Parents take note! Excessive use of smartphone impacts teenager’s sleep, mood and mental health

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Washington DC: Parents should limit the usage of mobile phones among their children. A new study on child development has revealed that excessive use of smartphone among children and adolescents’ affects their sleep, mood and mental health.

The special section of Child Development was edited by Dr Zheng Yan and Dr Lennart Hardell and adds some important information to the research in this area.

According to Dr Zheng Yan, there are nearly three billion children and adolescents in the world and most of them were, are, or will be various types of mobile technology users, interacting with and being influenced by mobile technology in numerous ways.

The study revealed that risks of using mobile phones and its radiation impacts brain development.

Mobile technology affects cognitive control and attention in contexts such as parenting and early brain development.

Risks of sexting increases risky behaviour through peer pressure and social media interaction.

Mobile technology also affects sleep, mood and mental health.

The study suggested that mobile technology may pose potential dangers and areas where development may be supported.

An important example is the work summarised by Dr Lennart Hardell concerning radiation and brain development.

Yan further explained that today’s mobile technologies have become a very unique and powerful influence on child and adolescent development.

Yan concluded that its use is very personal for children and adolescents, occurs almost anywhere and anytime and integrates telephone, television, video games, personal computers, the Internet and many new technologies into a portable device.

The evidence indicates complex impacts on young mobile technology users.

The study was published in the journal of Child Development.

(With ANI inputs)