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Although a great many youth have daily access to
Gameboys, PSPs, Nintendos, and other video games and electronics, more
and more young children are spending countless hours using electronics.
The Kaiser Family Foundation found that “children aged six and under
spend an average of two hours a day playing video games, using
computers, and watching TV and videos.”
Although people might be hesitant to identify this
as an addiction, through its research, the Troy YFJ team noticed that
there are many health risks, both physical and mental, associated with
utilizing electronics constantly. Physically, many people who spend
large amounts of time using electronics have the potential to develop
migraines and carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as obesity from a lack of
activity. The team found that depression can also be linked to overuse
of electronics, leading to a lack of interest in other activities,
including personal hygiene, jobs, and social lives. The students’
research showed that extreme cases have been reported where people
allowed themselves to get so absorbed by electronic gaming that they got
dehydrated or allowed themselves to become severely obese and suffered
dire consequences.
The YFJ team decided that more parents and students need to be aware of
this growing problem, so it decided to share advice for safe, healthy
use of electronics. They spoke with their school’s technology
facilitators to get useful information and statistics. The strongest
forces the students identified as being influential in their peers'
choices of activities were their parents and positive examples from
their fellow students.
To get the information to the public, the team created fliers describing
what electronics addiction is, signs of addiction, and alternative
activities. The team also presented the fliers to all the district 5th
graders, and created a website with relevant facts, tips, and news
stories to keep parents up to date. |
