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MULTAN, Aug 17 (APP): Experts have stressed the need for keeping children away from mobile phone screens as it is playing havoc with their mental growth and causing psychological problems.
They observed that mobile phone addiction among infants and toddlers has become a silent epidemic. Instead of toys or social interaction, many children today are pacified with screens—even while being fed.
Dr Khizra Sohail, a leading child psychologist told APP here on Sunday that most cases, she receives involve children whose parents give them mobile phones to manage their own busy schedules. “These children develop stubborn and irritable behavior, along with multiple psychological problems,” she said, adding that early exposure to mobile devices leads to negative personality changes.
“I often see cases where even one-year-old children know how to swipe a screen.
This is deeply concerning,” she remarked.
She said that medical research also supported these concerns. According to the Pakistan Pediatric Association, she said nearly 80 percent of children aged 6 to 18 years spend 4 to 6 hours daily in front of screens. The report noted that 30 percent suffer from short-sightedness, while nearly 50 percent complain of blurred vision, headaches, and eye strain. Studies further show that students distracted by text messaging during study hours perform significantly worse in examinations.
Experts also link physical health problems to screen overuse, such as neck and muscle strain, poor posture, and eye weakness due to constant squinting. Furthermore, mobile devices emit higher levels of radiowaves, which children’s developing brains absorb
more quickly than adults, making them more vulnerable to long-term harm.
Equally damaging, specialists argue, is the use of verbal abuse, beatings, or neglect in households. Such behavior undermines children’s confidence, making them emotionally fragile and, in some cases, driving them to distance themselves from their families.
Shahista Noreen, a mother whose two-year-old son admitted at Children’s Hospital Multan, complained that her son would not eat unless distracted by a mobile phone.
“We are worried, but without the phone, he refuses food,” she said.
Dr Khizra Sohail said that teachers must also play a critical role in this regard, adding that teachers should also be trained in child psychology to help nurture students’ personalities in positive ways.