Toddlers addicted to iPads and technology

This is quite an interesting article from The Telegraph, a UK newspaper: Toddlers becoming so addicted to iPads they require therapy.  Children in the UK are seeing therapists at a very young age because of their addiction to iPads and similar technology.

The youngest child was four years old, and was inconsolable when the iPad was taken away from her.  The child was using the iPad three to four hours a day and would get upset when it was taken away.  The doctor goes on to say that the child was exhibiting the same symptoms as alcoholics or heroin addicts, but I don't know if I'd go quite that far.  I'll believe it when I see a physiological reaction taking place in the brain similar to what happens in chemical addiction, but of course it's possible.

Some parents in the UK pay up to £16,000 (almost $25,000 at the current rate) for a 28-day detox for their kid.  It's a sad commentary on society, but at least they're willing to get help for their child (if not do some parenting themselves).

I know our son pretends to talk on the phone with objects around the apartment like the TV remote, the camera, a toy sea horse, and anything about that size.  I'm sure it's from seeing us on our phones, although we don't use the phones for internet at home because we have computers.  He does come over  and try to hit the keys whenever we use a computer within his reach, and we quickly move the computer to a table or shelf.

I've posted before about not allowing our child to watch TV, at least for the beginning of his life.  I posted about it and included a TED talk that convinced me: Media and Children.