Health experts recommend “social media reset” for kids before school starts

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) - School starts in the next couple of weeks for a lot of area school districts. U.W. Health recommends a “social media reset” before kids go back to school.

Dr. Megan Moreno, an adolescent health expert at UW Health in Madison, recommends stricter rules for when and how their kids use social media during the school year, even if those rules were relaxed over the summer.

“Some of the ways that youth use the platforms have been shown to be potentially risky for mental health. Other ways that youth use platforms have been shown to be beneficial for mental health,” Dr. Moreno said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says you should be mindful of how your kid uses social media platforms.

Families should make guidelines personalized for each child’s age and emotional maturity.

Moreno said a study by the U.W. School of Medicine and Public Health showed teens who received social media counseling from their pediatrician remembered that advice six to nine months later.

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