There’s no escaping the pervasiveness of social media. From Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, to all the gaming sites, virtual worlds and blogs, the digital world impacts our children – and they in turn leave their own digital footprints on it.
Out of this, as with most technology, comes the good with the bad. Obesity, cyber bullying, sexting, Facebook depression, exposure to inappropriate material, and body issues have all been cited by pediatricians as some of the negative consequences of the use and abuse of social media.
“I have had teens mention they were bullied through Facebook,” said Dr. Kathryn McQuillan, a pediatrician at The Corvallis Clinic. “One of them was able to work with the Facebook organization to get the bully’s Facebook privileges removed.”
Negative interactions like cyberbullying and harassment can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicide said McQuillan and fellow Clinic pediatrician Dr.Veneta Vanguelova, both parents of young children.
They also say social media can promote an unhealthy obsession of body image, of striving to be perfectly thin. “With all the online encouragement girls get to lose weight, they can develop eating disorders,” Vanguelova said. Males are susceptible as well, she said. “Boys might purchase protein shakes with inappropriate levels of testosterone in them for the purpose of losing weight, which may lead to eating disorders and behavioural issues.”
“I have also had anorexic teens mention websites that actually encourage eating disorders,” McQuillan said.
But there are plenty of healthy reasons to connect online. “It can be a great way for teens to connect if used carefully,” McQuillan said. “It could offer a platform for support groups for kids with depression or other medical problems.”
“It helps one stay connected with friends and family,” Vanguelova said, “and provides new ways to access information, and promote learning and exposure to new cultures.”
Social media can also foster community engagement in children by getting them involved in charity drives, political events and volunteer work.
Advice for Parents
So, how can parents help accent the positive when it comes to social media? Both pediatricians stress the idea of being attentive.
“Listen to your children and the things they talk about and are excited about,” Vanguelova said. “For young children, make sure that the content is appropriate. For older children, always have a conversation with them, especially about the things that are of interest to them.”
“I think it is really important for parents to set limits both on the amount of time their children are spending online and also on what their children can access online,” McQuillan said. “Try to keep an open line of communication about what your child is doing online. Be involved and aware.”
They urge parents to check the websites, videogames and social media if uncertain of their content.
They say to make time to talk as a family and suggest parental-lock software to prevent access to inappropriate content.
And these parents also walk the talk when it comes to their own children.
“Our family does not have a TV running in the background all the time,” Vanguelova said, “and for the most part internet sites are visited away from my child, with no participation from him. As he gets older, we would have to be very conscious of what he sees, and how we behave with electronics and internet access around him.”
“Screen time is very limited at our house,” McQuillan said. “Our 5-year-old is already enthralled by everything electronic. We have to watch over his shoulder while he Googles interesting topics to make sure nothing inappropriate pops up. I am sure this will be even more challenging as he and our other kids get older, but hopefully setting expectations and encouraging other fun non-electronic activities at an early age will help going forward.”
To schedule with Dr. McQuillan or Dr. Vanguelova, contact Find-a-Physician.
