Study Warns: Phones Before Age 12 Harm Children's Mental and Physical Health

In light of the spread of smartphones among children, even those under the age of 12, a recent study confirmed that giving a child a phone early can significantly affect their physical and mental health.

American researcher Ran Barzilay, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and father of three children, stated that he will not give his children phones before they reach the age of 12, following preliminary results from his study on the impact of screens on adolescent health.

* Early Phone Impact on Health

Barzilay's analysis included over 10,500 children in 21 locations across the United States, and showed that children who received phones at age 12 compared to age 13 were 60% more likely to have sleep problems and 40% more likely to be obese.

Barzilay added: "This matter cannot be ignored," emphasizing that previous studies have shown the impact of phones on concentration, memory, and mental health in adolescents.

* Phones, Addiction, and Psychological Risks

A prominent study published in the JAMA journal revealed that addictive phone use among adolescents is associated with a two to three times increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to adolescents with low usage.

The study also highlighted that the type of electronic activity determines the type of risks:

• Children who spend a lot of time on video games are at risk for anxiety and depression.

• Children who frequently use social media are at risk for rule-breaking behaviors such as aggression and law-breaking.

June Xiao, a professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine, stated:

"There are more vulnerable groups for suicidal thoughts and behaviors associated with electronic platforms, and more research is needed to understand the causes."

* The Impact of Social Media on Learning and Focus

Another study showed that children aged 9 to 13 who use social media intensively perform worse in tasks such as:

• Oral reading

• Image sequence memory

• Vocabulary tests

Researcher Jason Nagata from the University of California noted that these differences could equate to a drop in a student's grade from A to B, emphasizing that social media may replace activities more related to learning.

* What's New in 2025?

In the second half of 2025, several studies confirmed that early access to phones and intensive screen use negatively affects:

• Cognitive performance (slower processing speed, poor attention, poor memory)

• Mental health (increased rates of depression and anxiety)

• Sleep quality

* Conclusion:

Smartphones before age 12 are not just a means of entertainment, but may pose a real threat to a child's physical, mental, and cognitive health.