KEEP THE MOBILE WELL OUT OF YOUR BABY’S REACH

Today, the glow of mobile screens has become an integral part of childhood. Children are surrounded by digital devices more than ever before. Parents, teachers, and caregivers need to understand the appropriate amount of screen time for children. Managing screen time effectively does not mean completely banning technology; rather, it involves striking a healthy balance where screens serve as a medium for learning and entertainment while fostering a balanced relationship with technology.

Kids love to touch and taste new things. Small children do not know what can hurt them. Eating or playing with unsafe items can cause harm very quickly. Children like mobile phones because they see bright colors flashing on the screen and hear fun sounds. Besides, kids see parents and older people using phones all day long. Phones stop boredom or crying faster than toys sometimes do. Bright apps make fun sounds and simply teach words or shapes.

Points to consider regarding children and mobile phones:

• Keep the mobile well out of your baby’s reach.
• Keep devices on high shelves or in pockets during playtime and feeding.
• Talk, sing, or read to your baby instead of using a screen as a distraction.
• Use safe alternatives. If the child reaches out towards your hands, give them a teething toy or a cloth book.
• Remove the mobile as soon as your baby learns to sit up or reach the hanging parts so they do not pull it down.
• High-contrast patterns help newborns build eye focus and visual tracking skills. According to pediatric guidelines, children under the age of two should have absolutely no screen time.
• Apart from video-chatting with family, no form of screen usage is recommended.
• For children aged 18 to 24 months, high-quality educational shows should be used very sparingly, and they should be watched only in the company of a caregiver. Turn off devices 30 to 60 minutes prior to sleeping to improve rest.
• Keep phones, tablets, and TVs out of bedrooms and off the dining table.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends these acceptable screen time limits:

• There should be no screen time for children under the age of two.
• For children aged 2 to 12, a daily limit of one hour should be set. Two hours per day for teens and adults
• During screen-free hours, put devices away or at a charging station in a common area so they're not attracting your kids' attention.
• Making family meal areas a phone-free zone is an easy way to start.

Giving a mobile phone to children offers immediate relief, but it often leads to adverse consequences.

Some parents hand the phone to their children to get some peace and quiet immediately. They give them a smartphone as a toy when they are not able to control them and when they need to do their work without their disturbance. Using smartphones as digital pacifiers to calm crying or restless children offers quick relief, but it often backfires.

Fast-paced videos and games flood the young brain with dopamine, creating an unhealthy craving. Removing the phone often triggers severe anger, crying, or defiance because the child's brain is reacting like it is in withdrawal.

Better Ways to Cope

• Parents should offer physical toys, hand over building blocks, coloring books, or puzzles instead of a device.
• Don't get frustrated by the child's boredom. Let children feel restless for a few minutes; boredom helps spark creativity and independent play.
• Parents should talk, sing, or sit with an upset child to help them calm down naturally through human comfort.

What psychiatrists and pediatricians say?

Smartphone usage by children at a young age can lead to issues such as depression, a lack of emotional control, and feelings of inferiority. Late-night phone use and excessive screen stimulation lead to sleep deprivation and become a primary cause of behavioral problems. Child and adolescent psychiatrists generally advise young children to delay using smartphones and social media.