Q: I recently read that the World Health Organization has added Gaming Disorder as a mental health diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases and am concerned about my son’s gaming. As soon as he comes home from school, he games online with his internet friends until we have to force him to eat dinner,… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Ask the Mediatrician
Tagged: Video Games
What should I know about Fortnite – is it ok for kids to play?
Q: Can you please offer guidance on Fortnite? It seems to be all that kids 11-14 are doing these days. I do not allow my children to play, but saw my godson play and was horrified – the guns all look real, but the deaths show no blood. As a person who grew up in… Read more »
I’m concerned about my 21-year-old making wooden guns for her cosplay costume based on a violent video game character – what should I do?
Q: My 21-year-old daughter and her 26-year-old boyfriend are making wooden replica guns and other weapon accessories for a cos-play convention based on the action video game, “Fallout 4”. I expressed my concerns about these games and how they can affect young peoples’ behavior and views on violence. My daughter’s response – of course – was… Read more »
Is it ok for my 8-year-old child, who has ADHD, to play Minecraft?
Q: My 8-year-old son has ADHD and is on medication for it. He wants to play the video game, Minecraft, but I’m not sure if he should. Do you think it is ok for him to play, and if so, for how long? ~ Muddled about Minecraft, The Overworld, Earth A: Dear Muddled, Yes, your son… Read more »
How can I avoid making media into a “forbidden fruit” for my kids?
Q: I was able to attend a community presentation you gave about children and screen time. During your talk, you discouraged parents from setting screen time limits because doing so makes media into “forbidden fruit”, or increasingly tempting for kids. In my house, we often take away TV or iPad time from our kids (ages… Read more »
Do today’s media play a role in teen anxiety and depression?
Q: I am working on a project about adolescents in this century. I am curious why there are so many more cases of anxiety and depression within teenage groups these days. Do media play a role in this? Have antidepressants and anxiety medications helped or hurt youth? ~ Stressed Or Saddened, USA A: Dear SOS, Depression… Read more »
My 11-year-old is addicted to Minecraft, what should I do?
Q: My 11-year-old daughter is addicted to the game Minecraft. During the week it doesn’t seem to be a problem as she is busy with sports and homework. However, during the weekends she has a lot more free time and tends to spend hours playing Minecraft. What would be the amount of time that you… Read more »
Is resetting house media rules after my kids return from summer camp a good idea?
Q: What advice do you have for when kids (ages 10, 13 and 13) return home from sleepaway camp where they’ve had no devices for weeks (or months)? This seems like a great opportunity to reset the house rules for media use, as I cringe at the idea of falling back into old habits of… Read more »
Since moving, my teen son spends a lot of time connecting with his old friends through media instead of making new friends – what should I do?
Q: Our family moved recently from the U.S. to Mexico for my husband’s job, and while most things have been transitioning smoothly, I am concerned that my 14-year-old son is spending too much time with screens and not enough time making friends. Since moving, he spends a lot of time Skyping or playing video games… Read more »
I’m part of a mom’s group that discusses family media management – How should I answer questions about whether or not to expose kids to video games?
Q: I am part of a moms’ group that puts on monthly parent meetings in an effort to educate parents about the issues surrounding screen time in the home. In our next meeting, we will be focusing on video gaming, and I would like your advice on how to handle the inevitable parental question: “If… Read more »
