Digital Wellness Lab

?? NAVIGATING DIGITAL MEDIA WITH LITTLE ONES (Birth to Preschool) — In today’s digitally saturated world, even the youngest children encounter screens on a daily basis. To support healthy development, it’s essential to guide their media use and be mindful of how excessive screen time can affect their physical, mental, and social-emotional growth. General Recommendations: INFANTS (0-18 months) — Limit screen time, except for video chatting with family. TODDLERS (18-24 months) — Introduce high-quality programming, co-viewed with caregivers. PRESCHOOLERS (2-5 years) — Limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality content, co-viewed when possible. Best Practices for Digital Wellness: BE PRESENT — Engage with your child during screen time to enhance learning. SET BOUNDARIES — Create tech-free zones and times to encourage other activities. MODEL BEHAVIOR — Demonstrate healthy media habits for your child to emulate. By thoughtfully integrating digital media into your child's life, you can support their growth and development in our connected world. For more insights, head to our website > Resources > Family Digital Wellness Guide. Have older kids? Be on the lookout for tomorrow’s post with guidance for Grade-Schoolers & Tweens, and Wednesday’s post on Teens & Young Adults. #DigitalWellness #EarlyChildhoodDevelopment #ParentingTips #ScreenTime #HealthyHabits

ARE TEENS EQUIPPED TO NAVIGATE ONLINE VIDEOS? Video content is shaping how teens learn, connect, and grow—but do they have the knowledge and skills needed to manage its influence? The American Psychological Association (APA) just released first-ever recommendations to foster healthier video habits for adolescents, offering practical steps for parents, educators, tech leaders, and policymakers. Our Boston Children's Hospital colleague and Lab Consulting Psychologist Keneisha Sinclair-McBride, PhD served on the advisory board that prepared these guidelines! KEY RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE: ?? Teaching video literacy to help teens critically evaluate content. ?? Modifying features like autoplay and algorithms to reduce overuse. ?? Promoting content that supports empathy, emotional wellbeing, and healthy relationships. ?? Limiting exposure to harmful, risky, and influencer-driven, content. At the Digital Wellness Lab, we’re dedicated to empowering teens and families to navigate digital spaces with confidence. These recommendations from the APA are a vital step towards aligning platforms and policies with the developmental needs of youth. ?? Read the full guidelines here: https://ow.ly/fh3Z50Ue7FX #DigitalWellness #TeenWellbeing #MediaLiteracy #OnlineSafety #MentalHealthMatters #ParentingTips #YouthEmpowerment #HealthyTech

As more platforms and apps implement enhanced child safety protocols, discussions are growing about what additional steps industry, families, and young people themselves can take to ensure online health and safety. In a recent NPR feature, the Lab's founder, Dr. Michael Rich, emphasized the importance of adopting comprehensive, holistic approaches to youth online safety. While general age-based guidelines are a positive and necessary start, Dr. Rich cautioned that they fall short of being a complete solution. “It finally comes down to the parents' understanding and judgment of how well their child takes responsibility and respect for themselves and others in that space.” Dr. Rich’s insights highlight the need for online safeguards tailored to the unique needs and maturity of each child. Although platform changes are essential, parents play a pivotal role in teaching their children to navigate digital spaces responsibly. Read the full story on NPR: https://lnkd.in/eVMghf3w #YouthOnlineSafety #DigitalWellness #ParentalGuidance #ChildSafetyOnline #TechResponsibility #HealthyDigitalHabits #FamilyTechTalks #DigitalParenting #OnlineHealth #ChildrensSafety #SafeTechUse

?? ENHANCING COLLABORATIVE CARE ?? Boston Children's Hospital and Atrius Health joined forces for the 13th Annual Advancing Integration of Care Course, a CME event focused on strengthening connections between primary care clinicians and subspecialists. Dr. Michael Rich, founder of the Digital Wellness Lab, delivered a powerful presentation on social media's impacts on children and adolescents. Drawing on his extensive clinical expertise, he explored how social media shapes young people's mental, emotional, and physical health and shared actionable strategies for addressing interactive media concerns with patients and families. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and made this event a success! Together, we’re paving the way for better integrated care for children and families. #ChildrensHealth #IntegratedCare #SocialMediaImpact #Pediatrics #DigitalWellness #FamilyCare #CME #MentalHealth #HealthcareInnovation

?? How are teens navigating #AI? Find out in our November newsletter! AI-powered tools like Voice Assistants and Generative AI (#GenAI) are becoming central to how young people learn, create, and connect with the world around them. The findings in our our Pulse Report: Optimism and Uncertainty – How Teens View and Use Artificial Intelligence, highlight a mix of optimism and uncertainty, revealing how teens navigate the opportunities and challenges of these rapidly evolving technologies. ?? In our newsletter, you’ll find links to the final report, key takeaways, and recommendations for how industry can build healthier, safer AI-enabled tools that will be used by young people — along with other up-to-date news and insights from the Lab. https://ow.ly/jVki50Uc8HQ

Earlier this week, the Lab’s Medical Librarian & Knowledge Manager, Kaitlin Tiches, and Clinical Research Specialist Nicole Powell had the privilege of presenting to grantees from the Office of Community Health (OCH). The room was abuzz with meaningful discussions about social media, #mentalhealth, and fostering healthy media habits for teens. During the discussion they covered everything from the impact of interactive media on youth to individual, family, and policy level strategies for healthy social media use. The group’s enthusiasm and questions underscored the importance of our work. Together, we’re finding actionable ways to help teens build balanced relationships with digital media — at the individual, family, and systemic levels. Thank you to the OCH grantees for their dedication to advancing youth wellbeing!

Last week, our Executive Director Cori Stott joined Matthew Siegel, MD, MBA from Boston Children's Hospital and Franciscan Children's for a fireside chat with the Greene School in Florida, titled "Raising Resilient Minds". Dr. Siegel and Cori discussed the current youth #mentalhealth crisis, its drivers and complicating factors — including long-term societal underinvestment in prevention services and children's and families' foundational needs — and the role of smartphones in kids' lives. It was a lively discussion that shone a light on the challenges families face in balancing technology, interactive media, and the physical world.

?? SPOTLIGHT ON DIGITAL WELLNESS CHANGE MAKER ?? This week, our Fellow Travelers blog series features?Larissa May, Founder & Executive Director of?#HalfTheStory, the first youth-led nonprofit dedicated to transforming how the next generation engages with technology. After experiencing her own struggles with social media, Larissa launched this global movement toward digital wellness, with a mission to empower young people to build healthier relationships with their screens. Through #HalfTheStory’s education program, Social Media U, students in the US and UK are learning vital skills to navigate tech with intention and advocate for their digital health. Larissa’s vision: not all screen time is created equal, and fostering emotional agency is key to a healthier tech experience. Check out Larissa's inspiring journey and learn how #HalfTheStory is making a difference in youth digital wellness! https://ow.ly/i4uQ50Ua2hy #DigitalWellness #YouthEmpowerment #TechResponsibility #SocialMediaHealth #LarissaMay #DigitalLiteracy #MentalHealthMatters #ScreenTimeBalance #TechForGood

How can we support students’ mental health without removing tech from classrooms? This week, Dr. Michael Tsappis, a provider in the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders (CIMAID) at Boston Children's Hospital, led a crucial conversation with special education specialists and social workers, tackling this very question. His presentation focused on practical ways to promote balanced technology use in classrooms, offering strategies to help students stay connected without overuse. Dr. Tsappis also shared vital tips on addressing common tech misuse—like improper messaging and sleep deprivation from excessive screen time. You can learn more about problematic tech use at https://ow.ly/OFr650U7Qxa

??ONLINE SAFETY TIPS:?Josh, a college student and member of the 2023-24 Digital Wellness Lab Student Advisory Council, has built relationships with others through school, traveling, and, yes, online communities! "While [meeting them in person] sounds scary, because they were once strangers online, I got to know these people and made sure I could trust them." He draws from these experiences to offer nine practical approaches for keeping bots, scammers, and hackers out of your digital life, freeing up that space for people who could become future friends and community members. Learn more: ?? https://ow.ly/BKCz50U7br2 #DigitalSafety #OnlineSafety #StaySafeOnline #ProtectYourPrivacy #CyberSecurity #SmartphoneSafety #SocialMediaTips #TeenSafety #DigitalWellness #DigitalLiteracy #StaySecure