00:00Smartphones Before Age 12 Tied to Depression and Poor Sleep, New Study Finds
00:06Parents often feel pressure to give their kids a smartphone because their classmates
00:10already have one. But experts say waiting could help protect your child's health.
00:15Kids who get smartphones by age 12 are more likely to struggle with depression, poor sleep
00:19and weight issues, according to a Children's Hospital of Philadelphia study that looked
00:24at smartphone use by 10,000 kids between 2018 and 2021. Researchers found that the earlier
00:31a child gets a smartphone, the greater the risks. Delaying a smartphone, especially during
00:37middle school, may actually reduce the risk of some of these issues, said Dr. Anisha Abraham,
00:42chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Children's National Hospital in D.C. and
00:48an ambassador for the American Academy of Pediatrics' Center of Excellence on Youth Mental Health
00:53and Social Media. Abraham said phones often keep kids up late scrolling and texting, which
00:59can hurt school performance and mood. Sleep is really important for well-being. There's
01:04a very strong connection between sleep and being able to feel good. It certainly puts
01:09you at higher risk for depression or other mental health issues when you don't get adequate
01:13sleep, she said. While all kids are different, Abraham recommends delaying smartphone use until
01:19after middle school, starting slow with phones that don't have all the apps or creating rules
01:24like no phones in bedrooms. Experts also suggest creating clear limits before giving a child a
01:30phone. This should include setting guidelines for dinner table use and homework time. Also
01:36use privacy and content settings on phones to help prevent your child from seeing material
01:41they shouldn't, Abraham said. There are parental controls that limit the amount of time that
01:46a young person can be on their phone, she said. Regular check-ins are also important, and encouraging
01:52your kids to spend time away from screens for physical activity can help protect mental health
01:57and prevent obesity. Abraham also urged parents to lead by example by putting their own phones down
02:04as well. Mealtimes are a perfect example to make sure you're modeling that behavior, Abraham said.
02:10Parents and caregivers need to be models, and it's not easy.
