Teh One Who Knocks
11-14-2018, 11:59 AM
Adam Smith for Metro.co.uk
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Smartphones and social media are causing children to go through puberty earlier than ever before.
Due the constant over-stimulation of their brains, means children are complaining of anxiety, depression and early onset puberty, with some girls beginning their menstrual cycle as young as eight-years-old.
For generations puberty was considered early for girls if they were eight, however, recent studies have recorded signs (breasts and pubic hair) with girls aged six.
Early onset of puberty can cause problems later in life including a shorter stature and the early appearance of breasts in girls and increased libido in boys can cause emotional distress for some children.
Acupuncturists in the UK have reported a rise in referrals of children suffering from mental health issues and early onset puberty and are blaming in part the pressures which come with social media and constant smartphone use.
Lecturer Rebecca Avern, who runs a children’s acupuncture clinic in Oxford, is treating more stressed out children, including girls with early onset puberty.
She said: ‘The transition from pre-teen to teenager has always been difficult but this generation of children are having to cope with challenges previous generations did not have.
‘The issue of early puberty is complex but overuse of social media and smartphones is contributing to this. Social media also encourages young girls to grow up quicker and this can also be a factor of early puberty.’
She added: ‘Youngsters are tied to their smartphones, when they get home from school they are on them throughout the night which causes over stimulation.
‘And this over stimulation can lead to their mind’s developing quicker which in turn makes the body follow.’
Rebecca believes modern Western culture is creating mental health problems for children who are not being given the chance to enjoy their childhood.
She said: ‘I see more and more children with depression and anxiety. There is no respite for pre-teens and teenagers these days, they lead such busy lives, are doing endless activities and do not have chance to space out, relax and learn about themselves.
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‘Smartphones and social media also are making children over-stimulated at night so they are becoming sleep deprived.
‘They need to be away from their screens and when I tell them there is a problem they often listen as I am a professional and not just their parents moaning at them.
‘There is a difficulty for them not to be on social media because they will be excluded from the group.
‘So they are constantly being judged by others and themselves, on how they look or how popular they are. Social media and smartphones means there is no hiding place from communication.
‘Smartphones they incredibly addictive, teenagers, I have seen instances of when they are forced to come off their phones they show similar physical symptoms of coming off drugs.’
In her book Acupuncture for Children, Babies and Teenagers: Treating the Illness and the Child, Ms Avern outlines how acupuncture can deal with 21st Century conditions including food allergies, depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders and early onset puberty.
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6499/D13pXd.jpg
Smartphones and social media are causing children to go through puberty earlier than ever before.
Due the constant over-stimulation of their brains, means children are complaining of anxiety, depression and early onset puberty, with some girls beginning their menstrual cycle as young as eight-years-old.
For generations puberty was considered early for girls if they were eight, however, recent studies have recorded signs (breasts and pubic hair) with girls aged six.
Early onset of puberty can cause problems later in life including a shorter stature and the early appearance of breasts in girls and increased libido in boys can cause emotional distress for some children.
Acupuncturists in the UK have reported a rise in referrals of children suffering from mental health issues and early onset puberty and are blaming in part the pressures which come with social media and constant smartphone use.
Lecturer Rebecca Avern, who runs a children’s acupuncture clinic in Oxford, is treating more stressed out children, including girls with early onset puberty.
She said: ‘The transition from pre-teen to teenager has always been difficult but this generation of children are having to cope with challenges previous generations did not have.
‘The issue of early puberty is complex but overuse of social media and smartphones is contributing to this. Social media also encourages young girls to grow up quicker and this can also be a factor of early puberty.’
She added: ‘Youngsters are tied to their smartphones, when they get home from school they are on them throughout the night which causes over stimulation.
‘And this over stimulation can lead to their mind’s developing quicker which in turn makes the body follow.’
Rebecca believes modern Western culture is creating mental health problems for children who are not being given the chance to enjoy their childhood.
She said: ‘I see more and more children with depression and anxiety. There is no respite for pre-teens and teenagers these days, they lead such busy lives, are doing endless activities and do not have chance to space out, relax and learn about themselves.
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/180/2uzt0G.jpg
‘Smartphones and social media also are making children over-stimulated at night so they are becoming sleep deprived.
‘They need to be away from their screens and when I tell them there is a problem they often listen as I am a professional and not just their parents moaning at them.
‘There is a difficulty for them not to be on social media because they will be excluded from the group.
‘So they are constantly being judged by others and themselves, on how they look or how popular they are. Social media and smartphones means there is no hiding place from communication.
‘Smartphones they incredibly addictive, teenagers, I have seen instances of when they are forced to come off their phones they show similar physical symptoms of coming off drugs.’
In her book Acupuncture for Children, Babies and Teenagers: Treating the Illness and the Child, Ms Avern outlines how acupuncture can deal with 21st Century conditions including food allergies, depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders and early onset puberty.