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Although I had originally intended on discussing child abuse in online forums, my thoughts and research process has shifted away from this topic for three reasons: 1. I discovered that this topic had been favoured by other students (two others in my class, probably many more among the overall cohort), and believe that it would be impossible to successfully distinguish my own piece from theirs (overlapping would occur, which is not beneficial to the Wiki). 2. My own personal lack of interest in the numerous, contradictory and arduous international laws which govern this global issue. An essay of the expected length could not possibly do justice to such a huge problem, nor outline its many proposed solutions. 3. Every avenue of the research process was becoming a dead end. For a topic so clichéd and immortalised by shows like Oprah, there was relatively little material, and that which existed lacked depth. So with these factors in mind I have re-aligned my research to focus on another area, previously underpublicised, but one which I think is a very prominent example of the negative effects that the new media technologies can have. I hope it is acceptable to alter my topic, as research can be unpredictable and lead to a different outcome than anticipated. In the actual project, this section will simply outline the topic and its relation to children. It will set the skeleton of the piece out for the reader. BronwynRees 10:45, 10 Sep 2004 (EST)
This section will explain details of what the ailment is, and some of its causes. It will expose these details in everyday terms (decoded from university and medical websites), to cater for all levels of education (as I believe the Wiki will be publicly accessible). RSI stands for Repetitive Strain Injury. It has also been referred to as “Cumulative Trauma Disorder�. The injuries have in past been caused by using keyboards. In past decades, typewriters were to blame, but more recently, computer keyboards. It is thought that the more modern the device, the more likely it is to cause injury. Flat, light-touch keyboards are suspected as being the worst culprits for causing RSI. However the user can also be at fault. High-speed typing increases the risk. In a world where efficiency is valued (the ‘time=money’ phenomenon), and employers advertise a minimum typing speed for positions, clerical workers are at a more increased risk now more than ever. The injuries are caused by the degenerative action of reusing the same muscles in similar movements repetititvely. RSIs are damage to tendons, nerves and muscles (soft tissues) in the fingers, wrists, hands and arms. Sometimes shoulders are affected also. Across the Internet there has been an embracing of RSI, which has including an affectionate, lay-persons renaming. “Nintendo Thumb� eludes to the reality of other media (like games consoles) as being responsible for RSI. Many people have claimed to be the original ‘namer’. One said: “A condition I call "Nintendo Thumb� can be categorized as caused from endless hours of game playing, where your thumb is swelling and experiencing shooting pain, but you can't put the controller down because, well, that would mean you'd have to stop playing the Nintendo,� (Flwrchild, 2001). Even the fact that the RSI has manifested itself as such a simple, common term indicates that although it has been experienced by it’s name-givers, they have either failed to identify their condition as being RSI, or, in my opinion more likely, they never knew a formal term existed. This shows that suffering may be much more widespread than anticipated. Symptoms of RSI relating to the arm area include: -feelings of tightness, stiffness or burning, -feelings of coldness or tingling, -clumsiness/feeble hands – loss of coordination and -pain during night. When RSI is left undiagnosed and untreated, and at its worst stages, it can cause chronic pain and permanent disability (Marxhausen, 2004). BronwynRees 11:09, 10 Sep 2004 (EST)
The most established cause of RSI has been keyboard use. However, certainly typewriters and probably computers can no longer be considered “new� technologies. However, while a generation of sufferers can lay blame on their keyboards, new technologies are exposing the next generation to an increased risk of RSIs. This section will examine the technologies that have arrived since traditional keyboards that may cause RSIs. For the purposes of this report, any device post 1990 will be considered “new�. Personal planners were very popular in the early1990s. These comprised a small LCD screen and tiny keyboard for input. They were favoured among business-people as a mobile means of carrying a diary, appointment list, clock, contact list, as well as serving other purposes. The tiny keyboards could be likened to regular ones, but containing an exponential risk, because of their miniature nature, which required tighter, smaller muscle movements. Although early edition games consoles were available in the 1980s, the 90s saw them re-emerge as being compact and portable. The Gameboy (released by Nintendo in 1990) had many benefits: it did not require a TV set to be attached to, and ran off battery power. Games were interchangeable. So, extended travel or times of boredom could pass more quickly with Gameboy as a distraction. At its peak of sales, in 1998, there were 60 million in public circulation globally (unknown, 2000). However, the game required the same, repetitive action of the thumbs. Gameboy was possibly the inspiration for the name “Nintendo Thumb�. Mobile phone use has increased each year. By the end of 2004, it is predicted that 82 per cent of Australians will own a mobile phone. “Australia's cellular services are expected to grow by 7% this year, generating revenue of $A8.7 billion,� (Chaisatien, 2004). Mobile phones incorporate many features that the now extinct personal planners once did. The most concerning is the SMS feature which requires multi-tap typing. More recently, MP3 players (and Ipods) have become mainstream. These also require jerky movements of the thumbs, but on a lesser scale than SMS on phone. Looking to the future, far-fetched as it may seem, “channel-surfing� on digital television may become cause for concern. With onscreen programs, and boasting over six hundred channels, finding a suitable program can prove a waste of time and thumb-energy.
This section will discuss how these media, RSI, and children all intertwine. There are various reasons for concern when considering RSI, however the idea that a whole generation could be plagued by its ill-effects is of primary consideration. There have already been workers compensation claims lodged by adults relating to computer-related RSIs in the workplace. “The true prevalence is unknown, as there may be many cases which did not result in workers’ compensation claims,� (Gardner et al, 1998). One can only imagine the magnifying effect that newer technologies, in varying forms, may have on a new generation in twenty or thirty years. It is becoming a trend for children to “edit� their own work at school in technology classrooms at an early age. Some schools require upper primary and secondary students to carry their own laptop top school with them. This was once almost unheard of and restricted to elite schools, but is now seeping into suburbia. More recently, the educational value of this practice has been questioned (Whitefield, 1998). The personal planners of the 90s were popular amongst children, some including video games (which were aimed at boys), and some which included a ‘perfect match’ system (which was aimed at girls). Obviously the Gameboy and similar devices were popular amongst children as well as adults. Somewhat surprising though is the frequency of children’s mobile phone use. “A recent study by Ingenuity Research found that 95 per cent of children surveyed aged between six and nine sometimes use their parents mobile and that more than a third of all Australian 10-13 year olds own a mobile,� (NSW CCYP, 2003). This can be attributed to the feeling of independence that a private phone line can provide to a child. Also, parents claim to have felt more secure in the knowledge that their child can contact them (or is contactable by them) wherever they may be. Also, prepaid mobile deals give parents an opportunity to limit their child’s call costs. SMS messaging has become popular, possibly because it’s more economical. There is no flag fall and a standard rate applies. Even children lead busy lives in this day, so time is of the essence. A young woman from Singapore recently won the title of fastest SMS messager (Arnfield, 2004). It came as no surprise to Kimberley Yeo’s service provider that she possessed this skill, as the twenty-three year old sends about 1500 messages per month (average of 50 per day). The combination of these new technologies looks detrimental to the future. While an older generation can pinpoint the reasons for their pain as being computer-related, this younger, seemingly oblivious, generation is exposing itself to such a cocktail of risk factors.
childrens health-new media connection
For fear of exceeding the revised word count, I will simply outline what this section will explain. It will focus on the future of this illness, with a paragraph on each of: -education for children -reducing use of these technologies -consequences of ignoring this problem BronwynRees 11:04, 10 Sep 2004 (EST)
childrens health-media connection
BronwynRees 09:53, 26 Oct 2004 (EST)
