Giving your kid a smartphone before the age of 12 can lead to massive health problems, study finds…
Smartphones Before Age 12 May Be Risky, New Research Shows
A new study has raised serious concerns about giving children their own smartphones too early. Published in the journal Pediatrics, the research shows that kids who own a smartphone by age 12—or earlier—may face higher risks of mental health issues and physical health problems.
What the Study Found
Researchers discovered a clear pattern:
Children who had their own smartphones by age 12 were more likely to experience depression, poor sleep, and obesity than those who didn’t have a phone yet. These effects appeared even without looking at how the kids used their phones.
The study used data from over 10,000 U.S. adolescents who took part in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study—America’s largest long-term study on child health and brain development.
Here are some key insights:
- 63.6% of participants already owned smartphones.
- The average age for receiving a phone was 11 years.
- The younger the child was when they received their first phone, the worse their reported sleep and weight-related issues were.
Lead researcher and child psychiatrist Dr. Ran Barzilay emphasized that the simple fact of owning a smartphone at a young age had measurable health links.
Kids Without Smartphones Fared Better
A year after the initial comparison, children who did not own smartphones showed better mental health than those who did. This held true even when researchers accounted for other gadgets like tablets or iPads.
What This Means for Parents
Dr. Barzilay advises parents to take the decision of giving children smartphones seriously. While phones can help kids stay connected, learn, and even stay safe, they can also negatively affect sleep, mood, and overall health.
He recommends that parents:
- Understand the health impact of early smartphone ownership
- Monitor what kids do on their devices
- Ensure phones don’t interfere with healthy sleep habits
- Keep an eye on exposure to inappropriate content
What’s Next in the Research?
Researchers plan to dig deeper into which specific aspects of phone use cause harm. They also want to study children who get smartphones before age 10, to understand who is most vulnerable and who might actually benefit from early phone access.
Growing Concerns About Screen Time
The findings align with broader warnings from health experts.
In 2023, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy advised families to create “tech-free zones” at home and encourage face-to-face friendships. Many states have even moved to ban smartphones in schools.
According to the Pew Research Center:
- 95% of teens aged 13–17 had smartphones in 2024.
- Over half of parents of 11–12-year-olds said their kids had phones.
- Even among children under age 5, 8% had their own smartphones.
Dr. Barzilay notes that smartphone ownership will soon be nearly universal—but stresses that parents must stay involved and set boundaries to keep kids safe and healthy.
#ChildHealth #SmartphoneSafety #ParentingTips #MentalHealthMatters #ScreenTimeBalance