ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – In this day in age, smartphones are everywhere.
Now, local health professionals are encouraging parents to create a family media plan, setting screen-use boundaries and priorities.
A recent study from the Journal of the American Medical Association shows increased screen time among children under 13 is linked to suicidal behaviors.
For many families, smartphones are a part of everyday life.
Children use them to communicate with parents, for entertainment, and to study, but health professionals say smartphones also come with a lot of risk, especially for a developing brain.
With 4,285 children averaging around the age of 10, the study showed that one-third of the participants are addicted to social media or smartphones beginning at age 11.
The study findings also indicate that increased smartphone addiction is associated with a higher risk of suicide-related outcomes compared to those who have less screen time.
Dr. Joshua Stein, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Prairie Care in Rochester, said he sees a number of ways phones and social media affect kids.
“One is the craving to use it, the loss of engagement and time…One is developing negative viewpoints of oneself. We see kids who are preyed upon,” Dr. Stein said.
Dr. Stein agrees parents shouldn’t consider children under age 13 to use a smart phone.
Dr. Stein suggests families limit their kids’ time on devices to minimal use.
“By offering phones for boredom, offering phones for distraction constantly, we undermine their ability to develop those skills and that will carry with them into adulthood and beyond.”
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