Screenagers: first generation of truly tech-savvy kids could face setbacks, experts warn

They were born the year of the first iPhone and have spent their life on screens. Now — as this generation prepares to graduate from primary school — questions are being asked if technology is holding them back.

They grew up smudging smartphones, toddling on tablets, and having milestones recorded in apps and digital photos.

The first generation of truly digital natives, dubbed “screenagers,” will graduate primary school this year but experts say technology is not necessarily making their lives easier.

Early learning educators and psychologists warn excessive screen time is exacerbating sleep problems, increasing homework distractions, and causing an unprecedented level of family disputes in Australia.

And while the technology can also be beneficial — delivering new ways to learn and easier access to information — experts say there’s no definitive research on the risks and fate of this tech-savvy generation.

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Born at the tail end of Generation Z, social researcher Mark McCrindle describes screenagers as growing up when society “started looking at screens more than faces”.

Children who will graduate primary school this year were born the same year Apple released its iPhone in Australia, when Google launched Android phone software, and when Spotify let music lovers rent many songs rather than buy a few.

These children were also the first to attend schools where technology played a major part of the curriculum, and in an era in which you could return home to a next-gen game controller, tablet computer, or social media.

Child psychologist Brad Marshall said the impact of so much extra screen time was not fully known as studies had yet to catch up to the pace of technological change.

“This is the first generation where technology will affect them their whole childhood,” he said.

“We won’t know the full effects of it until we have a generation go through it.”

But Dr Marshall, who runs a clinic for children in Sydney, said early signs of its impact were not all positive, with the number of young patients to his clinic rising “steadily since 2011,” many presenting with serious gaming and internet problems.

The impact of so much extra screen time is not fully known.

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Even children without addictive issues could experience setbacks as a result of high device use, he warned, as the blue light emitted by electronic screens was affecting the sleep of many children.

A recent study by the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience found teens who looked at screen for more than four hours a day took an average of 30 minutes longer to fall asleep and wake up than children who spent just one hour in front of a screen.

“If too many screens have an impact on a young child’s sleep, they’re probably not taking in the information they need to in school,” Dr Marshall warned.

“The impact on learning at a primary school level are maybe not as profound as learning for a teenager. The stakes will rise later in their schooling careers.”

Neuroscience communicator Jill Sweatman also pointed to the results of a Canadian study of 2500 participants that found children who spent more than two hours a day in front of a screen were five times more likely to have inattention and learning difficulties.

Exposing children to high-intensity video games earlier than recommended, she warned, could also have a detrimental effect on their dopamine levels and cognitive function.

Even children without addictive issues can experience setbacks as a result of high device use.

Ms Sweatman said parents played a big role in preventing these issues, both in setting household rules for screen use and putting down their own devices to give children their full attention.

“We have the first generation of children who are sleep-deprived. And we have the first generation of children who are touch-deprived,” she said.

“That’s due to a high involvement of screens in the family, from mum, dad, and grandparents.”

But Western Sydney University technology and learning researcher Dr Joanne Orlando said smartphones, tablets, laptops and apps had also delivered unprecedented learning opportunities to this new generation of kids, and parents should not panic that all screen time was detrimental.

“Screen time is a problematic term,” she said.

“We do so many different things on a screen.

Smartphones, tablets, laptops and apps have delivered unprecedented learning opportunities.

“We could be in a maths class solving different issues as a team on a screen … or a child could be watching YouTube for 40 minutes. There are the same amount of screen time but very difficult activities.”

Ultimately, research into the first generation of screenagers was “mixed and inconclusive,” Dr Orlando said, and more was needed for reliable recommendations.

“We definitely need more research,” she said.

“We need research in science, but our activity is also cultural, social, and educational. We need research from different disciplines to understand these trends.”

FIVE TIPS FOR RAISING RESPONSIBLE SCREENAGERS

— Keep digital screens out of the bedroom and use an alarm clock instead;

— Ensure children get enough sleep. Nine to 11 hours rest per night is recommended for school-age children, dropping to eight to 10 hours for teenagers 14 and over;

— Follow age guidelines for the use of video games and social media, such as the 12+ guide for Fortnite: Battle Royale and the minimum age of 13 for a Facebook profile;

— Establish technology-free times in the home, possibly around greeting times, meal times, and in the evenings;

— Remove distractions such as TV and smartphones during study and homework sessions