April 19, 2024

Brain Injury Expert Warns: Limit Screen Use in Children Under Six

Dr. Álvaro Bilbao, a leading neuropsychologist, emphasizes in his new book that kids under six who regularly utilize cellphone computers, tablets, or screens are more irritable and have even worse concentration, attention, and memory. He advises that moms and dads strictly provision or avoid screen time for children, as extreme usage of devices like iPhones and iPads can increase the risk of behavioral and mental issues, consisting of attention deficit disorder, depression, and dependency issues.
” Children who are in regular contact with smart phone screens, computer systems or tablets are more irritable and have worse attention, memory, and concentration than those who do not use them.”
Moms and dads must strictly ration or not allow screen time for kids aged under 6, according to a leading neuropsychologist in a new book.
Dr. Álvaro Bilbao, Ph.D., uses current and recognized research to highlight how the threat of psychological and behavioral problems increases the more time children spend on ipads and iphones. These consist of attention deficit depression, addiction, and disorder issues.

Introducing screens
In Understanding Your Childs Brain, the brain injury expert and psychotherapist says gadgets with screens ought to discover their method into the kids hands gradually once they have actually developed emotionally and intellectually.
Dr. Bilbao states this should be preferably after age six which is also the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The author mentions technology masters Bill Gates and Steve Jobs who have both mentioned in interviews that they limited their kidss screen usage.
In his book, Understanding Your Childs Brain, brain injury expert and psychotherapist Dr. Álvaro Bilbao advocates for gradually introducing screens to children once they have emotionally and intellectually established, preferably after age 6, in line with the American Academy of Pediatrics suggestion. Mentioning technology leaders Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, who both limited their childrens screen time, Dr. Bilbao argues that apps can cause kids to lose interest in more developmentally useful activities. As an outcome, he intentionally leaves the last chapter on the very best apps for under-6s totally blank.
Moreover, Dr. Bilbao exposes he has no apps on his mobile phone or tablet for his three children.
Apps can “cause the child to dislike other activities that are more helpful to their advancement,” states the author. For this factor, he has controversially left the books last chapter– on the best apps for under-6s– totally blank.
” Many parents start to encourage the use of mobile phones and tablets,” discusses Dr. Bilbao who trained in the US and the UK.
” Rather than moving towards a higher attention period and greater control of the childs own mind, in my viewpoint, it provokes a hold-up … It would resemble offering an 800 cc motorbike to a child who has just discovered to stroll.
” Occasionally my children use the cellphone to check out images of our holiday … and we do it together. Sometimes we look at a song with them and discover the dance relocations, however they dont play games. We likewise restrict their time in front of the tv.”
Healthy emotional advancement
Understanding Your Childs Brain utilizes basic neuroscience to explain how kids believe, feel and act in the first years of life. The book intends to help moms and dads resolve common child-rearing issues such as tantrums and to promote their offsprings healthy intellectual and emotional advancement.
There are four crucial areas for parents: the principles for comprehending kid brain advancement, tools essential for supporting this growth, how to teach psychological intelligence, and how to reinforce the intellectual brain.
The author compares healthy child brain advancement to nurturing an oak tree. To grow from seed to maturity, kids require physical security, a safe environment, and brain watering i.e. adult nourishment, and trust/freedom from parents.
Each parenting guidance subject described in the book is connected to a specific brain location and how this establishes in kids. Young child habits is controlled by the brain stem (reptilian brain) and limbic system (the paleomammalian or psychological brain)– not the logical brain, according to Dr. Bilbao.
Dr. Bilbaos dos and do nts for parents consist of:

In addition to screens, the author criticizes extreme approaches used to promote child advancement. These include natural education without guidelines, huge pharma prescribing drugs for kids susceptible to distraction, and unverified wonder program to turn children into geniuses.
Dr. Bilbao says: “A genetically customized tomato, which ripens in a few days …, loses the essence of its flavor … a brain that establishes under pressure … can lose part of its essence along the way.”

Do let kids get tired– this encourages imagination
Do not utilize drama to establish limitations– screaming at a child disables the part of the brain (cerebral cortex) that assists manages limits
Do usage social (not material) rewards to strengthen rules, for instance let your child carry your secrets
Dont utilize trick-punishments, which can cause a lonesome child to learn that being scolded gets him/her attention

In his book, Understanding Your Childs Brain, brain injury expert and psychotherapist Dr. Álvaro Bilbao advocates for slowly presenting screens to kids once they have mentally and intellectually developed, ideally after age 6, in line with the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation. Citing innovation leaders Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, who both restricted their childrens screen time, Dr. Bilbao argues that apps can cause kids to lose interest in more developmentally useful activities. As a result, he intentionally leaves the last chapter on the best apps for under-6s completely blank.
” Occasionally my kids utilize the mobile phone to look through pictures of our holiday … and we do it together. We also restrict their time in front of the tv.”