“Fortnite is very cognitively beneficial.” Video games are good, especially among children and teenagers

How to manage children’s screen exposure? What effect can video games have on cognitive development? Answers elements with two experts placing the role of parents at the heart of the relationship between children and digital technology.

“Parents must include screen use in their educational model.” Ludovic Guiquel is a child psychiatrist and head of the child and adolescent psychiatry unit at the Henri Laborit Hospital Center in Poitiers. As part of Brain Week in Poitiers, he speaks On the impact of screen overexposure on children.

“The difficulty in making suggestions is that the public must understand the reasons for it Grab it, especially when it comes to the screen. To begin with, according to Ludovic Giquel, the important thing is to distinguish between different types of screen exposure. “Exposing a 3- to 5-year-old child, for several days, to an adolescent is not the same.”

Child psychiatrists are clear that exposure, especially passive, to screens can affect teenagers’ sleep and eating, especially “from 4 hours daily”, And that “Dangers that affect the child’s acquisition stage are particularly important.”

This is particularly highlighted by the French study Elf, led by Jonathan Barnard. The research, conducted on 14,000 children, sought to understand the impact of screen exposure on children’s cognitive development. The result: Two-year-olds who grow up in families where we eat in front of the television show language delays. This is especially due to a lack of interaction or confusing sounds that do not help the child to differentiate.

A child glued to a screen will not invest in his environment in the same way, it will be like a tunnel, so his view will not develop in the same way.

Ludovic Gickel

Child Psychiatrist

Exposure is also often synonymous with a sedentary lifestyle. “Being motionless, in front of a screen, is not the same as cabining or being on a bike”. A sedentary lifestyle is dangerous for your health. It will significantly increase cardiovascular diseases, depression and obesity.

In order to better manage children’s screen exposure, Ludovic Gikvel emphasizes the importance of the role of parents. Often times, the situation becomes complicated when difficulties have already set in, but it becomes more difficult for parents to go back. “In this case, the position of the parents becomes oppressive, but it’s not a good idea, because if they have calibrated their lives around it, the deprivation of screens gives them the feeling that we will be removed from their access. The world, from their relationships, from their From playability etc.”

Instead, he recommends taking a parental approach “Co-creation About the relationship between children and screens from the point of view of developing self-control and free will.

“We need to discuss it, to get to know the digital world better because it is now part of our daily lives.” It explains, “Children are sensitive, we have to be careful, it’s up to us to convince them, because it’s one thing to be 35 years old and look at your social network, it’s another thing to be 14 years old.”

As much as parents want to protect their children from all dangers, the thing is that sometimes we don’t realize that the effects of screens are longer, more subtle over time. The telephone is not inherently a dangerous object, but it is thanks to the Internet that pedophiles approach minors, for example.

Ludovic Gickel

Child Psychiatrist

Considering the potential recommendations, the doctor prefers to err on the side of caution. “It varies greatly from one age to another, I’m more of the opinion that there are too many limits to operate”, he explains. between them, “Don’t keep screens in the bedroom or on the table and avoid them when waking up and going to bed”.

However, be careful with the mixture. It is important to distinguish between different screens and types of exposure. “Watching TV and being inactive is not like playing video games”cites Eric Lambert, researcher and lecturer at the University of Poitiers.

Video games are good, especially among children and teenagers

Eric Lambert works, On the effect of video games on cognitive development in children and adolescents. And the result is very positive. “Look Television or social networks provide no cognitive benefits, while video games do.”He can already tell considering the first results of his research.

According to the Union of Leisure Software Publishers (SAIL), 96% of youth between the ages of 10 and 17 play video games at least occasionally. “This is a very important question on a social level, it is legitimate for parents to be interested in the effect of this on their children”. And while there is no shortage of studies on the consequences of video games in adults, the scientific literature on adolescents and children is still somewhat reliable.

Among adults, gamers have been shown to have greater attention spans, as well as mental flexibility—that is, the ability to adapt. And it turns out that these results apply to minors as well. “It’s quite surprising because we always replicate the same results.”

Players develop, among other things, better reflexes, greater speed in their reactions, but also better blocking ability. ie capacity Don’t just give the first answer that comes to mind, take the time to analyze and see if another solution isn’t more relevant.

“These are cognitive functions that we use every day for everything,” Eric Lambert continues. But in this regard, not all games are equal. Surprisingly, action games are the most effective compared to puzzle games. “Fortnite is very beneficial cognitively, while often parents worry because there is a minor form of violence”, explains the researcher. However, it is a game “Extreme demand that needs a lot of attention”.

On the link between violence and video games, Eric Lambert is clear, “British teams have proven that it does not develop violent behavior, it is a prejudice”. It must be said that video games still suffer from certain stereotypes.

“The problem is generational, parents don’t understand what kids play and kids don’t explain games”. This trend is expected to evolve in the coming years, but until then, deep-seated prejudices can affect children and adolescents’ self-esteem and their perception of their passions.

While people have a good image of board games and stigmatize video games, children also internalize these discourses and think to themselves that playing video games is “not good”.

“If parents have a better gaming culture, it will be very beneficial for everyone”, the researcher repeats. The Orcs Club of Poitiers also invites us for this. Parents are invited to play with their children. because The best solution “It’s always about finding out for yourself.”

Another point, games will have cognitive benefits up to 8 hours a week of practice, “Up, it’s a plateau, we haven’t had a drop, but it’s a plateau.” Eric Lambert also recognizes that intensive practice can have harmful side effects, particularly on sleep. “It’s not the fact of playing that is negative, it’s the fact of reducing their sleep hours, but if they read late at night, it will be the same thing”

Besides, “There is no clinical evidence on video game addiction. It doesn’t exist”.. In study or specialized centers, some venture to speak instead “addiction”A word that would be fair, but would concern his part “small” players