Dear Dr. Garner,
I am very worried about my son.
He is constantly on the computer looking at Facebook, YouTube and other websites that I don’t know much about. He talks to his friends through Skype but rarely gets together with them in person. His grades started declining last school year, and I don’t want to see that continue this coming school year.
It seems like he is addicted to the Internet. Is there such a thing?
Concerned Mother
Dear Concerned Mother,
Yes, there is such a thing and up to 10 percent of adolescents may have this addiction. From the description of your son’s behavior, it is something that I think needs to be evaluated.
There is a condition known as Internet addiction, and those most at-risk are children who play online role-playing games. The addiction is defined as an “uncontrollable and damaging use of the Internet.” Boys are 50 percent more likely to be affected than girls.
Parents should look for sharp changes in how often and how long children stay online. Increased use of Facebook may be a signal that there is a problem.
The typical child addicted to the Internet is a boy who stays online at least 20 hours a week.
In fact, if you go on the computer and search for “Internet addiction test,” you will get a 20-question inquiry, which could help verify whether there is a problem.
Many parents think that being on the computer for long periods of time is normal. While this may be true, when it starts to interfere with grades or eating habits, there is a problem.
Some psychiatrists believe there are three categories of Internet-addicted children:
1. The youngest group, below the age of 12, is not hooked to the Internet but is addicted to computer games, which attract them.
2. The next group is 12-15 year-olds, who graduate from games to online chatting.
3. In the above 15-year-old category, it is chat groups for the girls and viewing prohibited websites for the boys that are most prevalent. Peer pressure plays a large role in addiction to the Internet as well.
Internet addiction eventually affects all aspects of a child’s development. It can have a detrimental effect on school performance, family relationships, the child’s emotional state and physical health. The child becomes an indoor being and rarely gets exercise. It can be destructive and should be taken seriously.
Children who have ADHD, depression or signs of hostility are more likely to suffer from addiction.
Speak with your child and if the above risk factors are present, take him for counseling and psychiatric evaluation.[hr] Dr. Steven Garner is a Fidelis Care provider who is affiliated with New York Methodist Hospital, Park Slope. He also hosts “Ask the Doctor” on The NET, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Channel 97 Time Warner and Channel 30 Cablevision.
