Is it OK for children to watch TV or use a smartphone with a concussion? Yes, little screen time may not affect concussion recovery in children.
- Little screen time is good for concussion recovery in children
- Completely avoiding use of smartphones, computers and televisions may affect kids’ mental health and that can make concussion recovery take longer
- Focusing more on getting enough sleep and engaging in light exercise can help concussion heal faster, regardless of screen time usage
Read More..
The children whose concussion symptoms cleared up the fastest had engaged in a moderate amount of screen time. “We’ve been calling this the ‘Goldilocks’ group, because it appears that spending too little or too much time on screens isn’t ideal for concussion recovery,” said Dr. Molly Cairncross, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University who conducted the research while a postdoctoral fellow working with associate professor Dr. Noah Silverberg in UBC’s psychology department. “Our findings show that the common recommendation to avoid smartphones, computers and televisions as much as possible may not be what’s best for kids.”
The study was part of a larger concussion project called Advancing Concussion Assessment in Pediatrics (A-CAP) led by psychology professor Dr. Keith Yeates at the University of Calgary and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The data came from participants aged 8-16 who had suffered either a concussion or an orthopedic injury, such as a sprained ankle or broken arm, and sought care at one of five emergency departments in Canada.
The purpose of including children who had orthopedic injuries was to compare their recoveries with the group who had concussions.
Patients in the concussion group generally had relatively worse symptoms than their counterparts with orthopedic injuries, but within the concussion group it was not simply a matter of symptoms worsening with more screen time. Children with minimal screen time recovered more slowly, too.
Negative Effects of Limiting Screen Time After Concussion
“Kids use smartphones and computers to stay connected with peers, so complete removal of those screens could lead to feelings of disconnection, loneliness and not having social support,” Dr. Cairncross said. “Those things are likely to have a negative effect on kids’ mental health and that can make recovery take longer.”The longer timeline led to another interesting finding, described by Dr. Silverberg:
“The amount of time spent in front of screens during the early recovery period made little difference to long-term health outcomes.” he said. “After 30 days, children who suffered a concussion or another type of injury reported similar symptoms, regardless of their early screen use.”
“Screen time didn’t make a lot of difference relative to several other factors that we know can affect concussion recovery,” said Dr. Yeates.
How to Get Better After Concussion
“Encouraging concussion patients to sleep well and gradually engage in light physical activity will likely do a lot more for their recovery than keeping them off their smartphones.”Ultimately, the findings suggest that blanket restrictions on screen time might not be helpful for children and adolescents with concussion. Instead, the researchers suggest using the same approach as with other activities, which is moderation. If symptoms flare up, screen time can always be limited.
Reference:
- Early Postinjury Screen Time and Concussion Recovery - (https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-056835)
Source-Eurekalert