By Movieguide® Staff
A new study finds that when children get phones at a young age, they’re much more likely to face health risks like obesity, depression, and poor sleep.
“Kids with smartphones had a 30% higher chance of showing signs of depression,” Parents reported, referring to the findings of a study titled the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.
The outlet also noted that “kids with smartphones were 40% more likely to be obese,” and also “60% more likely not to get enough sleep.”
Related: Wondering When to Give Your Child a Smartphone? Here’s What the Data Says
The authors of the study said that smartphone use “offers unique challenges as it may grant youth unfettered access to a world for which they may not be ready, without the discipline to effectively manage their own use.”
This isn’t the only study that has found negative effects of using smartphones too early. A study published in the Journal of the Human Development and Capabilities reported that “kids under age 13 who have smartphones suffer from poorer mental health,” pointing to “a link between young teens possessing phones and being exposed to cyberbullying, having disrupted sleep, and experiencing poor family relationships.”
For parents who are looking to avoid these side effects, it’s important to set healthy boundaries and clear rules for your child’s phone use.
“Remind your child that safety is the main reason that they have a phone, which helps set the standard that other phone features are not essential and intended to be used in moderation,” Erica Kalkut, PhD, ABPP, Executive Clinical Director at LifeStance Health, told Parents.
Melissa Greenberg, a clinical psychologist at Princeton Psychotherapy Center in New Jersey, told CNN that, even if you don’t notice any troubling symptoms in your child or teen, it’s still important to keep a watchful eye on what they’re doing.
“You can still talk to them to let them know that some people struggle with anxiety, low self-worth and intense emotions,” she explained. “You can let them know that there is help available should they ever need it, and you can invite them to come to you if they are ever struggling or need support.”
Greenberg also told parents not to be afraid to change the status quo if their children already have unfettered access to their smartphone and social media.
“You may feel stuck when you read things like this because you feel like you can’t go back,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to change course if you feel like what you’ve already done isn’t working for your child or for your family.”
As more research comes out about the long-term effects smartphone use and social media exposure can have on young people, it’s more important than ever that parents work to keep their young children away from cell phones.
Read Next: What Parents Really Need to Know About Giving Their Young Child a Smartphone
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