My nine year old son plays his video games constantly. He rather play his video games then go
outside and play with friends. If I tell
him to stop, he gets really upset. I am
afraid that it is becoming an obsession.
I don’t know if I am overacting or not.
Is there a problem with children playing too many video games?
“Worried about Video Addiction”
Dear “Worried about Video Addiction”,
Your concern is quite common. I come across a lot of children, especially
boys who seem excessively interested in video games. Many parents complain that playing video
games consume all of their time and limits their interest in other
activities. Our world has become so
dominated with electronics that it doesn’t surprise me that children choose to
play video games instead of playing outside.
Video gaming has become such an issue that the editors of
the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM-5) proposed the addition of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as an official
diagnosis. There was controversy over
the plan and as a result the addition of Internet Gaming Disorder was added to
the section on “Conditions for Further Study”.
So it seems that excessive video gaming goes beyond the issue of parental
concern and more research needs to be done regarding this behavior.
Internet Gaming Disorder is characterized by persistent and
recurrent use of the internet to engage in games leading to clinically
significant impairment or distress.
Children at risk seem preoccupied with the games, experience withdrawal symptoms
when the game is taken away, experience loss of interest in previous hobbies,
use games to escape or relieve a negative mood and deceive others
regarding the amount of time they spend playing videos. International studies show that heavy users
tend to play 20 to 30 hours and sometimes more than 40 hours per week(1). Most video gamers are male and often play
well into their twenties. These young
adults often jeopardize their relationships with significant others, or lose
educational and job opportunities because of their game playing.
In one study of 1,178 U.S. school aged children; pathologic
gamers were more likely to have attention problems in school, involvement in
physical altercations, and health problems worsened by gaming, including
extremity pain(2). In addition, children
that excessively play video games have a greater likelihood of having Attention
Deficit Disorder. Excessive gaming has
also been linked to sleep problems.
Adolescents experience lower-quality sleep, have problems achieving deep
levels of restorative sleep, and take a longer time to fall asleep(3).
There has been much debate in the media regarding the
relationship between violent video games and violent behavior in children. Studies have shown a positive relation
between violent video game play and aggressive thoughts and behaviors,
delinquency and lack of empathy towards others(4,5). Some may argue that children with these
attributes are attracted to the video games and it is not the video games that
causes the child to become violent.
Clearly more research needs to be done in this area. Since some of the most popular video games
that children play are rated M, it is important for parents to become aware of
the rating system and monitor the games that they are playing. Rated M games contain mature content which
may include intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and strong
language. Exposure to these topics is
not intended for children under 17 years old.
Being that your child is only nine years old, it seems that
the problem has not become out of control.
It is a good idea to monitor your child and understandable that you are concerned about
the negative implications of excessive gaming.
You did not mention how often your child plays video games or if the
gaming interferes with his relationships or school work. If the gaming interferes with your
child’s sleep, school performance or family life it would be a good idea to
discuss this with your Pediatrician or Nurse Practitioner.
According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, screen time should be limited to 2 hours per day. Simple
measures to assist parents in curtailing video gaming include removing gaming
devices from your child’s bedroom, not allowing your child to play games until
homework and chores are finished and using a timer to limit the time
playing. Removing the game from the
child’s bedroom will prevent the child from sneaking to play games, keep the
child from being tempted to stay up too late at night and will decrease the
exposure to light during bedtime which may interfere with sleep.
In order to encourage outside play and socialization with
other children parents may consider signing up their child for extracurricular
activities such as sports, school clubs or musical instrument training. Parents can set up a system that allows the
child to earn hours playing the video game, by collecting points for engaging
in outside activities or exercise. Some parents may
perceive this idea as being too controlling, but in some cases it is necessary
if children can’t seem to control their time away from the screen on their
own. In addition, it gives children the
message that the balance of many activities is healthy, human contact is enriching,
and time management is essential for success.
Most importantly, children
learn by what they see, not necessarily simply by what they are told. Many times I observed parents give their
child a video game when they are misbehaving in order to keep them quiet. In essence, what they are showing their
children is that an electronic game is necessary to keep them busy and quiet. Although, this may seem like the only option
at the time, the message may not be beneficial, especially for children who
already have an issue with impulse control or socializing with others. One option is to play verbal word games (21
questions, Eye Spy) with your child in situations when they need to stay
focused or quiet. Being a role model
will help your child understand the importance of balance. If a child sees their parents spend an
exorbitant amount of time on the computer, not socially connected to others and little time outdoors exercising, they
will likely follow their example. A
family trip free from electronics, or an electronic free day visiting friends
or family may be a good way to teach your child the importance of human contact
and face to face communication.
Resources:
(1)Knapp S, Swager L, Nield L. Consultant for
Pediatrics. Game Over: Helping a Teenager Quit a Video Game
Addiction. 2014. June:266-268.
(2)Haagsma M, Pieterse M, Peters O. The Prevalence of Problematic Video Gamers in
the Netherlands. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw.
2012:15(3):162-168.
(3)King D, Gradisar M, Drummond A, et al. The Impact of Prolonged Violent Video-gaming
on Adolescent Sleep: an Experimental Study. J Sleep Res. 2013:22(2)137-143.
(4)Anderson
C, Dill K, Video Games and Aggressive
Thoughts, Feelings and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life. J Pers Soc PSychol. 2000;78(4):772-790.
(5)Anderson
C, Shibuya A, Ihori N, et al. Violent
Video Game Effects on Aggression, Empathy and Prosocial Behavior in Eastern and
Western Countries: a meta-analytic review.
Psychol Bull. 2010;136(2):151-173.
Lisa-ann Kelly R.N., P.N.P.,C. Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
