May 27, 2009 10:23 pm US/Eastern
Texting May Lead To Anxiety In Kids
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
There are some startling numbers about teens and texting. According to a survey by the Nielson Company, teenagers send and receive an average of 2,272 texts a month.
That doesn't surprise 16-year-old Zoe Corner of Wayland. She says her average is about 3,500.
"I text pretty much all the time," she said.
But now doctors are concerned about the effects of too much texting on kids' physical health. They point to sore thumbs and a lack of sleep. They're also concerned about their psychological health. Some believe unlimited texting is leading to anxious kids.
"I think the capacity to always stay in touch creates an anxious state," said Steve Schlozman, a child psychologist with Mass General Hospital.
Schlozman says while there are many benefits to kids from texting, it can also harm them if that's all they do. He says it's important for parents to make sure their children take a break.
"If you can get to place where you turn it off some of the time, I think kids will be less anxious."
Zoe Corner is a good student and very active. She says texting doesn't stress her out, it's just the opposite.
"For me, texting has been sort of a release," she said. "If I'm stressed out about school I have my second reality where I can go and have my other conversations."
Her mother Leslie is very watchful of her daughter's texting. She has no problem taking the cell phone away if she feels Zoe is texting too much.
"Absolutely, in a heart beat," she said.
The experts say talk to your kids about how much time they spend texting. You'd hate to see "unlimited" texting limit you kid.
Parent Advice:
Responsible Text Messaging Tips
The newly released study about texting messaging and children has created some buzz on the Internet:
TechDirt: Dangers Of Kids Texting Too Much
TechMamas: Does Texting Help or Hurt Communication?
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Does Texting Help Or Hurt Communication?
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