Nowadays it has become very common to see children in front of a mobile device, even the youngest ones. But do all parents know that prolonged exposure of children to cell phones can have significant effects on their physical and psychological development? Dr. Jessica Alvarez, pediatrician of our clinic, gives us more details on this topic of great relevance for the welfare of the little ones at home.

What is the impact of cell phone use on children?

The consequences of cell phone abuse in young children are diverse and manifest themselves in many aspects of their physical, mental and emotional development.

• Alteration of brain development. Mostly in children under 2 years of age, whose neuronal connections are still in formation.
• Sleep disturbances. The use of a screen two or three hours before bedtime can cause lack of sleep and consequently generate headaches, concentration problems in studies and irritability.
• Social isolation. Children become isolated from their social environment. Uncontrolled cell phone use can generate difficulty in relating to other peers or adapting to different environments.
• Childhood obesity. Since the use of screens promotes sedentary lifestyles.
• Visual deficits. Continuous exposure to cell phone screens at an early age can cause problems such as myopia or astigmatism.

What is the most appropriate exposure time to mobile devices?

Our specialist explains that the World Health Organization recommends that children under 2 years of age should stay away from any type of screen (cell phone, tablet or laptop).  Older children, between 2 and 5 years old, can spend a maximum of 30 minutes a day in front of the computer always in the company of an adult, and those between 6 and 12 years old can spend between 1 and 2 hours in front of the tablet or smartphone, as a maximum.

Recommendations to prevent your children from spending too much time in front of the cell phone:

• Manage and regulate the use of electronic devices according to their age.
• Monitor the content that children consume.
• Encourage profitable use of the screen.
• Encourage outdoor and family games.
• Fulfill a sport routine or any other extracurricular activity.
• Use the telephone in common areas of the home to better monitor what children can see.
• Do not use the cell phone as a babysitter.

Dr. Jessica Alvarez
Pediatrician at Clínica Ricardo Palma