| 1 | | Computer games addiction has been called the epidemie of the Nineties, leaving |
| 2 | | some children too tired for their school-work and drawing them into a fantasy world. |
| 3 | | Other kids won't attend school because they want to spend more time [id:72933]. And |
| 4 | | earlier this year, one child died from fits of epilepsy brought on by the games' flashing |
| 5 | | lights. |
| 1 | 6 | | [id:72934], the National Society for Epilepsy and the Department of Trade and |
| 7 | | Industry have recently started a nationwide investigation into the link between epilepsy |
| 8 | | and computer and video games. But worried parents still want more. |
| 2 | 9 | | Shabana Chaudhry, 36, is like many mums up and down the country: while happy |
| 10 | | that computer games keep her 15-year-old son Junaid off the streets, she [id:72970] that |
| 11 | | he's missing out on the more social pastimes enjoyed by other boys his age. When he races |
| 12 | | out of the school gates he only has one thought in his mind: his computer. |
| 3 | 13 | | Ever since his parents bought him a computer, Junaid's barely emerged from his |
| 14 | | room. At first, Shabana worried about Junaid's complaints of a burning sensation in his |
| 15 | | eyes and headaches, although these now seem to have almost disappeared. But she's still |
| 16 | | concerned that he's overweight and has tried getting him to take up a range of hobbies, |
| 17 | | including karate and other sports. [id:72935], he insists he hates sport and the answer is |
| 18 | | always the same: 'I'd rather be on my computer. H's my best friend. It's a great stress |
| 19 | | reliever - if I'm in a bad mood I play and it calms me. |
| 4 | 20 | | It makes me confident, too. You think: " If I can beat someone on the machine I can |
| 21 | | beat them in reallife." But if Ilose, it makes me really [id:72936]. 1 feellike I could go and |
| 22 | | beat someone up for real, though I soon calm down.' |
| 5 | 23 | | What are the risks? Elizabeth Stutz, of children's play campaign Play For Lifc, |
| 24 | | believes computer games are breeding a generation of aggressive youngsters. 'Children |
| 25 | | learn by copying,' she says, 'and most of the popular computer games are [id:72937]. One |
| 26 | | mother told me her son was lucky to survive an attack by a gang of boys who cut his |
| 27 | | throat. She was horrified when soon afterwards she saw exactly the same attack on a video |
| 28 | | game.' |
| 6 | 29 | | Elizabeth also believes children's ideas of reality are disappearing because they |
| 30 | | become isolated. 'They're being led away from reality,' she says. 'Even with several |
| 31 | | children all playing [id:72938], there's no eye contact nor co-operation, and they have no |
| 32 | | cyes for human things, like beauty or gentleness. Development and creativity disappear |
| 33 | | and family life is spoilt.' |
| 7 | 34 | | However, other experts believe the games have [id:72939], too, if thcy 're not played |
| 35 | | too often. Stephen Rennie, senior lecturer in child's play at Leeds Metropolitan University, |
| 36 | | says: "The games can be a highly social activity and contain morals too. And fantasy play |
| 37 | | can be good for children.' |
| 8 | 38 | | He explains that most children play thc games [id:72940], while those who play |
| 39 | | locked away by themselves tend to be youngsters with family relationship and |
| 40 | | communication problems. |
| 9 | 41 | | But the Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) is urging thc Government to |
| 42 | | investigate computer games and their effects. 'The increase in aggression when children |
| 43 | | have been playing these games a lot is enormous,' says PAT spokesperson Jackie Miller. |
| 44 | | 'Some of these kids are only eight and they've already got a problem - it can be so |
| 45 | | addictive. But it's [id:72941] as long as parents limit the time spent playing them.' |
