As School Nurses and also parents we see the impact technology has on students (both the good and the bad) and their families. As such we wanted to share some information from the American Academy of Pediatrics to help your family navigate this difficult but necessary part of our lives in 2025.
Over the past decade, the use of digital media, including interactive and social media, has grown, and research evidence suggests that these newer media offer both benefits and risks to the health of children and teenagers. Evidence-based benefits identified from the use of digital and social media include early learning, exposure to new ideas and knowledge, increased opportunities for social contact and support, and new opportunities to access health promotion messages and information. Risks of such media include negative health effects on sleep, attention, and learning; a higher incidence of obesity and depression; exposure to inaccurate, inappropriate, or unsafe content and contacts; and compromised privacy and confidentiality.
To promote health and wellness in children and adolescents, it is important to maintain adequate physical activity, healthy nutrition, good sleep hygiene, and a nurturing social environment. A healthy Family Media Use Plan
that is individualized for a specific child, teenager, or family can identify an appropriate balance between screen time/online time and other activities, set boundaries for accessing content, guide displays of personal information, encourage age-appropriate critical thinking and digital literacy, and support open family communication and implementation of consistent rules about media use. Link here:
Here is a Youtube video from American Academy of Pediatrics on Parental Controls.
While we can not possibly cover all the options out there for protecting your children while online we hope this article prompts you to explore what is available for limiting and securing the time your child(ren) spend online.
PGSD School Nurse Staff