To reduce this potential epidemic, children must be educated from the time they are able to begin using New Media devices. Taking breaks from study to meditate may now seem unorthodox (Plecas, 2002), but may become standard in the future.
Physical educators should teach children about their muscles and ways to stretch them correctly to prevent injury. This pre-emptive strategy is vital, as it is suspected that prevention is better than any cure. Primary school teachers may wish to introduce intervals for children to stretch. As adults are educated about Occupational Health and Safety, so should children who are accessing technology at school (Anderson, et al, 1994).
Another reccommendation would be to attempt to reduce the use of these technologies by children. However, in the past week, Telstra has announced that it is considering releasing a mobile phone customised for use by preschool-aged children. The image of a four-year old talking on a realy phone is quite bizare. Most four-year-olds have trouble communicating face to face.
"These devices typically block outgoing calls, except to a few numbers nominated by the parents - usually the parents' numbers and emergency services, which can be called at the touch of a button", (O'Beirne, 2004).
As technology is progressive, it is doubted that invention of(and use of) new gadgets will ever be reduced.
While Telstra's announcement has attracted mixed reactions from the various stakeholders, in relation to RSI, the new phones may be less dangerous. The buttons are large (made for feeble fingers) and no dialling is required (the phone stores pre-programmed numbers, and the child just chooses one). Although this seems positive, the children will eventually outgrow the large colourful phone, and when they replace it with a standard model, the deterioration begins.
To read more on Mobile Phones in the hands of children, click Mobile Phones:Health and Society - Children
The consequences of ignoring this problem could be dire for a whole generation. Or it may just severely affect a small cohort of people. But there is no way of fully predicting an outcome. It's imperative that education is increased, in classrooms for children and in the media for parents. This way, both can make educated decisions about purchase and safe usage of New Media Technologies.
1. (2004) Flashy Phone for Pre School Chatters on Nine News Wesbsite http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=20731 25/10/04.
2. Anderson, B et al.(1994) Getting in Shape p34 Shelter Publishing, California.
3. O'Beirne, p (2004) Telstra assessing "stay in touch" phone (media release)on Telstra website http://www.telstra.com.au/communications/media/mediareleases_article.cfm?ObjectID=32453 on 25/10/04
4. Plecas, J. (2002)Diving Deeper (speech transcript) on MESA website. http://www.mesa.edu.au/conf2002/plecas.pdf 25/10/04 ISBN0-936070-30-7
Occupational Health and Safety: http://www.shelterpub.com/_fitness/_desk_stretches/desk_stretches.pdf
Telstra: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=20731
Wiki Entry: Mobile_Phones:Health_and_Society_-_Children
BronwynRees 10:44, 25 Oct 2004 (EST)
childrens health-media connection
BronwynRees 09:33, 26 Oct 2004 (EST)
