Is Your Child Addicted To The Mobile Phone?

Parenting

- Dr Subhash Rao

Parents, especially those of teenagers, are always worried about how the increasing use of technology interferes with the well-being and health of their children. Between scrolling social media feeds and video calls with friends, children as young as seven and eight spend too much time on mobile devices. While there is no conclusive evidence regarding the effect of cell phones on a child's brain, there have been many findings that point in a problematic direction. Preliminary data from an Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study has found that high screen time is bad for the brain & affects a child's psychology, thinking patterns, sleep cycles, and behaviour.

In India, the addiction to smartphone devices is increasing rapidly. A survey conducted by a cartoon channel in India revealed that 95% of kids live in homes with a mobile phone, while 73% of Indian kids are active mobile phone users. Interestingly, 70% fall under the age group of 7-10yrs, while 76% are in the age group of 11-14yrs. Many families now don't use landline phones, and almost every adult member of the family has access to a digital phone this results in a child having access to these devices from a very young age.

The above factors then come together and result in addiction to technological gadgets which can also lead to various health conditions including Obesity.