The Connection Between Technology and Anxiety

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend a class on Childhood Anxiety.  It easily could have been a two day course.  There was so much great information presented.  More information than I can share in just one blog post.  So, I wanted to begin by sharing one of the most POWERFUL pieces of information I learned in the class.  "Technology/screens and anxiety".  You guys....I had NO idea of this connection.  I hadn't even thought about it before in terms of childhood anxiety (in terms of learning/focus...yes).  This information was very life changing for me.

When we talk about childhood anxiety, we can't really begin without first having a grasp on how a child's brain develops.  A child's brain is going to develop from the bottom up.  The primitive brain develops first (sensory/motor/movement/breathing).

The Limbic brain develops second (emotional brain).  It usually takes a child until they are 7 to 9 years of age for this limbic brain to fully develop.  *This was enlightening to me because how many times have I been guilty of trying to get my two or three year old to "stop crying" or "talk them out of it".  Wow... their brains have not even fully developed being able to control their emotions.

The final stage of brain development is the Critical brain, or the prefrontal cortex (thinking, learning, logical, executive functioning, emotional regulation, common sense).  You guys...this part of your brain isn't fully developed until you are 25 to 30 years of age!!!  Most children are functioning out of their lower brains.  Food for thought.

Technology & Anxiety:

Most of our children/teens are spending WAY too much time on screens.  Screens can be on the chrome books at school, iPad, computers, video games, smartphones etc.  The research has said that on average (an average of a seven day week), a child is spending 7.5 hours of screen time a day.  And teens are spending on average of 11-13 hours a day in front of a screen!  These numbers are shocking to me!!!  That means by the time you are 70 you will have watched 7-10 years of TV.  

Anxiety and depression have been linked to technology overuse.   When you spend too much time on screens, the sympathetic nervous system is activated (fight, flight, freeze).  Continued activation will cause the release of adrenaline.  Then the child's body is flooded with dopamine.  This can leave the child in an irritated but exhausted state.

  

Here is some food for thought about anxiety:

• Tech/screens cause a hypervigilant sensory system
• The sensory imbalance creates huge problems in overall neurological development, as the brain's anatomy, chemistry and pathways become permanently altered and impaired.  
• This can cause a weakened immune system.
• We have kids attaching to technology vs. people.  Tech is replacing relationships with peers and parents.
• Tech/screens is AS addictive as cocaine and nicotine; activating the same addictive pathways in the brain.
• Children under 2 should have NO television.  
• Children 2-6 should have no more than 1 hour of screens per day.
• Children 6-13 2 hours of screens.
• Children 14+ no more than 3 hours per day.

 Here are some things you can do to help:

• Keep Tech off 2 hours prior to your kiddos going to bed.  The blue light interferes with their natural melatonin production.
• Kids were meant to play and be creative (tech/screens limits the creativity).
• Playing OUTSIDE is so important!


• Play activates the entire brain
• Play improves memory
• Play increases language development
• Play is the primary way children learn under 10 years
• Play wires the brain for empathy, problem solving and social skills
• Combats stress!  Lessens anxiety

Kids need 2 to 3 hours of play each day!  Take a look at the scans of the brains below.  One shows a child not playing and the right side shows a child's brain while playing.  The more a child moves, touches, plays the bigger the brain will be.  

If you have the chance click the link Free The Kids

It was one of the most powerful videos I saw during my Saturday class. 

As a parent of a child(ren) with anxiety, I need to make playing outside a priority and start putting the iPad up on the fridge for days at a time (which is what has been happening around here).  

Glow Kids is a book that I ordered off Amazon and I can't wait to read it.  It was recommended at the class I took last Saturday.  

All this is NOT to say that tech is bad and screens are bad.  Used wisely it is a great tool!  However, I am guilty of this, using tech too much has many negative effects on our kids and increased the anxiety that they can have.  More play...less screens leads to a healthier life and happier more relaxed kids.

*Information shared was taken from my notes on the class attended Saturday.  If you ever had a chance to attend a class offered by The Institute of Child Psychology, I strongly recommend them!

Bronchiolitis is Terrifying

I thought he was having allergies, but over the course of several days we landed ourselves in the emergency room at Legacy Salmon Creek.  Man Cub had been sneezing, and coughing and his nose was running.  The Monday after Easter, he had been acting weird that evening.  His cough sounded labored and funny.  I could of sworn I heard him wheezing.  I bathed him and put him to bed upstairs.  He was out. 

An hour later, I went back to check on him.  He was moaning and crying in his sleep.  I touched his forehead and he was on fire. I stripped his PJs off, and watched him breathe.  A minute felt like an hour watching his little skin stretch around his rib cage.  I knew what I was looking at: retraction.  He was laboring to breathe.   

Years ago, the doctors had taught me what to look for with Bella.  She is my one that has the breathing issues and the "special lungs" as she calls them.  After helping her with all of her breathing issues, it takes a lot to freak me out...and let me tell you friends...Matthew had me freaked out!!!

As calmly as I could, I told Grace I was taking Matthew to the ER.  I tried loading everything up, and carrying him, and trying to get my shoes on.  Then his car seat was in the 3rd row of the van, making it difficult to watch him breathe.  I felt like swearing in the frustration.  We made to the ER, only to be handed a clipboard and asked to fill out the paperwork.  Seriously you guys... I had not a free hand, but hey, sure...bring on the clipboard.  

They called us back fairly quickly, as they have a pediatric ER.  In my mind I was battling several things.  One, I have a special needs toddler who WILL NOT orally take ANY medication.  Two, I hate hospitals and I was battling my own anxiety.  And three, there was no Mark coming to help.  He had just gotten on the train to Pasco a few hours earlier.  I had the emergency numbers to the dispatcher that could arrange for him to get off the train, but I swore I would only use that number if they admitted Matthew to the hospital.  

The doctor was quick to see us, and order a bunch of tests, and a Tylenol suppository to help bring down Matthew's fever.  You guys...he gags if he sees a medicine syringe coming at him.  They tested him for the flu and RSV with a long q-tip.  He hated that too.  The respiratory therapist came down and administered a breathing treatment, which perked him up almost instantly.  Finally, the radiologist came to our room and gave Matthew a chest x-ray.   

The diagnosis came as bronchiolitis.  Say what??? My fourth kid and I have never heard of that. It is not bronchitis.  This was a viral illness that effects the bronchial tubes causing them to swell and making breathing difficult.  Awesome.  The chest x-ray showed the bronchiolitis.  The doctor said they sometimes hospitalize children for this, but Matthew's case was more mild.  The doctor wanted to give him oral steroids, but I again reminded them that he will throw them up.  So poor baby had to get a steroid shot. Because he responded well to the breathing treatment, they sent him home with an inhaler to take for the next couple of weeks.    

Matthew has been recovering well.  He had a good follow up last Thursday.  He continues to cough and his nose...oh my...I am still wiping it so.many.times.  But we have weathered this storm.  

I am hopeful this was a one time thing, and not something we will be battling every time he gets a cold.  Even in emergencies, I found myself advocating for my special needs child.  Sensory processing disorder is no joke.  Oh how I wished he would just swallow the meds.  I would have saved him from pain of needles.  But then there is part of me that is thankful they can administer meds to him in a shot form because at least I know that he is getting the correct dosage.  I am happy to report after a few times of crying throw taking his "haler" (inhaler), he will not allow me to give it to him with no crying.  Bella, again, is an amazing teacher for him.  She pretended to take hers, and Matthew, wanting to be just like his big sis, took his inhaler happily.  Miss B to the rescue again!