Cell phone addiction in children - influence & effects

What influence do smartphones & co. have on children and what effects can cell phone addiction have?

Nowadays, children are getting easier and easier access to smartphones and the like. But how is children's cell phone usage behavior influenced and how does a cell phone addiction affect their lives? A distinction is made between health-related and more general effects. But you can find out more about this below. At the bottom you will also find 3 tips on how you can minimize cell phone use 😉

Influence on children's cell phone use

Children learn through observation. Whether simple everyday tasks or behavior in unfamiliar and new situations. They are constantly absorbing information and processing it into knowledge. So it should come as no surprise that they also learn how to use their cell phones from their parents. They see that their parents may spend a lot of time on their cell phones at work or at home, and so smartphone use is modeled for them at an early age. So a good solution would be to spend as little time as possible on the smartphone while spending time with the children. Of course, it won't be possible to stop smartphone use completely in this day and age, but it would be a good start to reduce screen time to a certain amount of time or to leave the phone behind when interacting with your children and focus your full attention on the child.

Furthermore, peer pressure, which often occurs at school and in groups of friends, also contributes to cell phone use and, above all, cell phone ownership. Children often look to their peers to measure their desires and possessions. So the frequently heard "Mom, I want a cell phone too, because Max already has one!" is no longer so surprising. A children's smartwatch would be a good alternative for all those who don't think much of smartphones at a young age or want to delay it for as long as possible. You can still make calls and chat with your child, but without all the bells and whistles like games and, above all, without a camera.

But who hasn't experienced it when the children simply need something to do and the smartphone is somehow the best solution? There are many alternative toys etc. to keep children occupied so that they don't get used to the smartphone too early.

Consequences of cell phone addiction

It can become really dangerous when smartphone use gets out of control and becomes a cell phone addiction. In children, this can go so far that they neglect social relationships and no longer maintain their friendships.
Cell phone use also brings with it issues such as bullying, which can have a major impact on children's development. Parents often suffer from powerlessness, loss of control and excessive demands. There are also frequent family arguments about the extent of children's cell phone use. Whether it is ideal to give the child "cell phone time" once a day or once a week is of course up to each family. Nevertheless, prolonged cell phone use can lead to depressive moods, concentration problems, anxiety symptoms and sleep disorders.

Effects on health

Anyone who spends a lot of time on their smartphone has already had to contend with tired eyes or neck pain. But these are just the immediate effects. We have listed numerous other effects of cell phone addiction for you here, which affect not only children but also adults.

Depression
Fear
Obsessive-compulsive disorders
Alcohol use disorders
Difficulties with cognitive emotion regulation (= difficulty dealing with feelings)
Impulsiveness
Impaired cognitive functions
Low self-esteem
Sleep disorders
Reduced physical fitness
Unhealthy eating habits
Pain
Migraine