RESET YOUR CHILD'S BRAIN ~ Book Review - Christine Calabrese, Author

by Victoria L. Dunckley, MD

Review by Christine Calabrese, MA

In my own career as a teacher, I informally surveyed student’s parents regarding basic home habits. Among those findings: daily screen time hovered between 3 to 8 hours. Aghast, I resolved not to use the $10,000 “smart screen” in our classroom. Intuiting that four and five-year-old children require personal face time, group time and hug time rather than more screen time, I held firm to this resolve even when pressured to succumb.

Though since retired, my concern for children persists. Here in a suburban hub, I watch screen-mesmerized babies and toddlers while parents sip coffee and stare into their own phones.

And my worry grows.

It’s well-known that Silicon Valley gurus, including Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, carefully monitored their children’s use of technology. This ought to give parents reason to pause. However, “the value of novelty that’s highly prized in American Society”1 blinds many to the precautionary principle (better safe than sorry, exercise caution when unsure).

I can only surmise that most parents hold a false belief that corporations, beholden only to shareholders, are somehow also watching out for their best interests. If not, surely the United States government must have tested the devices for safety.

Reset Your Child’s Brain by Dr. Victoria Dunckley, is groundbreaking. The title could just as easily be Reset Your Child’s Brain and Set Them Free!

Parents and caregivers must take a deep look at their underlying beliefs about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle, examine them thoroughly, delve into the facts, and rescue their screen-addicted children.

In case after case, Dr. Dunckley cites data urging extreme caution in the use of screens and children. We are confronted with the reality that there is no science supporting the value of “interactive video gaming” and “educational” apps. The interactive use of the screen, in fact, is counterproductive to the growing brain (particularly frontal lobe development).

“The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that controls important cognitive skills in humans, such as emotional expression, problem solving, memory, language, judgment, and sexual behaviors. It is, in essence, the “control panel” of our personality and our ability to communicate.” 2

While a bird pushes her baby out of the nest within weeks and at most months, a human baby is extremely dependent upon parental support for years. It is our duty to monitor and educate our children.

The author has coined the diagnosis, “Electronic Screen Syndrome;” a name for the dysregulation we see when a child (or even an adult) is exposed to excessive screen time. How much is too much? This depends on gender, child and age.

There are especially vulnerable populations: youngest (children ages 0-3), teens, boys, immune compromised, autistic, those with ADHD (“ADD”) and learning disabilities.

Is your child suffering from fatigue, isolation, over-stimulation, lack of motivation, lack of interest, lowered grades, lack of social life, tantrums, addiction to gaming, social media, internet surfing…any or all of the above? When a child is exposed to too much screen time, mild symptoms gradually become extreme, which then slowly become out of control.

Remarkably, the “screen fast” suggested by Dr. Dunckley can result in movement away from many of the above-mentioned dysfunctions afflicting so many of our children and young adults today. The fast opens up a family to new possibilities, clean living, and a true rest for children’s brains. The fast can bring families together to enjoy new opportunities for activities, growth, and closeness. After reading this book, I’m sure you’ll agree that the fast is well worth a try.

Every parent ought to read this book, period. Having gifted it to several friends and colleagues, my hope is that all educators get to review it, including school psychologists, social workers, and administrators.

Arm yourself with the facts, embrace the precautionary principle, and shield yourself and your family from the dangers of radiation exposure.