A child psychiatrist from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia says children should ideally receive smartphones after the age of 12. Dr. Ran Barzilay shared that he has decided not to give his own nine-year-old son a smartphone until he turns 13, based on findings from his recent research.
The study, published in the medical journal Pediatrics, looked at data from more than 10,000 children as part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study conducted between 2016 and 2022. The research showed that children who owned smartphones by the age of 12 were more likely to face health issues such as obesity and poor sleep compared to children who did not have phones.
Children in the study received smartphones between the ages of four and 13, with the average age being 11. The findings showed that for every year a child got a smartphone before turning 12, the chances of obesity and lack of sleep increased by around 10 percent. However, getting a smartphone at a younger age was not directly linked to a higher risk of depression.
Dr. Barzilay explained that smartphones themselves are not good or bad, but parents should think carefully about how they may affect a child’s health and daily life. He pointed out that a 2025 Pew Research Center survey found nearly 60 percent of children aged 11 and 12 already own smartphones, while ownership is lower among younger children.
The study also found that children who did not have smartphones at 12 but received one by age 13 showed higher risks of mental health problems and poor sleep. Researchers considered factors such as family income, parents’ education, puberty, parental supervision, and use of other devices, though they noted that some influences may not have been fully measured.
Dr. Barzilay advised parents to pay close attention to how smartphone use affects their children’s sleep, physical activity, and social behavior. He suggested keeping phones out of bedrooms at night and setting aside screen-free family time, especially during meals.
The research highlights the importance of making thoughtful decisions about when children should get smartphones. Dr. Barzilay believes that delaying smartphone use, when possible, may support healthier development and family life.
