Digital Dementia On The Rise In South Korea; Childhood Internet Addiction Must Be Addressed, Experts Say

A study in South Korea has found that the rise of smartphone use by young people is causing what’s known as “digital dementia,” a deterioration of cognitive abilities and functioning that results from constantly spending time in front of digital screens and the internet. “Overuse of smartphones and game devices hampers the balanced development of the brain. Heavy users are likely to [over]develop the left side of their brains, leaving the right side untapped or under developed,” says Byun Gi-won, a doctor from the Balance Brain Center in southern Seoul, which was created to help those with digital dementia. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the type of brain damage that’s caused by digital dementia is typically associated with stroke, tumors, traumatic brain injury, or psychiatric illness, causing problems with attention, memory, organization, orientation, problem solving skills, reasoning and social communication. With so many children and teens consuming digital media, it raises the question of whether or not this technology should be introduced in the classroom at such a young age, as it may lead to even more youngsters becoming addicted.

Medical Daily, 6/24/13