Parents of children under the age of six are being advised to keep them protected from viewing online violence as they cannot distinguish it from reality.

 

In the journal Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics also urged the media to stop dismissing the link between on-screen violence and real life.

 

Talking about the research, principal author Dr Dimitri Christakis, director of the Centre for Child Health, Behaviour and Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute said: “Screen violence, particularly when it is real but even if it is virtual, is quite traumatic for children regardless of age.”

 

 

"It is not uncommon to see increases in nightmares, sleep disturbances and increased general anxiety in the wake of these events.

 

“While it is true that the horrific events of this past week can happen at any time, the real risk to individuals remains low - children need that reassurance.”

 

According to CBCNews, the research analysed papers that looked into the effects of virtual violence on children, and found that “such events frighten children”.

 

 

"We've switched from calling it screen aggression or screen violence to virtual violence to capture the more immersive ways children can experience media violence today," said Dr Christakis.

 

"Very soon it's going to be virtual reality violent video games. That makes the experience that much more intense and the recommendations that much more important."

 

Highlighting the fact that one child may be at greater risk than others, those involved in the study said that any parent concerned “should make very concerted efforts to reduce the violence in their child's media diet."

 

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