In just a few years, smartphones have become one of the most important tools of our daily lives, they allow us to interact with the people we love without effort, and can help us to multitask little time doing simple clicks. Unfortunately, this tool is not only beneficial, and when used by young children, it can do them much more harm than good. Check out this addictologist’s message that giving your child a smartphone is like giving him a gram of cocaine.
Between the categorical opinions of those who think that smartphones should not be given to children, and those who think they have every right to benefit from the many features they offer, the use of smartphones by children has been a highly controversial topic for a few years now, and it is a subject of much debate. But one thing is certain: giving a mobile phone to a child without watching him, and without following his behavior closely is a big mistake that can jeopardize his psychological and physical health. Here is the message relayed by our colleagues of 20 Minutes from an addictology expert who says that offering a smartphone to your child is similar to giving him a gram of cocaine.
Smartphones, a tough drug for your kids.
A few years ago, when parents wanted to please their children, they went to the toy store to buy stuffed toys, or to the bookstore to offer them novels and fairy tales. Today, things have changed, and it’s the electronic devices like tablets and smartphones that are able to draw the smile on the faces of our little ones. But this new trend is not totally harmless …
According to Mandy Saligari, an addictology expert, offering a smartphone to a child is similar to giving him a gram of cocaine or a bottle of wine. In one of her interviews , she highlighted the fact that prolonged use of mobile phones could induce the same addictive behaviors as those caused by drug use.
“I always tell people, when you give your child a smartphone, it’s like giving him a gram of cocaine or a bottle of wine, could you leave him alone in his room with alcohol or the drug at his disposal? Why do we tend to neglect the effects of electronic devices when they are as dangerous as drugs? This is what this expert revealed during one of her interviews.
Mandy Saligari also said that the number of children and adolescents she receives in her office is very alarming, and that addiction to screens is the new dangerous scourge of our time. It also insists that the rational use of smartphones is not dangerous in itself, and that it is the addiction and misuse of these devices that may endanger psychological health and life. social welfare of children.
Finally, Mandy Saligari said that several children and adolescents she received in her office told her that she had already sent nude photos and consulted pornographic sites, a phenomenon that this expert believes can seriously damage the psychological health of these, and cause them a lot of problems, hence the importance of always monitor his children when they have a smartphone at their disposal.
How to avoid addiction to screens in children?
Screen addiction is a much more dangerous phenomenon than we think, and it can cause a range of psychological problems and negatively impact your child’s academic performance and social development. For all these reasons, it is very important to monitor your children, and to ensure that they do not use their electronics for prolonged periods.
– Communicate with your child, and explain all the side effects of prolonged use of mobile phones.
– Never let a child use a smartphone without monitoring it, so be sure to install parental control software in all its devices, and do not leave it alone for long periods of time.
– Encourage your child to engage in fun activities such as sports or music, and be sure to limit their use of electronic devices.
– Keep a close watch on your child’s behavior, and consult a specialist as soon as you notice an unusual change in habits.
– Explain to your child that he will no longer be entitled to his smartphone if his school performance is not satisfactory, and never let him take his phone with him when he goes to school.
