Close
Enter your
text here

Video Games

Does my 7-year-old grandson play too many computer games with his dad?
 Does my 7-year-old grandson play too many computer games with his dad? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 7-year-old grandson comes home from visits with his dad talking non-stop about a computer game marked for ages 10+ that they play together. What would be a good amount of time for him to be allowed to play a game like this, and can it cause him to become addicted?

read more
Kids use media for almost 8 hours a day — Now what?
 Kids use media for almost 8 hours a day — Now what? 150 150 Mediatrics

Yesterday the Kaiser Family Foundation released a report detailing just how much media kids are using. Dr. Michael Rich, The MediatricianSM, was interviewed on NBC Nightly News, and the Center on Media and Child Health sent out the following in email to parents today.

read more
Is it okay that my 11-year-old son is obsessed with driving video games?
 Is it okay that my 11-year-old son is obsessed with driving video games? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 11-year-old son is obsessed with Formula 1 driving video games. Is this okay? What might be the potential dangers be?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

read more
Response to controversy over violent video game answer
 Response to controversy over violent video game answer 150 150 Mediatrics

Recently, I answered a question from a mother asking whether she should purchase the video game Call of Duty for her son. When the answer was featured on Thrive, the Children’s Hospital Boston blog, it ignited controversy and spurred many gamers to comment. Here is my response.

read more
Is playing violent video games a healthy way to deal with tragedy?
 Is playing violent video games a healthy way to deal with tragedy? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My nephew and niece’s mother died due to a tragic accident. She was shot by her 13-year-old son. How can I tell if they are dealing with this tragedy in a healthy way? He continues to play violent video games with graphic shooting and killing people. Is this normal behavior?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

read more
My son wants Call of Duty, but how do these video games impact teen boys?
 My son wants Call of Duty, but how do these video games impact teen boys? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: All my son wants is the videogame Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. How do these games impact teen boys? Are there any positive impacts? What’s a parent to do?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

read more
My whole family enjoys Guitar Hero, but I’m concerned about the lyrics – what should I do?
 My whole family enjoys Guitar Hero, but I’m concerned about the lyrics – what should I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: We’re having a lot of fun playing Guitar Hero as a family, but I’m concerned about the lyrics in many of the songs. Do you have any ideas for optimizing the benefits of playing together while minimizing the negatives?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

read more
Are any computer games okay for my 7 year old?
 Are any computer games okay for my 7 year old? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Are there any good computer games for my 7 year old daughter?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

read more
Aren’t the lessons in violent or sexual media damaging regardless of how graphic they are?
 Aren’t the lessons in violent or sexual media damaging regardless of how graphic they are? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 10 & 12-year-old children want to go to PG-13 and R rated movies with their friends, but I don’t think the sexual innuendo and violence “goes over their heads” – does it?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

read more
Can you tell me more about the recommended 1 hour media limit?
 Can you tell me more about the recommended 1 hour media limit? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: When we hear that children should not be exposed to more than 1 hour of screen time per day, does that mean that all media are created equal? For example, are watching a movie, watching an age-appropriate TV show, and playing an interactive children’s website game all the same? What are the concerns about and benefits of each?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, the Mediatrician

read more