Empowering Women in Chiropractic -Trapped in Tech Brain

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Hello everybody. It's Dr. B and Elizabeth too. We are here for you and you. And ChiroSecure, you're amazing for giving us this opportunity to share with you. We are gonna go into some trapped and tech brain information for you. But it's not just gonna be about the implications of technology on the brain.

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I'm gonna also share with you a really. Trapped in Tech brain campaign, a lot of words there that you can share with your community to help them . Regain their brain. So let's let's dive in and dig in and have some fun. We're gonna show you some slides and work at around Elizabeth time for you to take a bit of a nap until we chat again, like Snapchat, ah, pun on what we're talking about.

So again, Kara Secure, thank you so much for giving us this gift to give to our profession and the world and share it on your platform and for always having our backs. Alright, so let's talk about a few things. I don't wanna get deep into the weeds 'cause we can get really deep into the weeds, what technology is doing to the brain, different brain regions, brain scans, et cetera.

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But let's just go over some of the latest. . Research from the developing little fiddle fart onto the what they're terming, screen ages. And then let's give you some fun things to think about of doing in your practices to help your practice members and your community. So this is the latest study that came out just I believe, in October, or maybe it was actually this month, is gonna be released anyway, about one year olds.

So what they did was they broke down screen time amongst one year. Little ones. Okay. One year of age. That's a little fiddle thought, right? And they broke it into categories of one hour or less per day. One. At least one hour, but less than two hours per day of screen time. Now, these are one year olds that's quite a bit to handle, right?

The next category was at least two hours, but less than four hours. Of screen time a day, and the fourth category was four hours or more of screen time a day. And believe it or not, yes, they had about 4% of this population group that they were looking at, that we're having at least four hours or more of screen time a day.

That is a lot, needless to say. So fast forward. Long story short. . What they looked at down the road at the age of three is what was their potential developmental consequences and they saw developmental delays in communication and being able to problem solve that. That is big deal because if you're seeing that at age three, what is the implications of that?

When they start school. So that is one study that just recently came out. The, another study looked, did the same, actually did the same breakdown in a, in in time categories, the less than one hour a day, basically one to two hours a day, et cetera, and looked at the possible implications of autism.

And what they did was they saw correlation in this study. Okay. And this was about a year ago that there were some correlation. There was a correlation between the greater amount of screen time. A child later on being diagnosed on the autism spectrum. So these are things we definitely have to think about.

But when we take this, a brand new study that just came out I got it in my inbox. This is the one that I think is gonna be released in December of this year, did a whole meta-analysis. So they looked at all the data to date with regard to screen time and autism. And although they . The consensus is that screen time does equate to developmental delays down the road, that it doesn't necessarily have a correlation with autism per se.

And their conclusion was perhaps it is children that later on do get diagnosed of being on the spectrum tend to have difficulties with social engagement skills anyway. And so perhaps I. They tend to negate circumvent that social engagement in their environment and put that towards screen time instead.

So they're more comfortable with not engaging with others, but with the screen. Nevertheless, bottom line is technology. Screen time is compromising brain development and maturation Again, according to the American Academy of Pia, American Academy of Pediatrics, wow, that's a mouthful. Those kiddos under the A two and under should have zero screen time at all in those early formative years.

You remember, the brain is developing rapidly. The first thousand days is considered the critical window of development for brain. That first thousand days includes fetal development and the first two years postnatally. So screen time during that first two years, postnatally is really not advised at all, and that includes television.

All right, so now we fast forward a little bit. One of the things the, another study looked at between 12 and 18 months of age and screen time on the developing brain. And particularly looking at the area that is involved in executive functioning, known as the prefrontal cortex. So it's our executive decision making part of the brain that I.

That is a part of the brain that develops what they call a protracted period of development. It continues to develop into our early twenties, early to mid twenties. So it's an ongoing process of development that is our impulse control, our being reasonable, being rational, being able to socially engage appropriately, et cetera.

So what they're finding is what they found in this one study that scr higher amounts of screen time, especially between 12 and 18 months old, compromised the development of that prefrontal cortex, that executive functioning part of the brain. Now what they're seeing is that yes, the little fiddle farts.

Are really good at navigating screen time and and games at that early even age. And what they're thinking is that they have enough executive control. Cognitive control to navigate and be successful at these games at this young age, however, it's basically taking up space. It's such a sensory storm in the brain that they don't have the, their brain gets overextended essentially in fuel, and so they don't have enough brain power to properly mature other areas of that brain for cognition and et cetera.

So just, this is a really important point because just because they're good at playing hungry birds or whatever, I don't know, video games at age 12 months or 18 months or 16 months or whatever, does not mean that their brain is mature enough to handle that input. The other thing we have to understand is with video games in particular.

You're getting a sensory mismatch. So sensory integration, being able to integrate and and interpret our sensory environment is basically the key to the foundation of all areas of health, physical, mental, emotional health. When anybody is playing a video game, there's a sensory mismatch happening in the brain, meaning they're getting a lot of auditory and visual stimulus.

From these games, but they're not getting a lot of proprioceptive or vestibular input. So this is one of the theories behind this video game Rage. When you ask them to discontinue, especially the older child, to discontinue playing that video game, there becomes this sensory this rage that happens.

Part of that is because that executive part of the brain is offline. It's not working, so they don't have that impulse control, that ability to self modulate. The other theory is that they've been overstimulated with noise and visual stimulation and they are not getting that movement, vestibular and proprioceptive deep pressure input.

And so it's taking the brain a bit of a time. . To catch up and sync up again so that all sensory input is kinda, has equal territory. Okay, so a good thing to do is when you're asking them to take . This discontinue their game. The older child in particular, is to have them go run outside or jump on a trampoline or something that will give them some of that vestibular and proprioceptive input in order to bring those areas of the brain back into a more comprehensive, inclusive working system.

THat's that's some things we need to consider. Now when we talk about the term screen ages. There was a documentary actually called Screen Ages. I have not seen it, but it would be it would be fun to go and watch that and maybe fun but it would probably be very enlightening. But what they looked at is teenager's brains and teenager's brains on screen time, and those kiddos that were

Playing video games for 20 hours or more a week. I don't know where they're finding the time, but they are their brains were pretty much, when you looked at FMRI imaging pretty much analogous to that of a person addicted to drugs, alcohol, et cetera, because we know these games are very addictive.

So we're creating these addictive personalities and addictive brains. Now when you look at some breakdowns of different social media platforms, oi, that's a whole nother issue that the consequences on the brain are very sad, very alarming generally speaking, especially with Facebook was interesting 'cause Facebook tends to affect the brain from brain, from a brain atrophy.

Yes. And actually. Atrophying of the brain of different brain regions, one being the limbic system one being an area called a cingulate cortex. These are very key areas of the brain for personality disorders, for addiction, for anxiety, for self-awareness, internal self-awareness. Of course, the amygdala, the limbic system is part of our fight or flight system, right?

Our defense mechanism, but they're actually seeing brain atrophy in key regions like that, particularly with Facebook. I. That's very alarming. Now, from my understanding, teenagers, these pre-teens and teenagers in early adulthood Facebook is not the big thing these days, but I understand that Instagram and Snapchat and TikTok are big things that they gravitate towards.

So there's not good findings on that as well. TikTok. In particular is also leading to activating brain regions, and particularly there's a thing called TikTok, Tourettes. Where they're finding, particularly with girls, teenage girls, is where it is a pseudo Tourette syndrome that's evolving from spending too much time and scrolling on this TikTok.

And in fact, they found that there are actually videos of Tourette's videos on TikTok that have been viewed over a billion times. And those, this TikTok, Tourette's is equated even higher with those, watching those videos. So there is there's a lot of concern that we need to look at there.

Instagram was associated with more highs and lows, more bipolar type personalities because again they're looking for that instant gratification. That reward system is constantly on the edge looking for . Are people liking my posts? That positive feedback. And when they're not getting it, they're seeing that, again, bipolar personality kind of disorder, particularly with Instagram.

So some things to think about. I. And Snapchat was also associated with key areas of the brain, the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex the cingulate gyrus. Again, key areas that are involved in depression, anxiety, reward social engagement skills that are, that's why we're seeing the implications of this technology.

Taking over, being able to appropriately social engage within their environment. So that's the rundown and just a synopsis of what we're seeing across all ages and all stages with technology. So how can we help our community to understand this? It's very important. I think that we . We we describe, we lay out what these addictive patterns mean as far as brain function, as far as brain development, as far as a shrinking brain abr.

The brains are literally atrophying, and if we put it into that context, it's a little bit more Whoa. Rather than Yeah, they're addicted. Yeah, I'm addicted. What does that mean from a brain perspective, and what does that mean potentially down the road? From a dementia Alzheimer's neurodegenerative standpoint, okay?

When the brain atrophies the brain A, it's a use it or lose it principle, right? The brain's either gonna have that stimulation, proper stimulation, or it's not. The good news is, from what we know now is when we do limit the screen time. That those brain regions can start to engage appropriately again if we give them the right.

Right input. So let's think about some ways we can do that. January thaw, those of you that live in regions where it snows and it ices over. We, at least here in Idaho, we are known as having the January thaw, meaning oftentimes January is a time where the temperatures drop and whatever snow or ice has been on the ground melts.

So you can start thinking about doing different campaigns. Those have . You that are in my academy of Neurodevelopmental Practices, we have a whole campaign for all diff, all four seasons of the year to employ these, regain your brain campaigns within your community. I'm throwing out the January thaw because you can look at doing this at the beginning of the year actually.

Depression and anxiety increases in January and February. Used to be that depression and anxiety and suicides. Went up right before the holidays. Now that's shifted to January and February. So think about doing something like this to engage your practice members. geT them off of the social media, off the technology yourself included, and do a January thaw from your, from this technology.

Use and regain your brain. So some things you can do. You can have, write these down. Put a little handout sheet together. Encourage your practice members as a family, especially if you have a family practice. Do this as a family. Have family time. Engage with each other. Use do create a vision board.

A vision board. Every family member can do their own or you can do a family vision board. What does, what do you guys wanna accomplish as a family for the 20, 24 year? Maybe it's a vacation, dream vacation you guys wanna work towards, or it's spending more time together, or it's whatever it is in your community, getting more involved in your religious organizations or going to the library more, whatever, have this vision board as a family.

. Have a encourage them to dive into novels books. Start reading more paper. Actually a paper book, not on the tablet. Start a new hobby. What is something they've been wanting to do? It is amazing if you, yourself and you ask your practice members to start checking the number of hours they're engaged in social media.

Or technology or the phones or whatever in a given week because they will tell you, oh my gosh, I don't have time for this. My life is so crazy. I don't have time for this. Get them to really be accountable for how much time they're spending on social media and substitute that out for something else, and they'd be surprised how much room, how much time you, yourself, and your practice members can free up doing old fashioned things like reading.

A paper book, right? Start a meditation practice a walking meditation whatever it is for that particular portion. Patient take art lessons music lessons, singing lessons, something that's gonna foster brain neuroplasticity. Okay? Start a gratitude jar. Now. Let's move.

I'm gonna. Take it to what you can help, how you can help in your practice, your patients be successful in this, you can as a Christmas gift or New Year's gift. Sometimes it's more fun to do it more as a New Year's gift or as we move into February, because that's when the end of January, February is when the lull, the mood lull starts to set in.

The hype of the holidays is over. Now we're going into the heart holiday. This Valentine's Day. That's it. You can start these gratitude jars around them, around Valentine's Day, okay? Whatever fits into your time protocol, what you have time to, to get these things together, when you have time to get that, disperse them in your offices.

But. Get a gratitude jar. You can either decorate them yourselves in your offices and give them out as a gift. Or you can, within the gratitude jar, have an, the ribbons have glue, whatever. Little twinkle lights. You can get those little fairy twinkle lights on Amazon. Have them as a kit to hand your patients and they decorate them.

Okay? Long story short, you start a gratitude jar. So every day as a family you can pick a different, they can pick a different family member or they can do it as a family or whatever. They write something down on these beautiful pieces of paper that you've either supplied them or however, and they put that together as a family.

And then at the end of the year. Around the holidays, they can sit every night and grab a few and each read something that they're grateful for, and then they can look back over there and go, oh my gosh, yes. That was so awesome and we did this, or whatever. It really brings the family together, so you can do that as a nice gift for your practice members.

You can have a book exchange in your offices. Either you have a le lending library or you ask patients to bring books in just like you see them. Some streets, sometimes people in different communities, different houses on the street. Have a book box out front and have a book exchange. Do that within your office.

You can do it outside your office, right inside your office. But that gives them the ability to grab a book and a little be a little bit more successful in this January thaw or winter thaw. Tech Brain recovery. Maybe work with different patients businesses, the library in your community to donate different items to help your patients be more successful, or if it's another business you wanna work with.

The patients go to that business and they can retrieve a book from there, or a yoga lesson class or whatever it may be. But get your communities involved as well. If you have space, you might wanna start a yoga or meditation night in your offices and ask and ask your families to bring other families that they know that might wanna participate in this.

Regain your brain campaign. That's more exposure for your offices. So they might wanna bring their neighbors and your neighbors maybe can become potential patients. Again, the mason charge, the gratitude charge for the vision board. Perhaps it, those practice members that can go really curb their tech time for an entire month, their name goes into a drawing.

And that drawing can be for something that, that you'll that from their vision board that they might, one of the things on the vision board might be, a monthly movie night with their family, and maybe you get movie passes for them, whatever it might be. Something from their vision board set with a dollar amount that you can make part of their vision come true.

Maybe it is a month pass at a gym. Maybe it is a month pass at a yoga studio, whatever it might be, but their name goes into the drawing. And after the month, whatever month you're doing this winter thaw in, whether it be January, February, March, et cetera, after that month is over and they have

Curb their technology or been totally off technology, that's a good way to acknowledge their efforts and their rewards. So some good things to think about to help educate your community, educate your practice members, get them involved and help them be successful in curbing their technology time and have them write.

What they felt like, what it was. What was it like to spend more quality family time? What was it like being off of social media and having more time to do things that really maybe they thought they never could have time for the voice lessons or whatever. But they did because they curb their technology time.

Make sure that they start the month, whatever, they may start this technology thaw and by posting on their social sites. I'm taking a break for the month of February or January or what have you. I'll see you when I thaw out and I'm gonna go regain my brain. I. And they can tag your office, right Rega, hashtag regain my brain, regain your brain and hash and hashtag your office as well of where this campaign is coming from.

So some food for thought, and hopefully all of you will give this some consideration as well. That if you have goals for 2024 or you wanna study more, you want to take classes, but you don't think you have time for it, you wanna take a, whatever you wanna spend more time with your family or whatever it is for you, your personal, regain your brain.

Take a look at how much time you've been spending on social media and exchange that for something else that is that's more rewarding. Not only for you personally, but is gonna regain positive space in your brain instead of atrophying your brain. So again, ChiroSecure, you're amazing. Thank you so much for another fabulous year of being able to give information to the communities and to help turn the tide for families and generations to come.

And I'm wishing all of you, me and Elizabeth, who are wishing all of you a beautiful holiday season, and hopefully you will. Disconnect from technology and spend some time with those that are near and dear to your hearts. We'll see you in January of 2024.

Today's pediatric show to the children was brought you by ChiroSecure.

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