What the NYTimes Says May Be Damaging Children

[[RVN] 6raVIty]

.... Text messaging.

 

Original article found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/health/26teen.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss

 

Some thoughts on this were shared a few weeks back in Goat's phone bill thread... anyone think this is all hype?

 

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They do it late at night when their parents are asleep. They do it in restaurants and while crossing busy streets. They do it in the classroom with their hands behind their back. They do it so much their thumbs hurt.

 

Spurred by the unlimited texting plans offered by carriers like AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless, American teenagers sent and received an average of 2,272 text messages per month in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to the Nielsen Company — almost 80 messages a day, more than double the average of a year earlier.

 

The phenomenon is beginning to worry physicians and psychologists, who say it is leading to anxiety, distraction in school, falling grades, repetitive stress injury and sleep deprivation.

 

Dr. Martin Joffe, a pediatrician in Greenbrae, Calif., recently surveyed students at two local high schools and said he found that many were routinely sending hundreds of texts every day.

 

“That’s one every few minutes,†he said. “Then you hear that these kids are responding to texts late at night. That’s going to cause sleep issues in an age group that’s already plagued with sleep issues.â€

 

The rise in texting is too recent to have produced any conclusive data on health effects. But Sherry Turkle, a psychologist who is director of the Initiative on Technology and Self at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and who has studied texting among teenagers in the Boston area for three years, said it might be causing a shift in the way adolescents develop.

 

“Among the jobs of adolescence are to separate from your parents, and to find the peace and quiet to become the person you decide you want to be,†she said. “Texting hits directly at both those jobs.â€

 

Psychologists expect to see teenagers break free from their parents as they grow into autonomous adults, Professor Turkle went on, “but if technology makes something like staying in touch very, very easy, that’s harder to do; now you have adolescents who are texting their mothers 15 times a day, asking things like, ‘Should I get the red shoes or the blue shoes?’ â€

 

As for peace and quiet, she said, “if something next to you is vibrating every couple of minutes, it makes it very difficult to be in that state of mind.

 

“If you’re being deluged by constant communication, the pressure to answer immediately is quite high,†she added. “So if you’re in the middle of a thought, forget it.â€

 

Michael Hausauer, a psychotherapist in Oakland, Calif., said teenagers had a “terrific interest in knowing what’s going on in the lives of their peers, coupled with a terrific anxiety about being out of the loop.†For that reason, he said, the rapid rise in texting has potential for great benefit and great harm.

 

“Texting can be an enormous tool,†he said. “It offers companionship and the promise of connectedness. At the same time, texting can make a youngster feel frightened and overly exposed.â€

 

Texting may also be taking a toll on teenagers’ thumbs. Annie Wagner, 15, a ninth-grade honor student in Bethesda, Md., used to text on her tiny LG phone as fast as she typed on a regular keyboard. A few months ago, she noticed a painful cramping in her thumbs. (Lately, she has been using the iPhone she got for her 15th birthday, and she says texting is slower and less painful.)

 

Peter W. Johnson, an associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington, said it was too early to tell whether this kind of stress is damaging. But he added,

 

“Based on our experiences with computer users, we know intensive repetitive use of the upper extremities can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, so we have some reason to be concerned that too much texting could lead to temporary or permanent damage to the thumbs.â€

 

Annie said that although her school, like most, forbids cellphone use in class, with the LG phone she could text by putting it under her coat or desk.

 

Her classmate Ari Kapner said, “You pretend you’re getting something out of your backpack.â€

 

Teachers are often oblivious. “It’s a huge issue, and it’s rampant,†said Deborah Yager, a high school chemistry teacher in Castro Valley, Calif. Ms. Yager recently gave an anonymous survey to 50 of her students; most said they texted during class.

 

“I can’t tell when it’s happening, and there’s nothing we can do about it,†she said. “And I’m not going to take the time every day to try to police it.â€

 

Dr. Joffe says parents tend to be far less aware of texting than of, say, video game playing or general computer use, and the unlimited plans often mean that parents stop paying attention to billing details. “I talk to parents in the office now,†he said. “I’m quizzing them, and no one is thinking about this.â€

 

Still, some parents are starting to take measures. Greg Hardesty, a reporter in Lake Forest, Calif., said that late last year his 13-year-old daughter, Reina, racked up 14,528 texts in one month. She would keep the phone on after going to bed, switching it to vibrate and waiting for it to light up and signal an incoming message.

 

Mr. Hardesty wrote a column about Reina’s texting in his newspaper, The Orange County Register, and in the flurry of attention that followed, her volume soared to about 24,000 messages. Finally, when her grades fell precipitously, her parents confiscated the phone.

 

Reina’s grades have since improved, and the phone is back in her hands, but her text messages are limited to 5,000 per month — and none between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weekdays.

 

Yet she said there was an element of hypocrisy in all this: her mother, too, is hooked on the cellphone she carries in her purse.

 

“She should understand a little better, because she’s always on her iPhone,†Reina said. “But she’s all like, ‘Oh well, I don’t want you texting.’ †(Her mother, Manako Ihaya, said she saw Reina’s point.) Professor Turkle can sympathize. “Teens feel they are being punished for behavior in which their parents indulge,†she said. And in what she calls a poignant twist, teenagers still need their parents’ undivided attention.

 

“Even though they text 3,500 messages a week, when they walk out of their ballet lesson, they’re upset to see their dad in the car on the BlackBerry,†she said. “The fantasy of every adolescent is that the parent is there, waiting, expectant, completely there for them.â€

 

 

[DK_Deadly_Intent]

my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. ages 22 and 18, cant stop by the house for 5 min without getting at least 1 message.

 

its quiet annoying.

[CDBS14]

considering i am in HS right now. LIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yea most people text, yea they do it a lot, but they said the same about gaming. It is not a fad, it will continue, but its just that news media just over do it, they make it seems as if it is killing our youth or something.

[COWonCRACK]

lol i agree with cdbs. but i cant say from experience, i never liked talking on the phone or texting, just something i never do. but its stupid that people are blaming it as the cause of failing kids. when, once again, the true problem is retarted parents not giving a fuck. WHY does the kid have a phone in the first place? if its such a big mother fuckin deal, then its up to the ignorant fuckin parents to change it. fuckin christ. stupid people. i dont like the media.

[UNCLE-SID25]

I hate people that use the phone in the following:

 

stores

churches

movies

anywhere where you can eat

driving

any time at the dinner table

 

Do that shit with me and your walking home, picking the phone off the floor with 2 broken arms (lmao jk just had to say that) or simply not be asked back... I think phones and texting are great- but just like any other media/ communication it has a time and place... Its called respect and common sense- some people have it, some dont.

[BA-ZERK]

I just took my 12yr old daughters phone away b/c she got caught texting some boy she wasnt sopossed to at 2 in the morning........My wifes worse though .....

[CDBS14]

BA-ZERK ]

I just took my 12yr old daughters phone away b/c she got caught texting some boy she wasnt sopossed to at 2 in the morning........My wifes worse though .....

 

lol be nicer, unless she went over the texting limit.

 

I text, if i go over i pay it back to my parents by usually cleaning my dads car or doing their laundry or simply giving them their money.

 

I text, sometimes at school ;D yet i still got a 4.0 GPA HS average in NYC school terms thats a 97 average, ohh yea. lol

[UNCLE-SID25]

CDBS14 ]

BA-ZERK ]

I just took my 12yr old daughters phone away b/c she got caught texting some boy she wasnt sopossed to at 2 in the morning........My wifes worse though .....

 

lol be nicer' date=' unless she went over the texting limit.

 

I text, if i go over i pay it back to my parents by usually cleaning my dads car or doing their laundry or simply giving them their money.

 

I text, sometimes at school ;D yet i still got a 4.0 GPA HS average in NYC school terms thats a 97 average, ohh yea. lol

[/quote']

It could have been 99 though... Just imagin if you didnt text :-\ ;D

[CDBS14]

UNCLE-SID25 ]

CDBS14 ]

BA-ZERK ]

I just took my 12yr old daughters phone away b/c she got caught texting some boy she wasnt sopossed to at 2 in the morning........My wifes worse though .....

 

lol be nicer' date=' unless she went over the texting limit.

 

I text, if i go over i pay it back to my parents by usually cleaning my dads car or doing their laundry or simply giving them their money.

 

I text, sometimes at school ;D yet i still got a 4.0 GPA HS average in NYC school terms thats a 97 average, ohh yea. lol

[/quote']

It could have been 99 though... Just imagin if you didnt text :-\ ;D

 

 

just imagine if i study...................... :o :o :o

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

As the father of two teenage daughters, I can tell you that this IS in fact an issue.

 

CD, CoC, you can defend it all you want, but the facts are that kids simply do not have the tools available to them to show the proper moderation over texting. It gives them the instant gratification they desire, and they don't know HOW to turn the phone off and limit their own usage.

 

My daughters (if gone unchecked) would stay up half the night texting, would NEVER get their homework done, and would basically cease to communicate in any other form. They require me to moderate it as they haven't had to deal with the consequences that come with their own irresponsibility. I've seen my oldest (15) have her grades fall off dramatically due to using her cell in school.

 

Now Im not naive enough to believe texting is the ONLY reason her grades have slipped, but magically when I remove her cell from the equation she suddenly becomes very studious. Her GPA rebounds, then she gets the phone back and all the sudden they start to slip again.

 

Anyway, in my personal experience, texting is in no way HELPING America's youth. Good post there Polar.

[BigMoneyNacku]

UNCLE-SID25 ]

I hate people that use the phone in the following:

 

stores

churches

movies

anywhere where you can eat

driving

any time at the dinner table

 

Do that shit with me and your walking home, picking the phone off the floor with 2 broken arms (lmao jk just had to say that) or simply not be asked back... I think phones and texting are great- but just like any other media/ communication it has a time and place... Its called respect and common sense- some people have it, some dont.

 

I don't agree with the stores, Sid. The rest are spot on. I'm on the phone in stores all the time. The wife sends me to get something, I get there and they don't have it. A quick call later and I whatever substitue she wants. I'm on the phone alot in Home Depot too. I go up there to price check, call the secretary and she writes down everything I'm saying. I guess it depends on if you are using it for a purpose or just blabbing about the cow you took home last night. ;D

 

 

 

Tool, I couldn't agree more. Most teenagers don't have the ability to curb their urges. People around here wonder why ranch kids are so well behaved. They think it's because they have responsibilities at a young age. WHile I'm sure that has some merit, I personally think it's because they aren't around other people's kids.

[SgtJoeFriday]

Also BigMoney, cel service that far out in the sticks, sucks.

 

IMO using our thumbs to communicate is the latest step in evolution. We have opposable* thumbs, and we're just evolving to the point that they're what we communicate with.

 

Hang 'em by their thumbs that will teach them....

 

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4733337/12637214

 

 

 

*the spell check doesn't know this word, lol

[Nikastylez]

What I don't get is why kids need cell phones now a days?!

 

I didn't get a cell phone until I was 18 and out of high school and was old enough to get a job and pay for my own cell phone service. I went through high school just fine. I didn't miss out on any parties, events or gatherings due to a lack of texting ability. That's what we had lunch for... not to eat, but to socialize

 

I'm sure a lot of others around here also went through high school without a cell phone and came out just fine

 

So yeah, I still don't get why kids need cell phones :-\

[GOAT]

 

Why kids need phones...

 

It’s really just a communication tool.. my kids don’t drive so me and the wife are their taxi-service and cell phones are their means to hail us. But that’s fine for example when the boy goes to a sporting event the bus ride home could arrive in between a time range of a hour or so. I don’t want my kid sitting in an empty parking lot waiting for a ride home…. Use the cell and let me know when you are going to be there. It also provides a bit of security in terms of emergencies. Its about responsible parents. When the boy screwed up I blamed myself more than him.. for failing to keep track of his usage. Sprints real time web site on usage per phone has helped a lot for that. I hate when the media suggest something is effecting our kids and fail to mention its simply a matter of being a good and diligent parent. When I had the sprint crisis I found this and I think it sums it up fairly good..

 

“Children will always require care and supervision, whether they're playing tag in the tick-laden, snake-infested park down the street or navigating the pop-up ridden World Wide Web. Many parents vow to avoid technological toys after hearing about "game addiction" and being bombarded with stories about childhood obesity. This sort of black-and-white logic would seem to indicate children should never play outside just because there are bears in Yellowstone Park, and we can all see how silly that is!â€

Technology, like nature, is a part of our world that can be as dangerous as it is fascinating. You may believe you're being a "good parent" by sheltering your child from technology, but in reality you're robbing him of an opportunity to learn and grow. Teaching a child to use technology wisely, safely and ethically is just as important as teaching her to stop and smell the roses while stepping over the poison ivy.â€

 

Parenting in a high-tech world is a matter of helping your child avoid dangers, overcome obstacles, and balance his or her time between entertainment and work. In fact, it's just like parenting in any time period or culture. Sure, keeping up on the technological innovations that are catching your kids' attention can be tough. But, hey – nobody ever said parenting was for sissies, right?â€

 

[CDBS14]

Goat ]

 

Why kids need phones...

 

It’s really just a communication tool.. my kids don’t drive so me and the wife are their taxi-service and cell phones are their means to hail us. But that’s fine for example when the boy goes to a sporting event the bus ride home could arrive in between a time range of a hour or so. I don’t want my kid sitting in an empty parking lot waiting for a ride home…. Use the cell and let me know when you are going to be there. It also provides a bit of security in terms of emergencies. Its about responsible parents. When the boy screwed up I blamed myself more than him.. for failing to keep track of his usage. Sprints real time web site on usage per phone has helped a lot for that. I hate when the media suggest something is effecting our kids and fail to mention its simply a matter of being a good and diligent parent. When I had the sprint crisis I found this and I think it sums it up fairly good..

 

“Children will always require care and supervision, whether they're playing tag in the tick-laden, snake-infested park down the street or navigating the pop-up ridden World Wide Web. Many parents vow to avoid technological toys after hearing about "game addiction" and being bombarded with stories about childhood obesity. This sort of black-and-white logic would seem to indicate children should never play outside just because there are bears in Yellowstone Park, and we can all see how silly that is!â€

Technology, like nature, is a part of our world that can be as dangerous as it is fascinating. You may believe you're being a "good parent" by sheltering your child from technology, but in reality you're robbing him of an opportunity to learn and grow. Teaching a child to use technology wisely, safely and ethically is just as important as teaching her to stop and smell the roses while stepping over the poison ivy.â€

 

Parenting in a high-tech world is a matter of helping your child avoid dangers, overcome obstacles, and balance his or her time between entertainment and work. In fact, it's just like parenting in any time period or culture. Sure, keeping up on the technological innovations that are catching your kids' attention can be tough. But, hey – nobody ever said parenting was for sissies, right?â€

 

 

agreed, i also thought i didnt need a cellphone; but then again trying to get into contact with my parents who are constantly hard to reach by calling their job and trying to make the secretaries pass the phone, it also allows for means of security in certain situations.

 

As for controlling texting, maybe im the exception, i control myself the most i ever over did my texts was by 6 dollars. In my my case when i notice that the texting starts to get long, i just call the person.

[UNCLE-SID25]

Back in the day me and my friends were the only ones in school with cell phones- Those big brick looking things lol ballin. lmao

[Prane]

UNCLE-SID25 ]

Back in the day me and my friends were the only ones in school with cell phones- Those big brick looking things lol ballin. lmao

 

is this you Sid?

 

[GOAT]

Yep that's it prane and this was his text device

 

 

his home pc

 

 

and his voice messaging machine

 

 

of course when the new hands-free law was passed he had to upgrade his cell.. so he purchase one of these

 

 

and he was really glad when he got his palm pilot working right...

 

[UNCLE-SID25]

Prane ]

UNCLE-SID25 ]

Back in the day me and my friends were the only ones in school with cell phones- Those big brick looking things lol ballin. lmao

 

is this you Sid?

 

 

Now you know why I suck at madden- I am old school.

[[EL] Rorbotron]

UNCLE-SID25 ]

I hate people that use the phone in the following:

 

stores

churches

movies

anywhere where you can eat

driving

any time at the dinner table

 

Do that shit with me and your walking home, picking the phone off the floor with 2 broken arms (lmao jk just had to say that) or simply not be asked back... I think phones and texting are great- but just like any other media/ communication it has a time and place... Its called respect and common sense- some people have it, some dont.

 

I agree on all counts besides the store. Who cares if someone text messages in a store, unless you are talking about talking on the cell phone. I guess it depends on the person. In my case if I get a phone call and I'm at the mall I walk out of the store and stand somewhere on the concourse.