Becoming Autistic: How Technology is Altering the Minds of the Next Generation by Dr Rachael Sharman and Dr Michael C. Nagel was released early 2022, and has garnered an extraordinary amount of attention nationally and internationally with this attention being overwhelmingly positive.
The book outlines the downstream consequences of intensive early screen exposure (IESE) on the developing brain, and the current generational consequences of the same. The terms "virtual autism" and "autism like symptoms" as a consequence of IESE are now well documented in the research literature, with brain imaging research highlighting several regions of the brain that are affected and likely give rise to these symptoms.
Since the release of the book, the authors have been invited to present on the topic of ‘Virtual Autism’ to more than 5000 GPs in several capital cities across Australia. HealthEd, the organisation that organises and delivers cutting edge research to GPs as noted reported that a televised and recorded presentation from Dr Sharman on 'Virtual Autism' to several thousands of GPs across Australia, resulted in a 78% rating of the talk as "excellent" and "highly relevant".
That research is highlighted both in the book and in the growing number of events where the authors have presented their work, along with a number of podcasts to be aired over the next few months shows the interest in this important subject. Relatedly, the authors have also been invited to present to child health nurses, early childhood conferences, Probus, Rotary, primary schools and education/developmental psychology conferences and summits with an overall estimated outreach of ten thousand plus at this point in time.
The authors note since the release of their book an increasingly expanding volume of research concerned with screen use and child/teen mental issues including but not limited to "virtual autism".
Learn more about the book, Becoming Autistic, here.
