Wow! Things have sure changed since I was a kid or maybe it is that I notice it more now - since I am a mom. I remember only having 25 channels on cable and being so excited for the 1st Nintendo gaming system (Yes, I still have my wonderful “ghetto Nintendo”). I loved to play Duck Hunt! I remember always being outside when it was warm enough. I remember playing with my Barbie dolls for hours and my mom having to yell for me to come up for supper. I had (and still have) a great imagination but when I look at my son, Owen, who is six years old. I don’t see a child who will get to grow up like I did. I can try all I want but I know technology has already started to affect him. But weather it is good or bad is to be seen yet?
He is a wonderful, funny, bright little boy but he has the attention span of a squirrel. He is always on the go. He has ADHD and at times I wonder if that could have been stopped if I had limited his access to technology even more. I know that genetics is the main factor for the disorder but if there were other factors that played a part. He watched TV as a young toddler but for only an hour or so. He got his 1st Nintendo DS when he was 4 and recently received a Nintendo DSi. He also began using the computer when he was 3 yrs old. I limited his TV/Web time and still do today. We would play games on PBSkids.com because at least you knew he was playing a game that helped him learn. On the other side of things, he is a very fast learner and can find things on the web (with the parental locks on high) with no problems. He learns new words from PBSkids.com and tries to find them in his books. He loves to learn and wants to know everything (sometimes too much). I can see the web being a great asset to him as he grows older. I just hope it doesn't affect him negatively. The long-term affects of technology and ADHD are still being determined but there are some studies being done to see if they are linked.
Researchers who dismiss the technology-ADHD link point to the fact that
genetics plays a large role in the disorder. Kids with ADHD are more likely to have parents and siblings with the disorder. Scientists are finding that kids with ADHD have brains that are different from those of kids without the disorder. “People with ADHD have, by chance, ended up with combinations of genes that lower attention capacity,” says Chandan Vaidya, PhD, a cognitive neuroscientist and associate professor of psychology at Georgetown University. These combinations of genes influence neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine that regulate attention. An NIMH study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 2007 found that kids with ADHD who carry a particular version of the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene have thinner brain tissue in the areas of the brain associated with attention. However, the brain tissue and ADHD symptoms tended to improve as the children grew older.
Only time will tell if technology is a possible culprit for the current ADHD diagnoses which is on the rise.
I think you had a really great post. It’s really nice to see that you are able to incorporate personal experience into your blog by using your son, Owen. I really like your whole concept of your blog being about how technology affects children today. A topic I would suggest for you to do for a future post would be how children are being affected by online bullying. I think you could take a lot of different angles on that topic, and it would definitely be interesting to read about. However, I won’t be upset if you don’t use that idea, it’s a suggestion for a reason. I look forward to continue reading your posts. I think you have a great topic for your blog that will make posts easy and even fun to create. I am interested in hearing more stories about Owen as well on your blogging. Keep up your great blogging!
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting first blog post! The overall subject of your blog is great and this felt like an introduction to what you would be discussing further. The source that you have is a quality source and the block quote you used illustrated your point about ADHD and geneaology. However, linking the website in some text would make it appear more like a blog. You did a great job linking to ADHD symptoms though so maybe the website wouldn't let you link.
ReplyDeleteYour introduction paragraph captured my attention because I remember not having cable at all and I never had any gaming systems and I played outside a lot too. Your son is a great example to use but I wanted to know how hold he was. I know he's older than 4...
To improve your posts, I would suggest double checking spelling and adding more information to back up your personal experience. Another source from a medical website or an article about a study that was conducted in addition to the one you have.
I did like the personal touch that your writing had because it kept me reading but try to level it out with additional sources. Another good topic (Samantha's is great, though) is seeing if there is any research or current news about the necessity of children having cell phones so young or the sexting issue.
I love your topic. This topic really stuck out at me as something still relevant today; especially if technology use is on the rise.
ReplyDeleteAs Samantha said,I love how you wrote about your son. It shows you care about the subject and it helps add to your topic. It also gives you some credibility.
You did have some multi-media in there and it looked good. If you could find more out there, that would be good. I'm not sure if there are videos out there on any of your future topics, but it would really help you out.
Your source was good, but try to add more. I don't know if you're familiar with Huffingtonpost.com, but they have a good section about parenting and technology if you're looking for ideas or articles. Otherwise, newspapers, journals, established websites (what Elizabeth said was a perfect example) would be a wonderful addition to your blog.
For future posts, I would love to see something on whether parents have been using technology as a spring board to get to know their children or are limiting it in favor of family time. This topic has so much potential and your first post was very personal so keep up the good work.