Question

Children and teenagers spend more than 7 hours a day with a variety of different media. Television predominates, with more than 4 hours a day of screen time, although viewing may now be via a computer or a cell phone screen instead of a TV set. Media use represents the leading leisure time activity for young people—they spend more time with media than they do in any other activity except sleeping. Increasingly, preteens and teens are using new technologies (social networking sites, cell phones) to communicate with each other; but there are documented risks to this as well, including bullying and displays of risky behaviors online and in text messages.2–4 Thousands of studies now attest to the power of the media to influence virtually every concern that pediatricians and parents have about the health and development of children and adolescents—sex, drugs, obesity, school achievement, bullying, eating disorders, and even attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The research has been well documented and summarized in a number of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statements and in recent books. Discussion:

What is the importance of screening for media usage in children and adolescents? What are the benefits and risks associated with media? How can you assess media consumption and provide a family centered plan?

Answer 1

It's very essential to screen media usage in children and adolescents. Nowadays most of the children gets addicted to watch movies, programs and they tend to play more electronic related games. This makes them to live a sedentary lifestyle. Due to media, their physical activities are much reduced. This results in major health issues like obesity in children and adolescent age group. So in order to give them a healthy lifestyle, it is very important to screen media usage .

There are some benefits related to media. They become more aware and learning by using media. When they are visualizing and learning things with the help of media, it's easy for the children to understand. But more than benefits, the risk factors are high which affect the health of the children. They are not engaged in physical activities due to media. They are getting many health issues due to media.

We can assess media consumption by setting a questionnaire. We can discuss with the family about the hours of media consumption. We can educate the children along with the family members about the healthy lifestyle habits. We have to help them to set a daily plan like how to divide the hours for studies, physical activities and watching media. Physical activities are very important for children and adolescents to live a healthy lifestyle.