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What is screen time doing to our children’s brains and development? If you are a parent (like me), you may be concerned about your children being exposed to screens, the amount of screen time they are having, what kind of content they are seeing, and how all of this is affecting their brains and mental health. In this game changing episode, I talk with Dr Victoria Dunckley, an integrative child psychiatrist, about what Electronic Screen Syndrome (ESS) is, how screen time is affecting our children, what to do if one of our children have ESS, the myths around technology and kids being left behind and so much more. Tune in and learn how you can protect your children, their brains and their childhood.

About Dr Victoria Dunckley:

Dr Victoria Dunckley is an award-winning integrative child psychiatrist and one of Americas’s Top Psychiatrists based at the Centre for Life in Los Angeles. She is the author of the groundbreaking book Reset Your Child’s Brain. She is also an internationally recognized expert on the impact of screen time on the developing brain, and a leading voice regarding screen time’s influence on misdiagnosis and overprescribing in children.

In this episode we chat about:

• What is Electronic Screen Syndrome (ESS) and how it affects children? (2:58)
• How to identify the symptoms a child with ESS presents (04:54)
• The *myth* that your children will be left behind if they are not exposed to technology (8:49)
• The key to keeping your kids feeling secure and safe, whilst still involved with technology (10:52)
• How electronics can contribute to misdiagnosing different psychiatric disorders in children (16:56)
• What is a ‘screen fast’ and it’s amazing effects on children and teens — especially to those who have been addicted (18:30)
• The difference between passive screen activity vs. interactive screen activity (27:51)
• Where and how to start with a screen fast (28:56)
• How to deal with teenagers and screen time (31:08)
• What does a healthy amount of screen time for our kids look like (35:13)

Episode resources: 

• Mastering Your Mean Girl (book)
• Open Wide (book)
• Comparisonitis (book)
• Reset Your Child’s Brain by Dr Victoria Dunckley (book)
• iGen by Jean M. Twenge (book)
• Screen Schooled by Joe Clement and Matt Miles (book)
• Free Reset Your Child’s Brain minicourse (website)
• Mental Wealth (blog)

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honored that you’re here and would be SO grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple podcasts, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

P.S. If you’re looking for a high-impact marketing opportunity for your business and are interested in becoming a sponsor for The Melissa Ambrosini Show podcast, please email pr@melissaambrosini.com for more information. 

P.P.S. Please seek advice from a qualified holistic practitioner before starting any new health practice.