草莓污视频导航

Oct. 17, 2022

Some screen time better than none during children鈥檚 concussion recovery

草莓污视频导航 psychology prof Keith Yeates collaborates with UBC researchers on study published in Pediatrics
Keith Yeates
草莓污视频导航 neuropsychologist Keith Yeates is part of a newly released study on the impacts of screen time for children recovering from concussions. Riley Brandt, 草莓污视频导航

Too much screen time can slow children鈥檚 recovery from concussions, but new research from the 草莓污视频导航 and the University of British Columbia suggests that banning screen time is not the answer.

The researchers 鈥斅爄ncluding Dr. Keith Yeates, department head of 草莓污视频导航鈥檚 Department of Psychology and Ward Chair in Paediatric Brain Injury 鈥斅爈ooked for links between the self-reported screen time of more than 700 children aged eight to 16 in the first seven to 10 days following an injury, and symptoms reported by them and their caregivers over the following six months.

The children whose concussion symptoms cleared up the fastest had engaged in a moderate amount of screen time. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been calling this the 鈥楪oldilocks鈥 group, because it appears that spending too little or too much time on screens isn鈥檛 ideal for concussion recovery,鈥 says 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鈥檚 psychology department.

鈥淥ur findings show that the common recommendation to avoid smartphones, computers, and televisions as much as possible may not be what鈥檚 best for kids.鈥

The study was part of a larger concussion project called Advancing Concussion Assessment in Paediatrics (A-CAP) led by Yeates and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

The data came from participants aged eight to 16 who had suffered either a concussion or an orthopaedic 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 orthopaedic 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 orthopaedic 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, says Yeates.

鈥淜ids 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,鈥 Cairncross adds. 鈥淭hose things are likely to have a negative effect on kids鈥 mental health and that can make recovery take longer.鈥

The 草莓污视频导航/UBC study differed from another study conducted last year in the U.S. in that it tracked screen time and recovery over a longer period. The earlier study found that screen time slowed recovery, but it measured screen use only in the first 48 hours and symptoms for only 10 days.

The longer timeline led to another interesting finding, described by Silverberg:

The amount of time spent in front of screens during the early recovery period made little difference to long-term health outcomes. After 30 days, children who suffered a concussion or another type of injury reported similar symptoms, regardless of their early screen use.

The researchers also observed that screen time seemed to have less bearing on symptoms than other factors such as the patient鈥檚 sex, age, sleep habits, physical activity, or pre-existing symptoms.

鈥淪creen time didn鈥檛 make a lot of difference relative to several other factors that we know can affect concussion recovery,鈥 says Yeates. 鈥淓ncouraging 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.鈥

Ultimately, says Yeates, 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.

was published Oct. 17 in Pediatrics.

Child Health and Wellness
The 草莓污视频导航 is driving science and innovation to transform the health and well-being of children and families. Led by the Alberta Children鈥檚 Hospital Research Institute, top scientists across the campus are partnering with Alberta Health Services, the Alberta Children鈥檚 Hospital Foundation, and our community to create a better future for children through research.

Keith Yeates is a professor and head of the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts and an adjunct professor in the departments of Clinical Neurosciences and Paediatrics at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM).聽He is the Ward Chair in Paediatric Brain Injury and a member of the Alberta Children鈥檚 Hospital Research Institute, the Owerko Centre, and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the CSM.