Watch Out For The Health Hazards Of Video Games

Moreover, adults have frequently demonized pop culture phenomena that capture the imagination of young people. Comic books, television, rock music, rap music, the Internet — they’ve all been condemned as corrupting, addictive, or worse.

Video game play has been implicated as the cause of other physical and emotional health complaints. Habitual players have developed “PlayStation thumb” and “Nintendonitis” — repetitive strain injuries in their arms and hands from manipulating controllers. Other documented hazards of excessive play include fatigue and headaches.

Although “screen time” in general has a negative effect on children’s fitness levels, video games are perhaps not as detrimental as television. One explanation: People are less likely to snack than when watching TV because their hands are occupied. Movement-based games such as Dance Dance Revolution are also bringing physical activity into the gaming world.

A serious concern is the effect video games have on sleep. Japanese researchers recorded sleep patterns and other physiological measurements for young boys who played an exciting computer game shortly before bedtime. The players had a higher heart rate after playing than non-players, and took longer to fall asleep. Key phases of sleep were also disrupted. In another study, children who played video games before bed showed a measurable decrease in memory and verbal thinking ability the following day.

Advice For Parents

• Understand where a child is developmentally. For example, children under age eight have a hard time distinguishing fantasy from reality, so vivid, violent images may be upsetting.

• Use the rating system. Most video games and computer games display an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) code similar to the designations used for movies and TV programs. The code consists of two parts: a letter indicating the age-appropriateness of the game (C for early childhood; E for everyone; T for teen; M for mature) and a brief description of the content, such as “strong language,” “violence,” or “suggestive material.” Parents need to be prepared to deal with the “forbidden fruit” problem: An M rating presents a nearly irresistible attraction for many kids.

• Use control setting on gaming consoles. The latest generation of video consoles can be programmed to restrict games with certain rating codes. Some models allow other limits to be set, such as when and how long kids play and who they interact with. (Hint to parents: It’s a good idea to be involved in the setup of a new console so that you retain control of the PIN that accesses gaming restrictions.) But parents shouldn’t just pick on video games. Ideally, gaming should be folded into discussions about setting limits on other absorbing activities and meeting one’s responsibilities.

• Keep consoles out of bedroom. The presence of gaming consoles in children’s bedrooms is associated with more gaming time in general and more M-rated play.

• Offer alternatives. Just saying no isn’t very effective. If children today are spending too much time gaming, adults can help by getting more involved in their lives. Reading to a child can counteract the lure of the video game. So can playing a board game, exercising together, even watching television together (in some amounts and not before homework is done). This is harder to do as children become teens who need their independence.

Video games have become a major part of today’s childhood. Parents need to be proactive in using these games to improve, rather than ruin, their kids’ lives!

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