Melissa Ferrari, CAE
Executive Director
Maybe it’s the job. Maybe it’s working closely with so many physicians who try to make the world healthier. Maybe it’s being a parent. But, having the opportunity to dive into the Surgeon General’s Warning on the Harms of Screen Use at a recent HHS event was … frankly, unnerving!
Last week, HHS hosted the “Live Real Life” Symposium in Washington, D.C., bringing together leaders from technology, medicine, research, education, government and advocacy groups to examine the harms of screen use in children and discuss actionable approaches to supporting healthier childhood development. The symposium is part of the HHS Live Real Life campaign, a national effort to help families, schools and communities reduce harmful screen use and create more opportunities for children to engage in the experiences essential to healthy development.
ACPM was honored to participate in the event and even more proud to partner with the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) to offer CME and CE credits for the advisory and future OSG publications and programming that puts prevention first (1.5 CME for completing the Advisory on the Harms of Screen Use and 1 CME for the accompanying Toolkit). Through this partnership, physicians and approved non-physicians have an accredited way to engage with evidence-based guidance and practical resources for recognizing and addressing screen-related harms in children and adolescents.
Reflecting on the event and the discussion among the three panels, it is still jarring to think about some of the data points shared: For online adolescent users, more than 76 million data points have been collected on the child by the time they are 14. Myopia has tripled since the start of the pandemic. Only 25 percent of high school students get the recommended amount of daily activity. There were so many important data points and so many more in the OSG advisory.
One message resonated throughout the event – parents need help! Trying to manage controls and access to technology while battling the algorithms of tech companies is a losing battle for a parent. While states are leading the way in policy development, having clinicians educated and aware of screen-related harms is a huge step to ensure technology doesn’t highjack developmental markers in our children – especially those that support human connection.
This collaboration with the OSG reflects ACPM’s commitment to supporting physicians with the tools and education needed to address today’s most pressing health challenges. Together, we’re strengthening the foundation for a healthcare system that prioritizes prevention … and frankly, puts Prevention First!
