Are social media videos really damaging kids’ brains

If you are a parent, you may have heard about the negative impact social media has on kids, particularly when it comes to short-form video content, or "shorts," that can get them caught in a scrolling stupor for a seemingly unhealthy amount of time.

You might be wondering, does social media use really rewire kids' brains? Can any damage be undone? And what sort of activities actually promote brain health? The questions are endless and it can be overwhelming.

In an interview, Allison Hensley, MD, a pediatrician at Loma Linda University Children's Health, spoke about short and long-term effects of video shorts and what parents should know and what they can do in response. Here are excerpts from the interview.

First, would you say that social media shorts are damaging to kids?

Yes, they definitely can be damaging, and studies have shown that they are. They affect a child's brain, emotional health, and mental health.

Some people worry that the impact is more biological versus behavioral or developmental.

It's not only biological, but the effects of social media - shorts in particular - affect the brain. You get these dopamine hits within the brain and that trains the brain for instant gratification, and that subsequently affects other things. It throws off attention, focus, and then abilities for self-control. So, it starts at the brain level and then you see the effects on their mental health and their behavioral health because of it.

What could parents look for in how their kid is acting to note that those types of videos are impacting them negatively.

One of the signs could be excessive phone use and not wanting to put down their phone. That's one of the signs. Sleep can also be affected. If parents are noticing sleep difficulties and challenges falling asleep, that could be a sign as well. Other signs can be more behavioral things: not focusing, or not being as attentive to regular, normal tasks. When parents notice any of those behaviors, then that's when they can look back and say, "How much screen time are you doing?"

Is there any healthy amount of these short-form videos that kids can ingest, and does it depend on their age?

In general, we say no more than two hours of screen time a day, outside of school-related work. And for the younger kids (2-5 years old), I tell them no more than one hour a day. Then when you look at these social media shorts, you have to limit even that amount of time, and the recommended time of no more than 1 hour a day for older children/adolescents and discouraged use for younger kids.

It's so easy to focus on the bad. Are there any benefits of social media for kids?

There are no known benefits of social media shorts. For social media in general, some benefits can include helping kids stay connected with friends or family, finding supportive communities, and expressing creativity. It offers a space for self-discovery, learning new hobbies, and engaging in social causes.

Back to the negative impacts. Is any damage that happens reversible?

It is reversible, in fact most of it. Once you wean kids off of the shorts, then yes, their attention will start to come back. Their brain kind of reconfigures and gets used to slowed-down learning instead of the fast, rapid pace. So that does improve.

But, in general, prolonged social media does affect the brain with the executive functioning.

What would that look like for parents who don't know what executive functioning is?

Executive functioning skills including planning, focusing, and managing impulses. When social media affects executive function in children, you will notice poor attention or focus and difficulties staying on task, poor working memory and compulsive behaviors.

Would you say it's so much worse than just watching a cartoon or something like that?

Yes, because it trains the brain - and the brain is developing as a child - but it trains the brain to expect these rapid movements, these rapid thoughts, and these rapid exchanges. It causes instant gratification, which can lead to compulsive use.

That's why it's a little bit different from even regular social media, because it affects the brain so much more so that the brain has a harder time focusing on slower normal activities or activities that require a lot of thought.

What are some examples of the activities that require more thought and are more beneficial for kids' developing brains?

Reading is one particular thing. They're at a slower pace with reading, even studying. And when they're in the classroom, just having a teacher teach them something - not rapid pace - is beneficial.

I guess the ultimate fear of many parents is that social media is going to cause their child to develop a mental illness or some sort of psychiatric disorder. Is this a reasonable concern?

The mental health and the behavioral components are huge. Again, with the increase of dopamine, you can see compulsive behavior. It's almost like someone who plays slot machines and has a gambling addiction. That's very similar because it's a compulsive nature.

Behaviorally, you can be more irritable, more restless, and we see increased cases of anxiety and stress. We also see increases with depression and loneliness and disrupted sleep. ADHD-type symptoms can be found in kids who have social media addiction. While it does not cause ADHD, it can definitely worsen ADHD symptoms.

How important is sleep in all of this?

Sleep can be affected because social media can decrease or delay the melatonin's onset. Kids with increased social media don't fall asleep as easily and as well. And if they're not sleeping, then, the next morning, they're either irritable or can't stay focused. Those things can snowball into behavioral and mental health issues. Anxiety and depression have also been linked, especially in the teenage population, to social media use.

So social media use could lead to some sort of mental health diagnosis down the road. That's concerning. Is there anything else about short-form social media content or just screentime, in general, that parents should know?

Setting boundaries is important. If a child is staying up and the parent is finding the child scrolling when they're supposed to be in bed, then the parent should limit phone use and set boundaries. We try to say an hour before bedtime to shut off all screens anyway.

Give kids something to do: arts & crafts, drawing or painting or doing some of those more slowed activities. That's healthy for the brain. Put them in sports or something active like dance, martial arts, or music, so they have alternatives to keep them busy. Deliberate alternatives that can occupy their time are a good strategy.