Name: What to do About Screen Time and Your Child with ADHD by Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD) in Ask The Expert
Duration: 51 min 35 s
Description: Does your child spend hours of time online playing games or socializing with friends? Digital play is any activity that uses technology. From Minecraft, to Facebook, to texting friends children and teens spend a lot of time in front of a screen, which can be a huge concern for parents. Learn how to make technology and screen time work for you and your child.

I was hoping the emphasis here was going to be on the amount of time being spent on electronics, not how to make the time they're spending "work" better for them.  I have a 6 year old boy with classic ADHD, Hyperactive-Impulsive type.  Until October of 2016, he would have his iPad, WiiU or Steam nearly every day for at least an hour.  We limited what he could play to "educational, non-violent, calm", but what we ultimately learned in the end is that the amount of time he was spending was the problem, not what he was doing with that time.  He was moody, quick to anger, had complete lack of interest in anything other than electronics, he had sleep problems, nightmares, and his ADHD symptoms - the impulsivity and focus - suffered terribly.  Our lives at home were stressful because everything revolved around the iPad/games.  There was crying, yelling and anger, unbelievable meltdowns whenever it was time to put them away, or if he was told he could not play.  It was a leveraging point.

In Oct 2016 we followed the guidelines in "Reset Your Child's Brain".  We went through an electronics fast for 5 weeks, and afterwad, reintroduced only Minecraft for one hour, either saturday or sunday only.  The improvement we noticed was immediate, and drastic!  The addictive behavior was gone.  There was no anxiety over the limitation.  The arguing stopped completely.  He started playing with other toys, creating art, and reading - he started entertaining himself for the first time.  He is happy, his moods are stable, and he is an amazing kid.  He still has ADHD, but the symptoms are much less apparent. In my opinion, it's the time spent on electronics, not what they spend their time doing.  Electronic Screen Syndrome is REAL!

Ask The Expert

Many women struggle at midlife with undiagnosed and untreated ADHD complicated by hormonal changes. They typically report feeling overwhelmed, inadequate, misunderstood, and distressed at a time in their lives when they often have the greatest demands on their time and energy. Women not diagnosed with ADHD until adulthood are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms, anxiety, sleep disorders, eating disorders, substance use, and low self-esteem.

In this episode, Dr. Carol Robbins provides an understanding of the challenges women face in midlife with ADHD, coping strategies, and the importance of reaching out when help is needed. 

Carol Ann Robbins, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD across the lifespan. She is the clinical director of the Annapolis ADHD Center and works with Kathleen Nadeau, PhD, an internationally known expert on ADHD, at the Chesapeake ADHD Center of Maryland. Dr. Robbins is a seasoned speaker, presenter, and author, as well as past president of the Maryland Psychological Association and coordinator of the MPA Post-Doctoral Institute on ADHD Across the Lifespan. She has served as coordinator of the Anne Arundel County chapter of CHADD since 2002.

Women in Midlife and ADHD

Does your child spend hours of time online playing games or socializing with friends? Digital play is any activity that uses technology. From Minecraft, to Facebook, to texting friends children and teens spend a lot of time in front of a screen, which can be a huge concern for parents. Learn how to make technology and screen time work for you and your child.

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What to do About Screen Time and Your Child with ADHD

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CHADD is the nation's leading nonprofit organization serving people affected by ADHD. As home to the CDC-funded National Resource Center on ADHD, CHADD is the most trusted source for reliable, science-based information regarding current medical research and ADHD management. CHADD offers comprehensive programs and services at both the national and local levels.

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CHADD does not endorse products, services, publications, medications, or treatments, including those that sponsor or advertise in any CHADD publications, webinars, or podcasts.

This podcast is supported by Cooperative Agreement Number NU38DD000002-01-00 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC.

What to do About Screen Time and Your Child with ADHD

Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD)

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Kristie Wood

Kristie Wood

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