According to a recent article in Pediatric News about 1 in 3 children aged 1-3 years showed moderate to severe signs of internet dependence! Most parents reported that their children used at least one hand held device (such as a phone or ipad). Of those that used the phone or tablet, 57% knew how to unlock the device and 70% could get to their favorite apps.
Internet addiction (IA) is now an official diagnosis in adults with 4 components:
1. Excessive use of electronic media
2. Withdrawal when removed
3. Tolerance (longer use to get the same level of enjoyment) 4. Negative repercussions (has impact of child or family) About 2/3 of parents said that their children would react negatively to taking the device away for an average of 11 minutes! (That can be a long tantrum) The American Academy of Pediatrics encourage setting limits for all electronics.
Unplug!
