A recent study from Kerala has highlighted a concerning trend among young children – an overwhelming number of them are becoming dependent on mobile phones, even while eating. Despite repeated warnings from health experts about the adverse physical and mental effects of excessive screen time, both adults and children continue to overuse mobile devices.
The study, conducted by Dr. Manoj Mani, District President of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, Kollam, revealed that nearly 89.1 percent of children spend time on their phone screens at various points during the day. The research examined how factors such as parents’ education levels, family structure, and economic background influence a child’s screen habits, as well as when parents most often allow phone use.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under 18 months should not be exposed to screens at all. For children below five years, screen time should not exceed 30 minutes a day and must always be monitored by parents. However, the findings from Kerala suggest that these recommendations are being ignored in most households.
The study, based on children around 18 months of age who visited vaccination centers, found that education level played a crucial role. Children whose mothers had studied only up to high school had 100 percent screen exposure, while those whose mothers completed up to 12th grade had 89 percent exposure. Children of mothers with diplomas or undergraduate degrees had 91 percent exposure, while those of postgraduate mothers had a relatively lower 80 percent exposure.
One of the most alarming findings was that 69 percent of parents admitted to giving their children phones while feeding them. Additionally, 50 percent said their children’s screen use was influenced by watching their siblings. Interestingly, children from families below the poverty line had much less exposure, primarily because many such households lacked access to smartphones.
Family structure also played a key role. Children from joint families were found to have 91 percent screen exposure, compared to 78 percent among those from nuclear families. The study’s data was compiled by Dr. Ranjitha under the supervision of Dr. Jeena from the Department of Community Medicine, and the final report was submitted to Kollam District Medical Officer, Dr. M.S. Anu.
Overall, the study paints a worrying picture of growing digital dependency among children, driven largely by parental behavior. Experts warn that without immediate corrective action, this habit could lead to long-term developmental and behavioral issues in the next generation.
