How to manage video game obsession in children and adolescents with ASD?

The obsession with video games among many children and teenagers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common concern for families. How can it be managed? Should time limits be set? To what extent can this dedication be harmful?

At the Som Mental Health 360 digital meeting "A whole life with ASD" various professionals addressed, among other things, this issue and highlighted the difficulty for the family in setting limits to this "absorbing interest".

“They need space for their interests, but it’s important to set pre-agreed time limits ,” explained Rosa Nicolau, a psychologist specializing in autism spectrum disorder at the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona. But what’s truly necessary is “diversifying their interests,” for which integrating them into the community will be essential.

This diversification of activities is also key for Dr. Helena Huerta, a clinical neuropsychologist at Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu. But she adds a positive aspect to this interest in video games: "Sometimes they play collaboratively, and this helps them practice some social skills ."

Video games aren't the only things that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to focus on excessively; this obsession can also be seen on mobile phones or screens in general. Juan Antonio Cabezas, the father of a young man with autism, explains from his own experience the effectiveness of having a schedule to help them manage their free time, "which they sometimes don't know how to handle."