Compared to the fifteenth century, we
now consume as much data in a single day as an average person from the 1400s
would have in an entire lifetime.
Defining
Digital Dementia
While dementia is a disease that
typically plagues the elderly, a new type of cognitive condition is affecting
younger individuals in their early 20s and teens – a disorder known as “digital
dementia.” According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the overuse of
digital devices can lead to insufficient sleep in children, delays in learning
and social skills, as well as obesity and behavior problems. All this digital
information, coming from our computers, smartphones, tablets, and more,
has been found to cause a breakdown in cognitive abilities in a way that is
traditionally associated with people who have suffered a head injury or
psychiatric illness.
Digital dementia is characterized as the deterioration of brain function as a result of the overuse of digital technology, such as computers, smart phones and Internet use in general, Medical Daily reported. This excess use of technology leads to unbalanced brain development, as heavy users are more likely to overdevelop their left brains, leaving their right brains underdeveloped. The left side of thebrain is generally associated with rational thought, numerical computation and fact finding, while the right side of the brain is responsible for more creative skills and emotional thought. If the right brain remains under developed in the long term, it can lead to the early onset of dementia.
At alarming rates, kids raised in the digital age are developing cognitive problems and attention issues and struggling with memory, organization, reasoning, problem-solving, and in-person social communication.
Technology use is unavoidable, since
it’s increasingly employed in classrooms, but it’s never too early to teach the
next generation how to use it wisely. Here are some suggestions from the
American Academy of Pediatrics, Spitzer, and other sources.
- Use print media rather than tablets or
smartphones for reading to give your child a break from looking at
screens. Studies have shown that reading print materials also boosts
reading comprehension.
- Practice memorizing things like
phone numbers and passwords instead of simply letting technology track
them.
- Use puzzles and games, such as
chess and Scrabble, that promote real-time problem-solving rather than
games that let the computer do the thinking.
- Make sure the entertainment your child is
watching is high quality.
- Set screen-time limits.
- Create screen-free zones where no digital technology is
allowed — like the dinner table and your child’s bedroom.
- Limit media multitasking — using two or more types of
media simultaneously such as listening to a CD while doing homework.
- Turn off the television if no one is watching it since
background television can disrupt the quantity and quality of personal
interaction.
- Watch media — such as television programs
and films — with your child and discuss it afterward to develop critical
thinking about media.
- Ensure your child gets enough outdoor play and
physical exercise.
- Allow for unstructured playtime, which
is critical for learning problem-solving skills and fostering creativity.
- Develop creativity by offering your child musical
instruments, art supplies, origami, or physical toys that spark their
imagination.
- Encourage your child to develop hobbies that aren’t
related to digital media — such as stamp collecting, bird watching,
skateboarding, acting, dancing, writing, and jewelry making.
Signs of Digital Dementia:
Developmental
delays
Inability to
remember number patterns or directions
Social seclusion
Lack of
motivation
