[TheGuardian023]

The everyday use of computers is an inevitable aspect of modern life, but there are negative consequences as well.
As you may have noticed, children with a disorder that falls on the autism spectrum seem to have an intense love of computers. I say this somewhat cynically because in this case, computers can bring a lot more than progress. Unfortunately, the frequent use of and time spent on computers can spell big trouble for children with ADHD and autism. It actually pains me to see the extent to which computers are taking over our lives. I often hear myself saying, “If they only knew what effect this is having!”

This does not mean I am against the use of computers! I have to confess that even though I didn’t start to really appreciate the computer until a rather mature age (I was in my thirties), I cannot imagine what life would be like without them.

The other side of the coin, of course, is that computers rule the lives of far too many adults and children. If we’re really honest with ourselves, who can deny that many of us are as infatuated with computers as our children?

The point of this article is that when it comes to children with ADHD and autism, computers can actually make their condition worse. I have been passionate about this subject for many years. Ten years ago I was asked to write a chapter in a book on children and media. The contents of the book showed what television does to the growing child. My contribution dealt with the importance of movement and the role it
plays in learning.

In all my presentations since then, I explain to audiences what happens to the developing brain when a child spends too much time in front of computers, playing video games or watching television.

This time I am going to be even more direct. I realize that we take the benefits of modern day comforts such as computers for granted and start to become blind to their darker side. This is something I am guilty of as much as anyone else. However, the following really ticked me off and is the reason why I share these thoughts with you…

Over the last few weeks, a trend has been brought to my attention:
Schools have started to use tablet computers. This is happening not just in high schools and middle schools, but in primary schools as well. Some of the teachers that I see in my clinic have told me that in spite of inadequate budgets, schools are prioritizing the use of iPads and other tablet devices.

This was in regards to children aged 12-18 years. Yesterday, while watching the news, there was a story about progress in schools through the use of computers for teaching and assessment. The teachers were very proud. This was for children in the age group of 6-12 years. And they explained how this was clearly the way forward. They even
predicted that in a couple of years children would not have to write anything anymore but would instead use the computer for everything in school. This seemed logical to them since of the rest of society seems to be moving in that direction.

Sounds like a good idea right?
Wrong!

They really weren’t asking the right questions. Yes, this is the way society seems to be evolving. But this is also the worst idea anyone has come up with since the days when smoking was considered to be healthy for you!

Let me explain…
Computer usage engages your brain in a very particular kind of thinking. Using a data machine makes your brain work in a linear way. You are forced to think in a step-by-step fashion. Under normal circumstances, this only happens for very short periods of time.
When you interact with your surroundings, for example when exercising your social and emotional skills through conversation or dealing with another person, you are making use of the parallel thinking parts of the more emotional right side of the brain. Normally, this is also the part of the brain that is used when learning a new concept or when you have to attach meaning to or interpret something you have read or heard. Sitting in class at school has a purpose. It helps you collect a lot of useful information in a relatively short period of time. We are not, however, made to just sit. We actually learn fastest when we are walking or are in an upright position. This is part of why humans have the most evolved brains. The capacity to walk upright is directly linked to the ability to think
at higher levels of cognition. Sitting at a desk, hunched over a tablet device instead of at least having to adjust your posture to pay attention to what is written on the board or what the teacher is saying, does not improve normal physical activity. It actually makes it worse. This is why physical education in schools needs more attention than anything else.

We take it for granted that everyone can deal and flourish with what we humans have invented. This, in my opinion, is flawed thinking. There is strong evidence that a significant number of children with a condition on the autism spectrum display an over-reliance on the left side of their brains. Their right-side, parallel-thinking brain is not used to its full capacity and lags behind in development. The use of computers at
home or in the school will actually exacerbate this condition.

Just think about the situation in which you have to take your child with ADHD or autism away from his or her computer, game or television. This is usually a more dramatic event than with other children. Am I right?

You are taking them out of their comfort zone and into the real world where their right brains have to interact with their surroundings, something at which they are typically not as good as other children.

By now you can probably see why this article applies to everyone, although in particular to our children with ADHD and autism. Now comes the hard part. The only way to prevent the negative consequences of the overuse of computers, television, gaming and
smartphones (which are also very linear and don’t involve real face-to-face
interaction) is to put even stricter rules in place that limit the
intensity and amount of time children spend in front of screens.
In other words, computer rules! I can only begin to imagine what impact
that strictly abiding by such rules would have, both in negative and
positive ways.
Just in case the concept of using computers and the likely negative effects it can have on ADHD and autism children needs reinforcement, consider the following: Many experts have indicated that the rise of all day television, gaming and computer use are somehow linked to the epidemic increase we have seen in conditions such as ADHD and autism.

I personally have seen too many negative effects from the use of computers, televisions, gaming and smartphones in both my patient population as well as in the own home with my own children. We tend to ignore the possible negative consequences.

I have also observed the opposite as well. Changing these habits can have a hugely positive effect on both the behavior and development of children. Do what you have to do and start making stricter screen-time rules.

I know this will not be easy, especially when schools often require work to be completed on the computer. A common and probably workable rule is to limit the total amount of computer, television, gaming and smartphone time to a total of one-and-a-half or two hours per day, give or take. It is also an excellent idea to make sure that actual screen time is balanced out by an equal amount of time spent on physical activities in
the outdoors.

From personal experience I can tell you that following these rules will not be easy! But I can also guarantee that it is in the best interest of your child with ADHD and or autism, and isn’t that what you really want?

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This is an article I have read that is written by Arjan Kuiper that I would love to share with you. This is a very helpful insight and information for me and I am sure a lot of you could use it too!

A little bit about Arjan Kuiper

Arjan Kuipers is a chiropractic neurologist and has been a practicing clinician for over two decades. He is the founder and chief innovator of Brain Building Company and ADHD & Autism Training, which provides easy-to-use training programs for parents and professionals that are developed to facilitate a positive, lasting change in children with ADHD and Autism.

His clinical "TOBE" program has been used with hundreds of children with a diagnosis of ADHD and or autism. To date, he has helped over 10,000 people improve their situations with his knowledge of the interaction between the postural system and brain.

Arjan has lectured thoughout Europe and has shared the stage with many neurodevelopmental specialists, including Sally Goddard, author of Reflexes, Learning and Behavior and auditory stimulation expert Kjeld Johansen.

His publications include the Help! My child has ADHD/Autism book series, the e-book 20 questions about ADHD/autism every parent should ask and the 7 most overlooked factors that can change the life of your child with ADHD, Autism and/or Dyslexia (in Dutch).

Originally from the old town of Elburg in the Netherlands, Arjan now lives with Anniken in Zutphen (Netherlands) and Trondheim (Norway); together they have four children. He loves the outdoors, hiking, and is a passionate fly fisher.

[-jimi-]

It's always easy to claim things like something trains a certain brain hemisphere, but always when it is not backed up by anything I tend to think it's just an idea someone came up with. The way I've seen it is that autistic kids tend to use less of their middle brain, and the people claiming that has actually shown pictures of brain scans.

[CharactorAssassin]

Its true that we are engaging more of some areas of the brain and less in others. Also we are engaging less socially so our social skills are becoming worse. Without the physical activity we are less likely to be able to recover from traumas both psychological from social situations and physical. Then the ADHD drugs placed on top of the problem only atrophy the person the brain more. Which is why we will have an epidemic of AGORAPHOBES.

[-jimi-]

Oh well, I manage to have both Asperger's and ADD despite fact we barely had TV when I grew up. I have not become agoraphobic despite using a computer every day. But I guess the main thing is that special needs kids should be forced doing things they are bad at so they cannot develop naturally something they are good at so society can keep oppressing them telling them they are no good at all.

[gismo]

You have no idea, do you , live 24/7 with a son/daughter with autism,ADHD thegaurdian,
forget your stats, be welcome to my world for a day love, the WWW, is a god send,i have no issuses with you personally
gis