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During an assessment, a grade one child stated she "sneaks" her tablet to bed at night to talk with her "new friends". When asked who these friends were, she responded "I'm not sure, but they say nice things to me and ask me lots of questions". A kindergartener who could speak of nothing other than video games, drew an elaborate grid of weapon and armour symbols, explaining how each one worked to "blow up" people. Incomprehensible and non-participatory in the classroom, this little boy brought his complex yet very organized virtual world to school where it ruled every thought and action. What was similar about both these children was that they both demonstrated global development delays adversely affecting their ability to pay attention, communicate, and learn, as well as showed little interest in interacting with other children. What was similar about both these children's parents was that they thought time spent on the internet was educational, and was posing no perceivable harm to their developing brains or bodies. The parents stated that when their children were inside using online devices they were safe, but when outside, were at risk of harm from either strangers, traffic, or wild animals. What does society do when parents are no longer capable of making reasonable decisions to keep their children safe? This article explores the risks parents take when they let their children spend long periods unsupervised on the internet, and suggests a variety of health, education and social government solutions for helping parents manage balance between technology and healthy activities.
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| Where is Cris? |
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Cris Rowan was invited to speak at a conference on impact of technology on children which was sponsored by City of Reykjavik in Iceland along side Dr. Lennart Hardell, professor of oncology and cancer epidemiology at the University Hospital in Orebro Sweden, Dr. Robert Morris, environmental epidemiologist and senior medical advisor to the Environmental Health Trust, and Dr. Tarmo Koppel professor at the Tallin University of Technology, Materials Science, Electromagnetism, and Health Economics in Estonia (among others). Cris had the opportunity to network with previously noted speakers on a day spent touring glaciers, geysers, waterfalls, and fault lines comprising the Golden Circle, resulting in a joint initiative to write Safe School Policy which includes removal of wireless radiation.
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| New Books |
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DC:0-5™ Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood
By ZERO TO THREE
DC:0-5™ has been developed to enhance the professional's ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat mental health problems by identifying and describing disorders that are specific to infants and young children, and are not well addressed in other classification systems.
Individuals across disciplines will find DC:0-5 to be an essential guide to evaluation and treatment planning in a wide range of settings.
Order the book at ZERO TO THREE
here
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Foundation Series Workshop Schedule
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April 5, 2017 - Gibsons, BC
Parent workshop sponsored by Gibsons Public Library in conjunction with Screenagers viewing.
April 21, 2017 - Vancouver, BC
Professional workshop at First Nations School Association conference on use of movement and nature to enhance child behavior, attention and learning.
April 21, 2017 - Vancouver, BC
Professional workshop at First Nations School Association conference on printing instruction and evaluation co-presenting with Madeline Price.
May 6, 2017 - Maple Ridge, BC
Parent, caregiver, and ECE workshop on the impact of technology on child development sponsored by Ridge Meadows Early Childhood Development Committee.
May 18, 2017 - Maple Ridge, BC
Service provider workshop on the impact of technology on child development sponsored by Ridge Meadows Early Childhood Development Committee.
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| Research and News Review |
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Childhood Development
By Jane E. Brody New York Times January 09, 2017
"Screens are stealing time that children and adolescents should be spending on physical activity and sports, reading, or creating and engaging directly with other children, all of which are critical to healthy physical and social development."
By Mary Kekatos January 24, 2017 U.K. - Daily Mail Online
Damage to the retinas - the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye - is the biggest cause of central blindness.
Published by U.K. - Deccan Chronicle January 08, 2017
"The report published in BMC Opthalmology revealed that children who spend more time on their phones have more symptoms of dry-eye disease. And when those children went without their phones for a whole month, their symptoms were reduced."
By Dr. Delaney Ruston, MD Screen-Free Parenting January 10, 2017
"The filmmaker, Delaney Ruston, suggests having regular conversations about technology in the home. She calls them "Tech Talk Tuesdays" and I agree with her that the many issues that can arise with screens merit multiple discussions. A simple contract or set of rules will do far less than analyzing the challenges together on a regular basis."
By Kate Murphy The New York Times January 09, 2017
"...the (attachment) theory's underlying assumption - that the quality of our early attachments profoundly influences how we behave as adults - has special resonance in an era when people seem more attached to their smartphones than to one another."
Reviewed by Mark Groshek, MD April 2016 Kaiser Permanente
A lot of kids spend more time in front of a screen than they do reading, talking with family and friends, or playing outside. It's also affecting their health.
By just a mom in mesquite April 3, 2011
Prisoners get more time outside than children in schools. Provides valuable information regarding need for recess and appropriate playground equipment to challenge children of all ages.
By Advance Staff January 5, 2017
OTs at Thomas Jefferson University are hard at work deciphering the puzzle of autism.
By Erik Pepper February 11, 2017
Healthy movement and diet is the new aging. It offers significant hope for maintaining and improving physical fitness and health as we age.
By Mortazavi, S.M., Mortazavi, S.A., Paknahad, M. U.S. National Library Of Medicine | National Institute Of Health December 03, 2016
By Science Daily, source Aarhus University December 21, 2016
The relationship of sound environments with mood and emotions is highly variable across individuals, research shows.
Social Media, Internet & Mobile Technology
By Dr. James Dobson November 17, 2016
"The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that one in seven children ages ten to seventeen who use the Internet have been sexually solicited online-and 34 percent of them were unwillingly exposed to images of nudity."
By Science Daily, source Kings College London January 23, 2017
Online media use such as social networking and gaming could be strongly influenced by our genes, according to a new study by researchers from King's College London.
American Psychological Association February 23, 2017
A decade after the emergence of smartphones, Facebook and Twitter, more than four out of five adults in the U.S. report that they constantly or often check their email, texts and social media accounts, resulting in higher stress levels for these Americans.
By M Wyde, M Cesta, C Blystone, S Elmore et al June 23, 2016 doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/055699
The National Toxicology Program has been conducting experiments in rats and mice on potential health hazards from cell phone radiofrequency radiation. NTP released a report on some important study findings on May 27, 2016.
Video Games & Pornography
By Clive Thompson February 22, 2017 Wired Business
Will there be a new way for the working class of the future to earn a paycheck? Sure. Playing videogames.
Based on article by Melinda Tankard Reist April 1, 2016
In a 2016 survey report, entitled Don't send me that pic, participants reported that online sexual abuse and harassment were becoming a normal part of their everyday interactions.
By Whistler Blackcomb September 27, 2016
Wonderful perspective about living life, playing and sports, and moderating the use of tech for adults and youth.
By Sofo Archon
The brilliant short animated 5 minute video will explain to you why drugs don't actually cause addiction, changing your view on drugs forever. The opposite of addiction, is connection.
By Ruben Castaneda February 1, 2017
Planning ahead and developing a support network are key.
Link published by IITAP January 31, 2017
For a list of studies and reviews demonstrating parallels between compulsive sexual behavior and the addiction model click
here.
By Dattatreya Namdeorao Mendhekar, Andrade C. Chittaranjan First published February 21, 2012 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2011.02306.x
Documentation of what may be the second case on record of a transient psychotic state occurring during Internet withdrawal in an adolescent subject.
By Ahyoung Paik, Daeyoung Oh and Daeho Kim Published online 2014 Apr 11. doi: 10.4306/pi.2014.11.2.207
Report of a case of a patient with withdrawal psychosis who showed persecutory delusion and disorganized behaviors in addition to common withdrawal symptoms such as agitation and irritability.
By Jon Hernandez CBC News February 3, 2017
Government sponsored 'natural highs' have significantly reduced drinking and drug use in Icelandic teens
Education Technology
By Katie Singer February 7, 2017
This paper aims to encourage discussion about safer, more responsible use of technology in educational settings.
Crazy things seem to happen to a tween's brain the first day they walk into middle school.
Wireless Radiation
Published by BioElectric Shield
48% of people ages 16-34 report using their cell phone as an alarm clock, and most aren't aware of the dangers the electromagnetic field frequencies (EMFs) produced by phones can pose to their health.
Posted on January 24, 2017
Monthly newsletter from An Electronic Silent Spring who explores What is EMR? (Electromagnetic radiation emitted by wireless technologies like cell phones, cell towers, cordless DECT phones, Wi-Fi, smart meters.)
By Belyaev, I., Dean, A., Eger, H., et al. July 25, 2016
A comprehensive paper addressing EMF-related health problems and illnesses is now available. It may be presented to medical doctors, offering an introduction and confirmation of EMF-related symptoms and illnesses that are now impacting children, especially those in wireless classrooms.
By Alison Main PaleoMagOnline.com February / March 2017
How wireless tech is harming our youth and what parents can do right now.
Published in Military News January 14, 2017
1 Million Project Pilot Participants In 11 Cities To Provide Free Wireless Devices and Service To Students.
Published by Stralskyddsstiftelsen - Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation January 20, 2017
"The number of people diagnosed with tumors of the central nervous system (CNS, including brain tumors) in Denmark has more than doubled since 1990 according to new statistics and the largest increase has been in the last 10 years until 2015. Among young people aged 0-39 years, tumors in the CNS are the type of cancer that has increased the most."
By Maria Fiorentino, et al. January 18, 2017 Journal (2016). DOI: 10.1186/s13229-016-0110-z)
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Zone'in Programs
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Sedentary, neglected, isolated, and overstimulated, the new millennium child can no longer pay attention and learn. Zone'in Programs are designed by an occupational therapist to enhance child development and learning, ensuring successful futures.
Zone'in
- enhancing attention, learning and self-regulation.
Move'in
- teaches children to print, the foundation for literacy.
Unplug'in
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builds skill and confidence in activities other than technology.
Live'in
- media literacy guide for home, school and community.
Virtual Child - The terrifying truth about what technology is doing to children
By Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist.
Virtual Child
documents the impact technology has had on the developing child, and proposes tools and techniques to manage balance between activities children need for growth and success with technology use.
BUY NOW ON Amazon.com
About the Author
Cris Rowan is a pediatric occupational therapist committed to enhancing child health and academic performance. Well known activist, speaker, sensory specialist and author, Cris is the "Go To" expert on child learning, development and technology overuse. Cris has provided over 200 workshops for health and education professionals, and is currently developing the Creating Sustainable Futures Program for a First Nations Community.
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Training & Consultation
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Instructor training for Foundation Series Workshops places pediatric occupational therapists on the cutting edge as experts in the field of technology's impact on child development.
Zone'in Training
Consultation
Innovative team-based approach to manage balance between activities children need to grow and succeed with technology use.
Cris Rowan is now offering private phone/Skype consultations.
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Care to Donate?
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Zone'in Programs Inc. and Cris Rowan are seeking your support and assistance to ensure sustainable and productive futures for our children. Find out more about how you can help us!
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Contact Us
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6840 Seaview Rd. Sechelt BC V0N3A4
Tel: 1-888-896-6346
Fax: 1-877-896-6346
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© Zone'in Programs Inc. 2017
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