DIGITAL DEMENTIA IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: SYMPTOMS, RISK FACTORS AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES. A NARRATIVE REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.1(49).2026.4694Keywords:
Digital Dementia, Cognitive Health, Children And Adolescents, Screen Time, Risk Factors, PreventionAbstract
Children and adolescents, as the new generation of avid technology users, are often able to use it to their great benefit. However, it comes with the cost of being exposed to a variety of health risks, cognitive health being one of the main areas affected. As developing brains are the most susceptible to these risks, Manfred Spitzer’s concept of digital dementia seems as relevant as ever nowadays.
In the present study, we analyse over a hundred published works with the goal of creating a compact yet comprehensive summary of existing knowledge on digital dementia in the population of infants, preschoolers, schoolchildren and adolescents.
Findings suggest that multiple cognition areas are affected, with memory, critical thinking and problem solving being among the most alarming. While the role of parents as guardians of digital health cannot be overstated, other factors such as environment and unmodifiable traits also play a role. For preventing and mitigating this problem, a collaborative effort of caretakers but also teachers, doctors and policy makers is most urgently needed.
We conclude that digital dementia among youth is a common problem, therefore recognising symptoms early, minimising risks and preventing its progression will prove beneficial to whole generations.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Patrycja Felisiak, Magdalena Barszczewska, Dominika Bieszczad, Zofia Botto, Dominika Kowalczyk, Klaudia Krystek, Barbara Reizer, Marzena Swójnóg, Dominik Andrzej Ślazyk , Zofia Śliwa
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