Smartphone Use in Teens: Is it Making Your Teen Dumb?

The Effects of Smartphone Use in Teens

The expansion of technology has always accompanied fear from skeptical individuals. When the printing press was created in the 15th century, a moral panic developed from fear of the erode of memory and knowledge. When the radio was established, the same uproar of panic occurred. People blamed the radio for distracting children from succeeding in school. Few technologies have invaded our lives, but the smartphone or tablet have developed obsessions, even attachments among youth today. A recent article by Scientific American discusses experts present concerns of smartphone use in teens and youth.

Experts View on Smartphones

The concern that has developed among many experts today, is how smartphone use in teens is changing adolescent’s brains for the worse. Is it affecting their attention, motor control, language skills and eyesight? Especially for youth in younger ages where brain development is extremely dominant. A recent study in France found that 58 percent of youth under the age of two had used a smartphone or tablet.

With these forms of technology being so new, it’s hard to determine the consequences of smartphone use in teens and youth. The American Academy of Pediatrics cautions parents to limit the amount of smartphone use in teens, and especially in children. A professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School states “If your child is exposed to a screen it’s not going to be toxic to their brain: they won’t be turned into idiots…But there are potential downsides…and parents need to make a series of risk-benefit analyses.”

Most child development experts agree that smartphone use in youth may be entertaining, but it isn’t going to provide a rich learning experience. Smartphone use in youth can be extremely distracting, negatively affecting their ability to learn and educational development.

A New Form of Parenting Tools

Parents need to stop using smartphone use youth as a form of comfort. These forms of technology have become the go-to tool for parents to use on their kids. While it may be the easiest method, it is hindering adolescents from developing self-regulation mechanisms and is promoting behaviors of addiction. It’s time to put down the screens, to stop using them as a replacement for real life experiences and parenting tools.

Asheville Academy Can Help!

Asheville Academy, a residential treatment center in a traditional school setting for girls 10-14, helps teen girls struggling with anxiety, depression and other emotional and behavioral issues. If your daughter is struggling with cell phone addiction, consider sending her to Asheville Academy, a therapeutic boarding school. With a caring staff and a clinically based program, Asheville Academy can help your daughter feel comfortable with school.

For more information about Asheville Academy, contact us today at 800.264.8709