Kids, Social Media and Technology: Finding the Balance

Kids today are more connected than ever before. About 95% of teens have access to a smartphone, and nearly half say they’re constantly online.

According to a new Children’s Mental Health Report from the nonprofit Child Mind Institute, up to 10% of kids and teens engage in “problematic internet use (PIU)”  — online use excessive enough to interfere with their daily lives. Problematic internet use is linked with mental health conditions like depression and ADHD in kids.

Child Mind Institute president and medical director, Harold Koplewicz, MD, explains the impact of round-the-clock social media and internet use on kids’ emotional well-being, and what parents can do to create a healthier balance in their children’s lives.