How does video games affect kids

Too much video game can lead to poor social skills, time away from family, school work and other hobbies, lower grades, reading less, exercising less, becoming overweight, and having aggressive thoughts and behaviors. I can say that I have definitely seen and heard from parents that decrease grades and increase weight have been directly correlated to kids staying inside and playing video games over the past year.

So how can you, as a parent, protect your child against these types of video games? First, you can check the Entertainment Software Rating Board ratings to learn about the game's content. Every video game will actually have a label on the front to tell you what type of game it is.

If it says M for mature, it's not for your child. Our kids have their system set up so they can't purchase a game, even if it's free, without me getting a notification. They're usually pretty good about saying, "Hey Mom, can I get this game so I can play with my friends?

We also have it set up in the living room so I know exactly how much time they're playing, what they're playing, and who they're playing with if it's on a group chat. You can also play the video games with your child to experience the game's content and know exactly what your child is playing.

Set clear rules about the game's content for both playing time in and outside of your home. Like if they go to a friend's house. Strongly warn your children about the potential serious dangers of Internet contacts and relationships while playing online. It's sad, but there are a lot of online predators that will look for children specifically playing video games and can lead them into them meeting in real life.

Finally, remember that you are a role model for your child. Make sure the video games you play as an adult are ones you would be okay with your child playing. When playing video games, Dr. Westers recommends parents talk about what's happening in the game and separate it from reality.

Remind your child about your values as a family, and say clearly what type of behavior is absolutely off limits in real-life. Treat video games as you would any other media, and take the opportunity to talk about certain situations and lessons that can be applied, including how you feel when you win or lose.

This relationship helps children learn how to regulate their emotions and apply them to everyday life, and it helps make them more receptive when parents do express their concerns. Westers explains. Parents know their children best. Westers encourages parents to talk with their family if they become concerned about video game use or behavior, and look for the following concerns that could become red flags:.

Try to talk with your child to see if you can get to the bottom of what's bothering him or her. And if you are still concerned, connect with your child's doctor or a mental health specialist. Parents can also watch for early signs of video game addiction if they are concerned their child is playing too frequently and it is affecting their behavior. It's important to encourage healthy video game habits in kids. An expert from Childrens suggests establishing rules about usage and parental involvement to foster healthy gaming behavior.

If you become concerned about your child's behavior or feelings of aggression, loneliness, depression or anxiety, Children's Health psychologists and psychiatrists are here to help. Learn more about programs we offer to support mental, emotional and behavioral health.

Stay current on the health insights that make a difference to your children. Sign up for the Children's Health newsletter and have more tips sent directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now. Prefer email? Sign-up for our email newsletter. He built empires, led raids, and submerged himself in a fantasy world that seemingly fulfilled his every need. Meanwhile, his real life was virtually nonexistent. He neglected his schoolwork, relationships, health, even his hygiene.

I gained weight, became lazy, and spent nearly all of my time slumped over my computer," says Rosner, who played up to 18 hours a day, every day, for nearly two years. Rosner nearly threw away a university degree in pursuit of the game. According to a study by the NPD Group, a global market research firm, his gaming obsession isn't unique. Nine out of 10 children play video games. That's 64 million kids—and some of them hit the keyboard or smartphone before they can even string together a sentence.

The problem: many researchers believe that excessive gaming before age 21 or 22 can physically rewire the brain. Researchers in China, for example, performed magnetic resonance imaging MRI studies on the brains of 18 college students who spent an average of 10 hours a day online, primarily playing games like World of Warcraft.

Compared with a control group who spent less than two hours a day online, gamers had less gray matter the thinking part of the brain. As far back as the early s, scientists warned that because video games only stimulate brain regions that control vision and movement, other parts of the mind responsible for behavior, emotion, and learning could become underdeveloped.

A study published in the scientific journal Nature in showed that playing video games releases the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine. The amount of dopamine released while playing video games was similar to what is seen after intravenous injection of the stimulant drugs amphetamine or methylphenidate.

Yet despite mounting evidence about the cognitive, behavioral, and neurochemical impact of gaming, the concept of game addiction online or not is difficult to define. Some researchers say that it is a distinct psychiatric disorder, while others believe it may be part of another psychiatric disorder. Still, experts agree gaming has addictive qualities. The human brain is wired to crave instant gratification, fast pace, and unpredictability.

All three are satisfied in video games. That gives gamers a rush—but only temporarily, he explains. With all that extra dopamine lurking around, the brain gets the message to produce less of this critical neurotransmitter.

The end result: players can end up with a diminished supply of dopamine. Take a game like that away from addicted adolescents and they often show behavioral problems, withdrawal symptoms, even aggression, according to Dr. But not all gaming is bad. Video games can help the brain in a number of ways, such as enhanced visual perception, improved ability to switch between tasks, and better information processing.

Video games are designed with a reward structure that's completely unpredictable.