I grew up in an era where video games did not really exist until I was in elementary and more so in middle school. I remember when we first got an Atari with games like Asteroids, Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Missile Command, and Donkey Kong. What children have access to is very different today as compared to when I was growing up. So too has our knowledge and research on how screens change the developing brain.
I wanted to provide some resources as I often have parents asking me about the impact of their kids watching video games and screen time in general. I have included some links below that looks at the research and brain scans for gaming and its similarity to individuals that are addicted to drugs. It is really about dopamine seeking and so many things in our lives can become addictive. I have also included some additional articles that I included on a previous blog titled, Screen Time Appears to Impact Children’s Brains.
Gaming
How do Video Games Affect the Developing Brains of Children – Brain and Life
Are Video Games and Screens Another Addiction? – Mayo Clinic
Video Game Brain MRI Shows Similar Results for Gaming, Drug Addicts – Health Imaging
Can You Really Be Addicted to Video Games? – NY Times
Screen Time and Development
Heavy Screen Time Appears to Impact Children’s Brains
Here Are 5 Ways Digital Technology is Changing Childhood
