Screen Addiction in kids, is it a medical condition?

Screen addiction

It's no secret that kids are some of the most technologically proficient people around, but is the potential addiction to entertainment media enough to be considered a clinical disorder? China says "yes" and has established media-free rehabilitation centers for children who have become hooked on video games.

While screen time with high-quality educational programs and imaginative, hobby-related content has been said to actually be beneficial for children in a lot of ways, "live action" games with a lot of simulation are being looked at closely, as they can alter a child's development and perspective.

As the hours spent with electronic media increase, the amount of time left over for human interaction dwindles considerably. It has turned into a full-on addiction for others, becoming a substitute for personal interactions during every free moment possible.

Kids need time to daydream, deal with anxieties, process their thoughts and share them with parents, who can provide reassurance."

Aside from the mental effects of spending too much time with technology, the physical effects can be damaging as well — sore necks and backs from slouching over tablets, pain in their fingers and wrists from gripping phones and video game controllers, and, possibly, narrowed blood vessels in their eyes from staring at screens for an extended period of time. Not to mention that children are generally sedentary while playing video games, which means less time spent being active, posing a potential risk of childhood obesity.

"Children have to know that life is fine off the screen," Steiner-Adair says. "It's interesting and good to be curious about other people, to learn how to listen. It teaches them social and emotional intelligence, which is critical for success in life."

Curtsy: POPSUGAR