Melissa is an occupational therapist who specializes in sensory integration and processing. Her focus has moved from helping children with developmental delays to helping children and young people with screen and media addictions. This career trajectory made it clear to Melissa that the two problems were increasingly connected. Dependence on screens presents new challenges to sensory integration because children are no longer experiencing the world through physical experience the way they did a generation ago. Melanie and Melissa discuss how screen addiction affects children not only mentally and emotionally, but physically and socially as well. We all know that screen use changes the structure of kids’ brains—Melissa explains exactly how this happens and the negative effects she sees in real-life children in her practice. ______________________________________________________Please subscribe, rate, and share this podcast to help spread the word. Stay Strong! Become a Connect Member to get access to our exclusive online forum, LIVE webinars with medical experts, and the entire ScreenStrong library of videos, audio clips, interviews, e-books, handouts, and more!Our ScreenStrong Lifestyle Courses are also NOW AVAILABLE! Production Team: Host—Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor—Olivia Kernekin