Recent warnings have emerged stating that computer games can damage children’s brains and can lead to a form of temporary dementia.

This warning has come from leading neuroscientist Baroness Greenfield, who has advised that children need to get outside more and benefit from the fresh air, rather than spending an estimated 2,000 hours every year on video games that can lead to conditions such as computer addiction.

The baroness has credited technology with creating many benefits, such as making children more creative and thoughtful but warns that overuse can be dangerous, she claimed:

“Screen technologies cause high arousal which in turn activates the brain system’s underlying addiction. This results in the attraction of yet more screen-based activity.”

She continued to discuss how networks in the brain

“can be temporarily disabled by activities with a strong sensory content — ‘blowing the mind’.”

“Or they can be inactivated permanently by degeneration — ie. dementia.”

There has long been stories in the newspapers about the risks and dangers of computer games and the consensus seems to be that, although computer games can heighten children’s awareness on certain matters and puzzle games can help with education, children need to get outside more often, playing games and getting involved in sports groups and activities.

Being involved in sports can help keep children healthy and can get them more involved in team building activities such as football. These activities promote a healthy lifestyle and can keep children motivated by offering prizes such as football trophies, keeping them interested in the game.

The best option for most children would seem to be a healthy balance of the two activities.