New Study Warns Against Giving Kids Smartphones Too Early

Don't do it.

That's what experts are saying about giving your children a smartphone before they even enter their teen years.

A new study notes children who get a smartphone before the age of 13 have a higher suicide risk than other children.

"it's becoming very clear that having smartphones in the hands of children -- especially young children -- is just a very bad idea," said social media expert SL Richards.

Researchers in Virginia tracked over 100,000 smartphone users ages 18 to 24, and found those who had smartphones before the age of 13 showed much higher rates of suicidal thoughts and emotional issues.

And yet the numbers are staggering. According to Common Sense Media, 42 percent of kids have a phone by age 10. By age 12, it’s 71 percent. By 14, it’s 91 percent.

The study also found girls were especially affected, with 48 percent of those who got phones at an early age reporting suicidal thoughts. 

And the impact of early smartphone use was worldwide, although English-speaking countries reported the most severe effects. 

Media expert Max Stossel said, :"One strategy is to start kids off on a phone that can’t be used for social media, gaming, or surfing the web. A Gabb Phone, for instance, can be used for calling and texting. It also has a camera, calendar, FM radio, and GPS, so it enables you to monitor where your child is. But there is no app store, picture messages or group texts."

The Child Mind Institute said most new phones offer parental control over their kids' phones.

"Smartphones allow you to limit not only apps kids have access to, but the types of movies and TV shows they can watch. And you can set time limits on things like gaming, entertainment, and social media, and keep tabs on what they’re doing during screen time."

Ultimately it's up to the parent of the child, but most adults would be wise to take note of the startling suicide numbers associated with smartphone use at a young age.

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