SCREENS AND EMOTIONAL REACTIVITY IN PRESCHOOLERS
It is 5 o’clock, dinner is on the stove, the shopping still in the bags on the floor, the dog howling to be fed. The kids are winding up for World War 3, screaming and yelling, stirring and retaliating. Everyone is tired, hungry and cranky, pining for a moment’s peace and quiet. As the noise and stress levels escalate, what is the solution? We hand the kids a screen and tell them to sit in opposite corners in the lounge. Sounds familiar?
Screens vs life tools
The parents in my practice tell me all the time, that when the kids ‘lose it’, is when screens are a real life saver. It distracts them, diffuses the tension, and allows everyone to move on. Interesting recent research, however, shows that this method is a little like weeing oneself to feel warm when it is cold. This study looked at long term behaviour patterns in children aged three to five years old when screens regularly were used as a calming device. Tantrums, defiance and challenging behaviour is of course a normal developmental stage for this age group, so there was plenty to work on. It was found that despite the screen being very effective in the short term, it actually robbed the children, and their parents, of opportunities to learn to self-regulate and find their own coping strategies when stressed. This was particularly evident in young boys and those children who already had a tendency towards hyperactivity, impulsivity and a strong temper. It is obviously essential for the future health and happiness of children that they are able to manage their emotions, and therefore important for families to have effective approaches to help their child develop these skills.
Helpful advice
These are some suggestions that parents may find helpful to encourage their children manage their emotional rollercoasters without the use of screens:
The obvious first step for managing big emotions would be to try to prevent them in the first place. Counsel parents about children’s need for movement and exercise through-out the day (three hours of physical activity is recommended for this age group) as well as plenty of healthy protein-rich snacks to ward off the hypoglycaemic ‘hangry monsters’.
Encourage the parent to name the emotion they think their child is feeling, to show the child that they understand what the child is going through while the child gets introduced to the nuances of emotions and the fact that it is ‘just’ a feeling.
When the child is heading towards a moment, acknowledge the stress the child is feeling and suggest different types of sensory stimulation, such as hugging themselves tightly, listening to music, watching a lava-lamp or doing jumping jacks. The child will often have a preferred method of sensory input that will help them calm down.
Provide the child with an alternative to the negative behaviour which acknowledges what the child is feeling without risking anyone any harm. For example, if the child is hitting, explain to them they cannot hit a person, as it causes pain, but they may hit a pillow.
Young children may not understand the words used to describe what they are feeling. Parents may use colours to help facilitate understanding and communication (for example yellow for anxious, blues for bored, red for explosive and green for calm).
The tech challenge
As chiropractors this study is yet another reminder of how important it is to minimise screen time in young children. Screen use interferes with sleep, language development, behaviour control, attention, academic performance, neck curve development, motor development and the list goes on. Our challenge is to meet our families where they are at, to provide them with information, sensible support and ideas for alternatives, all the while respecting that they may not be as determined to minimise screen use as we are. We don’t want to scare people off, but they do need to hear the voice of reason.
Thanks for all the wonderful work that you do!
Dorte
REFERENCES:
Longitudinal Associations Between Use of Mobile Devices for Calming and Emotional Reactivity and Executive Functioning in Children Aged 3 to 5 Years
Jenny S. Radesky, JAMA Pediatr. 2023;177(1):62-70. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.4793
