In this free Medical Spanish lesson, you will learn how to talk about media use amongst children and adolescents in Spanish: Consumo de medios, tiempo de pantalla y redes sociales.
In this lesson, I teach you how to discuss the following in Spanish:
- Common social media, TV and screen time vocabulary.
- Risks associated with viewing content relating to drugs, sex and violence.
- Common concerns around obesity, eating disorders and other concerns as they’re linked with screen time.
- 2 great questions to open the conversation around screen time with your patient.
- Screen time and media use suggestions in Spanish for patients.
Here is Anticipatory Guidance in Spanish Media Use in Children and Adolescents lesson that I taught to the Facebook group:
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Vocabulario Relevante – Relevant Vocabulary
This vocabulary is useful to start talking about some topics related to media use in children and its implications.
| Spanish | English |
| Acoso | Bullying / Harassment |
Autoestima  | Self esteem |
| Bajar vídeos | Downloading videos |
| Comportamiento / conducta | Behavior / conduct |
| • Agresivo | • Aggressive |
| • De riesgo | • Risky |
| • Peligroso | • Dangerous |
| Contenido sexual | Sexual content |
| Drogas | Drugs |
| Estar expuesto a… (Exponerse a…) | Being exposed to … (To expose yourself to …) |
| Imagen corporal | Body image |
| Influencia | Influence |
| Mensajes de texto | Text messages |
| Obesidad | Obesity |
| Redes sociales | Social networks |
| Sexo | Sex |
| Sexting – material sexualmente explícito | Sexting – sexually explicit material |
| Tiempo de (frente a) pantalla | Screen time |
| • Televisión | • Television |
| • Tableta | • Tablet |
| • Computadora | • Computer |
| • Teléfono | • Phone |
| Trastornos: | Disorders: |
| • alimenticios (alimentarios) | • food (food) |
| • de déficit de atención (e hiperactividad) Violencia | • attention deficit (and hyperactivity) Violence |
Violencia – Violence
La violencia es muy común en programas de televisión y películas. No necesariamente causa violencia en niños, pero sí tiene una influencia.
Violence is very common in TV programs and movies. It doesn’t necessarily cause violence but it does have an influence.
| Spanish | English |
| Ver violencia normaliza la violencia | Watching violence normalizes violence |
| Observar violencia desensibiliza a una persona a la violencia | Observing violence desensitizes someone to violence |
| Muchos argumentos de programas justifican la violencia | Many plot lines justify violence |
| El acoso y “bullying” en mensajes de texto y en redes sociales también es común y dañino | Bullying in text messages and social networks is also common and harmful |
El sexo – Sex
- Programas de tele para adolescentes incluyen mucho contenido (mensajes) sexual.
- TV Programs for teenagers include a lot of sexual content.
- El problema es que es poco común (es raro que) que incluyan información sobre los riesgos y responsabilidades de actividad sexual.
- The problem is that it is uncommon (rare) to include information about the risks and responsibilities of sexual activity.
- Los estudios sugieren que estar expuesto a contenido sexual resulta en actividad sexual más temprana Hasta 20% de los adolescentes han participado en “sexting” – es decir mensajes de texto con material sexualmente explícito.
- Studies suggest that being exposed to sexual content results in earlier sexual activity. Up to 20% of adolescents have participated in “sexting” – that is, text messages with sexually explicit material.
Note: Even though “sexting” is a common word in Spanish nowadays, some people also use the word “sexteo” (a mix between sexo + texteo)
Drogas – Drugs
- Miles de millones (billones) de dólares se gastan cada año para promocionar el uso de alcohol y tabaco en los EEUU.
- Billions of dollars are spent every year to promote the use of alcohol and tobacco in the US.
- Los estudios demuestran que esta publicidad influye a los adolescentes.
- Studies show that this advertising influences kids.
- Los estudios también concluyen que observar el uso de tabaco y el consumo de alcohol en programas (películas) es un factor importante en iniciar su uso entre jóvenes.
- Studies also conclude that observing the use of tobacco and alcohol consumption in programs (movies) is an important factor in starting its use among kids.
Note: The words “Billones” and “Billions” are false friends. Be aware when using these words because “billones” means “trillions” in English, whereas “billions” means “miles de millones” (thousands on millions) in Spanish. They are not synonyms.
Obesidad – Obesity
Here is a list of some consequences of the excessive screen time that are related to obesity in kids and teenagers.
| Spanish | English |
| Tiempo frente a la pantalla | Screen time |
| Expone a los jóvenes a publicidad para comida chatarra | … exposes young people to advertising for junk food |
| Aumenta la cantidad de meriendas no saludables | …Increases the amount of unhealthy snacks |
| Quita tiempo de actividades más activas | … Takes time away from more active activities |
| Interfiere con costumbres de sueño saludables | … interferes with healthy sleep habits |
Trastornos alimenticios – Eating disorders
Redes sociales, películas y programas de televisión muchas veces establecen una expectativa no realista sobre el cuerpo – especialmente en mujeres.
Social networks, movies, and TV programs often establish an unrealistic expectation about the body – especially in women.
| Spanish | English |
| Un auto-imagen no saludable puede resultar en trastornos alimenticios tales como: | An unhealthy self-image can result in eating disorders such as: |
| • Bulimia | • Bulimia |
| • Anorexia | • Anorexy |
| • Atracones (comer excesivamente) | • Binge eating (overeating) |
Otras preocupaciones – Other Concerns
Tiempo frente a la pantalla también se asocia con:
Screen time is also associated with:
| Spanish | English |
| El trastorno de déficit de atención | Attention deficit disorder |
| El trastorno de déficit de atención con hiperactividad | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder |
| Peor rendimiento (desempeño) académico | Lower academic performance |
| Atrasos en el habla en bebés menores de 2 años | Delayed speech in babies under 2 years old |
2 Preguntas para evaluar el uso de medios – 2 Questions to Evaluate the Use of Media
These two questions will help you open the discussion about media use with your patients.
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Cuánto tiempo por día frente a una pantalla pasa su hijo(a)? | How much screen time per day does your child spend? |
| ¿Hay tele o internet en el cuarto de su hijo(a)? | Is there a Television conection or internet in your child’s bedroom? |
Consejos para padres – Tips for Parents
These consejos are provided in two formats:
- “Usted” command
- A “keep it simple” workaround if you don’t have much experience talking in Spanish
| Spanish | English |
| Limite el tiempo de pantalla (para entretenimiento/diversión) a menos de 2 horas por día. | Limit screen time (for entertainment / fun) to less than 2 hours per day. |
| Es mejor limitar… | It is better to limit … |
| Evite tiempo de pantalla para todos los bebés menores de 2 años. | Avoid screen time for all babies under 2 years old. |
| Es importante evitar… | It is important to avoid … |
| Elija (seleccione) con cuidado los programas que permite a sus hijos ver | Choose (select) carefully the programs that you allow your children tosee |
| Es buena idea elegir… | It is a good idea to choose … |
| Mire los programas con sus hijos/adolescentes y converse sobre los temas presentados | Watch programs with your children/teenagers and talk about the topics presented |
| Es provechoso mirar… | It is helpful to watch … |
| No deje que sus hijos pequeños y preadolescentes vean programas clasificados “R” o “PG-13” | Do not let your kids / preteens watch programs rated “R” or “PG-13” |
| Es importante no dejar… | It is important not to leave … |
| Sea buen ejemplo del consumo de medios y tiempo de pantalla. | Be a good example about media consumption and screen time. |
| Es un poderoso modelo si usted es… | It is a powerful example if you are … |
| Enfatice actividades más activas para entretenimiento | Emphasize more active activities for entertainment |
| Es buena idea enfatizar… | It is a good idea to emphasize … |
| No permita el uso de pantallas en los cuartos | Do not allow screen times in beedrooms |
| Es muy importante no permitir… | It is very important not to allow … |
| Evita el uso de pantallas como “niñero” | Avoid using screens and media as a “babysitter” |
| Es buena práctica evitar… | It is good practice to avoid … |
| No vea programas de tele durante comidas familiares | Do not watch TV shows during family meals |
| Es mejor no ver… | It is better not to see … |
¡Gracias POR aprender español conmigo!
Su tarea – Your Homework
- Review the notes & vocabulary
- Identify additional points and topics to discuss with patients
- Remember to keep it simple if you need to 🙂
Now it’s your turn! I packaged all of this vocabulary in Spanish into some flashcards for you to study.
I packaged all of this into easily downloadable .pdf notes–Get your copy for free today!
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