Studies Many children only withstand 30 minutes without a cell phone

Children and adolescents depend too much on the computer. This was shown by various surveys in recent years. According to a new study, many of them are actually addicted: half an hour without a mobile phone is already a challenge for the majority of the little ones.

Many children only last half an hour without a smartphone
A quick lunch is just around the corner: for almost half an hour, most of the children can not afford to look at their smartphone or computer. But then it's over. After about 30 minutes, 60 percent of nine- to ten-year-olds are attracted to one of the digital media. This has resulted in a study of the project "Blikk-Medien" (Coping-Learning-Behavior-Intelligence-Diseases-Children), as reported by "welt.de". The project was developed by the Institute for Medical Economics and Medical Care Research of the RFH Cologne (iMöV) and the Professional Association of Paediatricians (BVKJ). So far, the consequences of excessive media consumption have not been researched scientifically, pediatricians complain.

Many young people are downright dependent on mobile phone use. Image: bramgino - fotolia

Health effects of excessive media consumption
The Federal Government Drugs Commissioner, Marlene Mortler (CSU) commented: "Many young people are already showing signs of media dependency." She continued, "It is therefore right to encourage children and their parents to use media responsibly at an early age." Dependencies are prevented. The question of the health effects of excessive media use is "one of the most important for paediatricians". Earlier research has shown that many children and adolescents, for example, suffer from headaches or back pain caused by prolonged on-screen exposure. In addition, social isolation threatens. For example, a study conducted by the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine at the University Medical Center Mainz has shown that young people get lonely through the internet if they spend too much time on the internet, for example with social networks or online games.

Half a million citizens are internet dependent
Even in preschool age, some girls and boys would have access to smartphones and be on the Internet, according to the current study. Many of the over twelve-year-olds are therefore almost constantly busy with cell phones and laptops. According to the Federal Government Drugs and Addiction Report, more than half a million 14- to 64-year-olds are considered internet-dependent. So far, it is hardly investigated what consequences this has in the long term. Internet addiction has not yet been recognized as a behavioral addiction by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an independent disease. For years, doctors and therapists have been pushing for recognition.

Nationwide questionnaire campaign planned
The Association of Paediatricians now plans a nationwide questionnaire campaign in pediatric practices. The association president Wolfram Hartmann complained in the Berlin "Tagesspiegel" that one does not get support for it. Neither from the health department nor from the family ministry. According to the current Blikk study, parents also see themselves as role models in nutrition, but only to a limited extent when dealing with digital media. In addition, many mothers and fathers believe that nine- to ten-year activities such as reading would be neglected. (Ad)