need to keep scrolling, eventually leading to addiction. When children, teens and adults feel alone and without the help that they need, sometimes they feel their only option is to die. Suicide continues to increase in incidence and is now the second leading cause of death for the 15-24-year-old population in North America.
  • Social Media: parents, school districts and governments are launching hundreds of lawsuits against social media companies including Snap Chat, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram (to name a few) for rising levels of mental illness, self-harm and suicide (intentional and accidental). Children die by asphyxiation from choking attempts, suicide following predation, suicide following cyberbullying, risk taking challenges, hatred/racism extremists and harmful content (how to suicide steps).

Screens are Overstimulating

  • Increased Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Dopamine Overload: over the past 3 decades, incidence of heart attack and stroke in the 15-24-year-old population has increased by 40% citing sedentary lifestyle as a causal factor. When playing video games or playing a sport, children’s heart rate and blood pressure increase, as does production of a brain transmitter called dopamine. What is different about playing video games vs. playing a sport is that the body stays sedentary when gaming, whereas when playing a sport the body moves. Physiologically when playing video games, the adrenal glands release adrenalin and cortisol and the brain produces dopamine to provide the needed biochemistry to activate the sympathetic nervous system to flight, fright or fight. After time, the body/brain dampens down this response to prevent heart attack and stroke, which is the origins of addiction as now the child needs to increase the frequency, duration or intensity of video games to get the same desired response. This is called the Neuroendocrine Model of Addiction best depicted in accompanying graphic.

Screens Cause Neglect

When parents and teachers are using their screens, they are neglecting the developmental needs of their children/students. Early, severe or prolonged neglect gravely affects the child’s ability to form healthy attachments with caregivers, peers and teachers and even primary partners upon reaching adulthood. Many neglected children demonstrate “insecure attachment” where they don’t feel safe or secure, often with accompanying social anxiety or social phobias. Neglected children generally exhibit ‘problematic behavior’ which can be difficult to understand and treat. When children don’t feel seen or heard they either “act out” with tantrums, aggression and violence, or they “act in” with silence, low motivation or depression. Acting out or acting in is a sign that the child’s 4 critical needs for healthy growth and success are not being met which include movement, touch, human connection and nature. The present education and health systems are tragically diagnosing and often medicating neglected children, when really, they just need to go outside and play, or a hug and some attention. Autism, adhd, obsessive/compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety and addiction are but a few of the non-genetic ‘problematic behaviors’ which are being misdiagnosed and medicated as mental disorders.

What Can You Do?

Whenever we see a child struggling, first and foremost implementing one or all of the 4 critical factors e.g. movement, touch, human connection and nature, will serve to build developmental foundations for sustainable futures, as well as ALWAYS improve the situation. Movement activates both the vestibular and proprioceptive systems to calm and release pent up energy and aggression (outdoor schools, more recess, challenging playgrounds). Touch and human connection help a child to feel secure and regulated through activation of the parasympathetic system which reduces sympathetic charge states of flight, fright and fight (shoulder squeeze, cozy corner hideouts, listen to their pain and say “I see you…, I hear you…”). Nature also activates the parasympathetic system to help children feel calm and focused (more green space, nature walks, one class per day outside). For more information consider author’s 3-day certification course in Balanced Technology Management for teachers or clinicians or sign-up for her consultation services.

Cris Rowen

Cris Rowan, BScOT, BScBi, SIPT

Cris Rowan is a biologist, pediatric occupational therapist and sensory specialist with expertise in the impact of technology on child development, behaviour and learning. Having worked in school settings for over 3 decades, Cris is committed to improving student health while also easing the job of learning for children. Cris is a well-known international speaker and author to teachers, parents and therapists globally on topics of sensory integration, learning, attention, fine motor skills and the impact of media content including video games, social media and pornography on children’s brain and body development. Cris has a BSc’s both in Occupational Therapy and in Biology, is a SIPT certified sensory specialist, and has Approved Provider Status for CEU provision with the American Occupational Therapy Association. Over the past 3 decades, Cris has provided over 350 keynotes and workshops, writes monthly articles for her blog Moving to Learn, publishes the monthly Child Development Series Newsletter, and is designer and creator of Reconnect Webinars which offer research evidenced information for teens, parents, teachers and clinicians to manage balanced between screens and healthy activities. Cris is member of the Screens in Schools committee with Fairplay for Kids, member of the Institute for Digital Media and Child Development and sits on the Board of Directors for the Global Alliance for Brain and Heart Health. Cris has two adult children, Matt and Katie who grew up without screens.

Cris can be reached at crowan@reconnectwebinars.com. Reconnect Webinars offers a free, 5.5-hour CCAP accredited Screenbuster Program training webinar for teens which qualifies them to perform Tech Talks for their peers. The Screenbuster Program requires one counsellor, teacher or principal to complete the 3-day Balanced Technology Management certification CEU provided course in order to adequately supervise the teens.

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