KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the use of technology growing , parents and medical professionals are voicing concerns about the amount of time children are spending in front of the screen-- both at home and in school.
Last month, the World Health Organization released new recommendations for screen time and children. The guidelines suggest that children under the age of 2 have no screen time, while children ages two to four should have no more than an hour a day.
"There are neurological changes that happen in the brain based on the amount of screen time and the type of screen time individuals ingest," Stephen Lassen, a pediatric psychologist at the University of Kansas Health System, said.
Some research suggests that cognitive tasks become more difficult and that cognitive functions decline with more screen time.
While many of the existing research focuses on screen time involving social media and video games, not a lot of research focuses on screen time involving school work.
"If you look for medical literature or educational literature, there is nothing about school policies," Dr. Libby Milkovich, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician at Children's Mercy Hospital, said. "That's why there are no guidelines."
Milkovich is beginning a study to look at the effect of mobile-device policies in the metro.
Even though the American Association of Pediatrics has not announced a guideline for screen time at school, Milkovich suggested that schools should balance the technology with hands-on learning.
"There should be really clear-cut communication from the school to the home so the parents have of the amount of screen time [their kids] are having," she said.
A Digital Learning Task Force
School districts around the metro have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into technology for students.
These 1:1 technology initiatives provide every student with an iPad or Macbook. Students use the devices every day to do homework and complete assignments in-class.
"It is important that our kids are computer-literate," David Smith, spokesperson for the Shawnee Mission School District, said.
Back in November, five years after implementing its technology initiative, parents asked the school board to look at how district-owned devices were being used the classroom. Their concerns included excess screen time and inappropriate content.
In response, the district formed a Digital Learning Task force made up of 30 individuals, including parents, teachers and administrators.
"We are asking for a balanced approach to teaching and learning, and for appropriate boundaries to be set with the devices as far as what the kids can access and how much time they are going to be using them," Erica Frans, a mother of four who is also a member of the district's task force, said.
According to district documents, the task force will explore key areas and make a recommendation on policy and usage to the superintendent at the end of May. The areas of interest include communications, technology integration into teaching and learning, balanced use, student online safety and professional development.
"I would like to be able to go on the district website and know in kindergarten, I can expect this, in first grade, I can expect this," Gretchen Shanahan, a parent and member of the task force, said.
Both Shanahan and Frans expressed frustration with the task force.
"We really need to have a discussion about what is happening," Shanahan said.
Smith said the district would wait to comment on the work of the task force until recommendations are made.
He did, however, sit down with 41 Action News to explain why districts are investing in 1:1 initiatives.
"We are in a world where technology is ubiquitous. Part of it is helping our kids become successful in that world," he said. "It's not really an end in itself, but it's a critical tool for our kids to be successful in the 21st century."
Finding a Balance
According to medical professionals, it is critical for parents and schools to find a balance for screen time.
There is no bright-line rule for what qualifies as "too much" screen time.
"To the extent [screen time] disrupts sleep, that it gets in the way of completing school work, that it gets in the way of face-to-face interactions, then there is an issue that needs to be addressed," Lassen said.
Symptoms similar to addiction, including withdrawal from devices, is another sign that the issue should be addressed.
Another factor parents should consider is what type of screen time their child consumes. Educational screen time can be beneficial.
"Kids that use high-energy media, we know that they have more difficultly with executive functioning," Milkovich said. "That's things like planning and thought process. When you compare that to children who watch more of a PBS-type show, they don't have as significant of symptoms."
The best suggestion medical experts suggest is to have a conversation and be alert.
"We can expect this technology to be more and more part of our lives. I don't think we are going to see a backtrack of any of this. It's too much part of our lives," Lassen said.
