Dr. Swatzyna recently wrote an article about how video gaming can affect a child’s developing brain titled, Is Excessive Video Gaming Harmful to Your Child’s Brain? She writes:
“Studies suggest that excessive video gaming can have lasting and serious effects, especially in young maturing brains.”
This is more specifically true for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD) he reports. It is found that the increase in adrenaline while playing a game can actually inhibit the higher thinking and decision making part of our brains and suppress blood flow to the frontal lobes. The increase in dopamine can also cause a person to continue to play to maintain that “pleasurable” feeling. To read the entire article and to see the warning signs that your child might be playing too many video games, please click the link below.
