Reconnect Webinars with Cris Rowan

This is a great article for parents by the BBC talking about the whys and hows of reducing screentime in children. This article cites important research showing that by age 5 years, 95% of their brain is hardwired. When children are born, all of the neuronal tracks are in place to all areas of the brain (think of a roadmap, all the big roads are built). What happens after birth, in relation to environmental stimuli or lack thereof, two brain maturation processes happen: neuronal proliferation and neuronal pruning. Proliferation is the formation of small connections between neurons for the purpose of efficiency. Pruning is the atrophy or death of neuronal connections. By death, 2/3 of the brains neurons will be pruned, and again the pruning happens in relation to the environment. Children’s brains who overuse screens at early ages show cortical thinning, and atrophy of neuronal tracks to the frontal lobes. Use it or you lose it is applicable to brain development. Mindless screen content results in less brain. Mindless content includes AI, edtech, cartoons, YouTube, video games, social media, p**n, most movies etc. If the brain does not have to think, then it shrinks.

What screens really do to your child’s brain development | BBC News New government guidance says children in England under the age of five should be limited to one hour of screen time a day, while under-twos should not be wat...