Texting and Teenagers Raises Health Concerns
With communication providers getting more attention with their unlimited texting plans, recent studies are evaluating the effects of texting especially among teenagers. The Nielsen Company reports a monthly average of 2,272 text messages received and sent by American teenagers for the last quarter of 2008. As such, it has raised the concern of several medical professionals in psychology and even physical health.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sherry Turkle discusses texting as a considerable factor in shaping how adolescents develop emotionally and socially. This period in their growth should be focused on becoming independent from parents, but with texting, teenagers often end up consulting their parents for even trivial decisions.
Pediatrician Dr. Martin Joffe from Greenbrae, California, points out that sleep issues are one evident problem. With the advancement of technology and other distractions teenagers have been dealing with lack of proper sleep; compounded by the need for these kids to send text replies even late at night.
Given how texting is still relatively a recent revolution, many believe it is too early to draw significant conclusions. However, University of Washington’s associate professor Peter W. Johnson, explains the high probability of musculoskeletal disorders (that could temporarily or permanently damaging the thumbs) based on data from computer users.
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