Two new guidelines have been issued in China to assist parents in working with their children to avoid the horrible affliction of Internet addiction.

The aptly named Chinese Teenager Mental Growth Base of the General Hospital of Beijing Military Area Command of Chinese PLA and the China Youth Association for Internet Development have jointly launched two guidelines in the hope of helping Chinese parents to keep their child away from becoming addicts.

Named "Guidelines on Preventing Network Addiction at Home" and "Basic Principles for A Harmonious Family", respectively, the two reportedly have been made based on the interviews, observations and studies of more than 800 Internet addicts by experts from the Chinese Teenager Mental Growth Base of the General Hospital of Beijing Military Area Command of Chinese PLA and have put forward concrete measures for preventing Internet addiction at home.

Tao Ran, director of the Chinese Teenager Mental Growth Base, told local media that Internet addiction has something to do with family, school, society and the character of the children in question, but the family is often the main reason, so a harmonious family plus correct guidance can help the children develop in a better way.

Local media surveys show that Internet addiction mostly occurs in youngsters between 12 and 22 years old, and 95% of Internet addicts are boys. These new guidelines are meant to provide parents with a framework within which they can help their children.