Mental Health

Is my son addicted to Wikipedia?
Is my son addicted to Wikipedia? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 16 year-old spends several hours a day on Wikipedia, reading and editing entries. I’ve searched for scientific papers specifically on Wikipedia habits, but all I find are articles on internet addiction. Should I be concerned? What can I do?
A: A: First of all, your web searches may have been pointing you to the right articles: Even if it seems like an inappropriate term to categorize your son’s behavior, internet addiction refers to unhealthy patterns of internet use…
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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Is it OK to watch the “It Gets Better” videos with kids?
Is it OK to watch the “It Gets Better” videos with kids? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: The It Gets Better videos are so powerful, but would my child be too young to understand them and just get upset?
A: The It Gets Better series is very good and should be commended for what it is: A well-intentioned initiative by adults about an important matter that needs to be addressed in a very public forum. The issue here, though, is that the brain development of child viewers is not yet as complete as that of the grown-ups producing these videos.
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

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Can reducing screen time help kids with attention disorders?
Can reducing screen time help kids with attention disorders? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: We have taken away screen media from our son’s daily routine and it seems to be helping with his hyperactivity. Do you think we should continue with this?
Answered by Dr Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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Are attention disorders connected to technology addiction?
Are attention disorders connected to technology addiction? 150 150 Mediatrics

  Q:  Are impulsive children, or children with ADHD, more likely to develop technology addictions? –Answers about ADHD in San Francisco, CA A: Dear Answers, This is a tricky subject for a very basic reason: Although diagnosed and treated as a serious problem in Asia and Europe, technology addiction, also known as video or internet addiction,…

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My daughter feels left out because she doesn’t use the media her friends use–what do I do?
My daughter feels left out because she doesn’t use the media her friends use–what do I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My children know it is not right to watch, play, or listen to things that are not for their ages, and they understand why, as we have explained to them. But their friends tend to walk away from them because of this. For instance, my 12-year-old daughter was asked by her friends to dance…

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Could vampire fiction be contributing to my daughter’s anxiety?
Could vampire fiction be contributing to my daughter’s anxiety? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My daughter is in junior high, and lately she’s become more needy, more stressed, more fearful and will no longer go upstairs alone. Could it be related to the vampire books she is reading? Answered by The Mediatrician®

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Does playing the blues cause the blues?
Does playing the blues cause the blues? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Our14-year-old son is a talented and dedicated musician who mostly plays the Blues – should we be worried about his happiness?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

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