Is Your Child Prone to Nature-Deficit Disorder?

Posted on August 8, 2014

Through a recent article by Dr. Jay Kumar, titled “How Nature Makes Us Happy and Healthy,” I was introduced to the term “Nature-Deficit Disorder.” Although the term might seem quite self explanatory, I was intrigued by some of the common sense facts and the supporting science behind it. Dr. Richard Louv, author of national bestseller, Last Child in the Woods, coined this term and has sparked a national debate on this topic. In his own words:

“The future will belong to the nature-smart—those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”

Needless to say, all parents know intrinsically how happy kids become when they play outdoors. But the big question in today’s, fast paced, sensory-overloaded life is: How much time do kids really get to play outdoors?

Obviously, only you, the parent, can answer that, but here are two  convincing reasons to make sure that they do :

1. Nature can enhance a child’s natural ability to succeed in every walk of life:

Voluntary or direct attention actions like reading, writing, studying, or playing on electronic devices produce beta waves that help sharpness and clarity. But when the brain spends too much time in this beta wave state, it puts our children’s brain on overdrive, creating stress and diminishing attentiveness through the production of “stress hormones,” like cortisol and norepinephrine.

On the other hand, involuntary or indirect attention actions like playing in the park, getting “down and dirty” in the backyard or hanging out at the beach, produces alpha waves which are healing waves that help the brain release endorphins like dopamine and serotonin, also known as “happiness hormones.”

And does happiness actually lead your kids to success? Yes, most definitely. And no one can explain that better than happiness expert, Dr. Christine Carter. Click here to hear her well-researched conclusion.

2. Nature can enhance a child’s natural ability to be healthier:

Besides alpha waves helping in healing, we all know the benefits that sunshine and vitamin D have on our immune system. And here is Dr. Jay on his radio show enlightening us on how sunshine can make us healthier AND smarter!

In conclusion, your child is only prone to Natural-Deficit Disorder if they are not spending enough time hangin’ in and hangin’ out with nature. Just an hour a day can help bring the brain back in balance!

Go ahead, parents: use nature to tip the scale and this summer, nurture your kids to be healthy and succeed. What a simple TOG to Raise Kids to Be Happy, Think Positive, and Do Good!