(MHealth Lab)
Recent studies have shown that the use of cellphones has been beneficial and detrimental to summer camps for both the campers and the staff. “As a society, we spend a tremendous amount of time on screens and with digital media, but we don’t understand the full impact that it is having on children,” states lead author Ashley DeHudy, M.D., a pediatrician at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
While staff members are able to communicate between each other more easily, using their phones for other purposes distract them from their roles as a counselor. With camper use of cellphones, parents are reassured of their child’s safety and the children are also able to take pictures and videos to keep memories of their experiences. However, their phones could be distracting them from being completely involved in camp activities and from cultivating their social development.
