As the holiday season kicks into high gear, journalist Perri Peltz examines the effects, impacts and influence of video games

A leading behavioral child psychologist, a renowned toy tester and an expert in video game violence will take calls and offer advice and tips that every parent should hear

SIRIUS XM Radio today announced that it will broadcast Doctor Radio Reports: Kids and Video Games - What You Should Know Before You Buy, a live one-hour special hosted by journalist Perri Peltz on which she and a panel of experts will explore everything parents need to know about video games and the effects they have on children.

Doctor Radio Reports: Kids and Video Games - What You Should Know Before You Buy will air live December 11 at 10:00 am ET on Doctor Radio, SIRIUS channel 114 and XM channel 119. The phone lines will be open for the entire show for listeners around the country to call in with their questions. It will replay December 12 at 12:00 pm ET and December 13 at 6:00 pm ET.

Which games are too violent? What do the ratings mean? How do you set guidelines for how long your child should play? What must you know before you buy? Peltz and a panel of experts will answer these questions and more, and explore a wide variety of other topics including: the video game rating system, what it means and how to use it to purchase games as presents; the most popular games this holiday season and whether or not they are appropriate for your child; the impact of setting guidelines for your child, and advice on what to do when playing video games affects their schoolwork and sleep habits.

Guests scheduled to appear include child behavioral psychologist Dr. Lori Evans, co-host of Doctor Radio’s weekly child psych show About Our Kids. Dr. Evans, a specialist in ADHD and Behavior Disorders, is Director of Training at the NYU Medical Center Psychology program. She has counseled families on how, when, and if limits should be set on video game usage.

Peltz will also welcome Cheryl Olson, Ph.D., Co-Founder & Co-Director of the Center for Mental Health and Media, Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. Olson is on Faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the co-author of Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games & What Parents Can Do. James Oppenheim, a tester and reviewer of games and toys, will also join the show. Oppenheim is the former Tech Editor for the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio and Child Magazine. He is the creator of JamesGames.com and TheMoveChef.com and is currently a contributor on the Today Show on NBC-TV.

Source Sirius XM Radio

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The Nintendo Wii has become one of the most popular gaming systems, due to the variety of active games it offers. Unfortunately, with the popularity of the system comes the possibility of overuse and puts a risk on child safety. If you own one, you might want to be aware of Wii injuries.

How are injuries received?

Injuries can occur whenever you’re active. If you run, and fail to stretch first, you can receive shin splints, sprains, strains, or tendonitis. Even if you’ve been active all your life and run regularly, you can still be injured.

In most cases, injuries from Wii use occur because of similar reasons. Either a person is not normally active, or they’ve failed to warm up prior to use. They could strain a muscle by moving the wrong way, develop tennis elbow from overuse, or be injured due to a fall.

What types of injuries can you expect to see? Here are some of the most common ones:

* Cuts
* Bruises
* Knee injuries
* Eye strain
* Fractures
* Rotator cuff injuries
* Sprains
* Seizures
* Stroke
* Heart attacks in extreme cases

Of course, if you read and follow the instructions in the Wii Safety Manual, your chance of injury is lessened.

Who is affected most?

It seems there is no age limit for those who receive injuries. The amount of time one spends playing the Wii will determine the possibility of and extent of injury. Young or old, male or female - injuries can happen in any walk of life. Level of fitness may not prevent injuries; even professional athletes have received injuries while playing the Wii.

What can you do about it?

Limiting play time is one way to help you avoid injury. Properly using the straps on the controllers will keep the controllers from slipping from your hand while in use, even if that won’t keep you from being injured.

Remember your reason for purchasing the Wii. It encourages users to become more active. It is unlikely that any injuries would be any more severe than normal sports injuries after a week of being sedentary, or what a child would receive in a game in the backyard with friends.

If you’re older and decide to play the Wii, take into consideration how active you have been. Try not to do too much, stretch before beginning play (much like you would when playing a non-Wii sport), and try to be careful.

It is possible to have fun playing the Wii and avoid injury. You can be aware of Wii injuries and do your best to avoid them. Read the owner’s manual and follow their express directions. Don’t forget you bought the Wii to have fun, but be careful in the process to avoid being hurt.

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With the advent of video games, it is increasingly difficult to get your children to get involved in healthy physical activities. So the pressure falls on the parents to think of exciting and creative children activities to get them involved. Here are some ways you can think of in order to get their fancy:

Although video games are a bit intellectual, it still involves spending hours in front of the television so have them participate in impact sports such as running, gymnastics, dancing and the likes. This improves their bone density and helps them to get fit.

This also helps develop healthy habits in them. If they are physically active as children, then that will most likely translate to the same when they become adults. This has a significant effect on their health especially in combating diseases such as cancer, obesity and heart disease.

The point is to lead a balance between home inactivity and exercises to keep your child healthy. Remember to always make it fun, fun, fun.

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