INTERVIEW. Screens in children: a psychologist explains the impacts of the telephone on the youngest

Une psychologue donne ses conseils. ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH. – Onur Binay

Sophie Baudoin is a child psychologist in Hérault. The creator of "Backpack" regularly meets very connected young people. She warns about the behaviors to adopt so that the cell phone does not disrupt their development.

What are the impacts of the telephone on the development of the child ?

They will have problems concentrating, they will be completely absorbed. Screens are dopamine shots that will saturate the reward system. The more he has, the more they will want. If we put a child in front of the TV for a quarter of an hour in the morning, we will exhaust all of his intentional resources for the morning. A child exposed to this type of stimulation will be less aware of his bodily sensations. nbsp;: he will eat less than he is hungry, or more, or he will forget to eat. There are children who forget to drink, or forget to go to the toilet. And during this time, he is not making an effort at language or socialization. For example, there is nothing more stimulating for a child than learning with their hands. While we are playing a video game, we are not socializing, we are passive. Minecraft will never replace a Lego game.

This impact will depend on the age of the child ?

It will have an impact throughout development, and brain maturity stops around the age of 25. If we saturate the child's attention, he will have more learning difficulties.

Can the use of screens affect language?

Language development lasts a lifetime. However, vocabulary, if it is not stimulated, it is lost. If we do not stimulate language and do not expose the child to a sustained, or at least fluent, register, he or she loses the habit. On social networks, we do not speak, we do not search for words, we do not develop language, we do not maintain a sufficiently developed stock of vocabulary in the brain. Now there are also what we call "vocal", then we end up with children who don’not even write anymore. Digital technology will never replace learning with an adult , among other children, through direct contact.

And about anxiety?

The telephone can be a means of avoidance for children who tend to be anxious. In a waiting room, in a means of transport… hellip; It will be a way of not talking to others. And the more he avoids, the more he will maintain his habit. Because yes, talking to others is scary. The less we train in this area, the less we will have the language to go there.

Do parents encounter difficulties directly related to the telephone?

Generally, parents don't come to me blaming the phone. But very often, beyond the disorders for which they consult, there is a suspicion linked to screens. We should not make generalizations, but rather ask questions. Behavioral problems, a child who will be oppositional, who lacks concentration at school, who has eating disorders, a sedentary lifestyle, a lack of vocabulary… We are going to ask the question of the cell phone. Before going for a diagnosis, it is good to take stock of your lifestyle habits. Even if screens do not cause problems on their own, they can be among the risk factors.

What are the beneficial effects of using a cell phone?

This may have had beneficial effects for young people who were completely socially isolated during confinement. Only children for example, who had no one to play with, discuss what they were doing in class…hellip; It all depends on the content and the setting. If we write to each other between teenagers to say: “We're going to find ourselves in such and such a place, on such and such a day”, it’ ;rsquo;is good. Because it has a connection with real life. If it’s to talk about content viewed on social networks, video games… We don't go beyond the virtual world and it's better to meet in real life to talk about it. The more they are connected virtually, the more they are disconnected from reality.

How to properly manage the arrival of the cell phone at home ?

Children, if we impose a ban on them without explaining to them why: they go. However, you can limit the content and time of use. It is also necessary to monitor the child's social contacts: messages, potential harassment, must be monitored. To ensure that your child is not in danger, that he is not harassed, but also if he represents a danger, if he is a harasser. And always communicate well.