A survey by the Bitkom association found that 75% of German children between the ages of 10 and 12 own a smartphone.
While only 17% of German kids between the ages of 6 and 9 have a smartphone, the number increases as they age, reported Yahoo News. Over 75% of children between the ages 10 and 12 own a smartphone, as do 90% of kids 13 through 15 and 95% of teenagers 16 years and older.
Despite the popularity of smartphones among the younger generations, experts recommend that children under 12 years old should not have unsupervised internet access while using smartphones. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that children under the age of 2 should not have any screen time with electronics in an effort to prevent cell phone addiction.
AVG, an internet security company, found that more young kids can use technology but can't tie their shoes, a rite of passage that children learn between the ages of 5 and 7 years old. This lack of fine motor skills can be attributed to a study by the Pew Research Center, which reveals a smartphone addiction has the ability to alter the brain chemistry of young people.
Too much screen time also is associated with issues involving learning development and memory, reported IBTimes. In turn, many parents provide their children with dumb phones, smartphones that cannot access the Internet.
Bernhard Rohleder, who was interviewed by Yahoo News, emphasized the need for parental guidance, with a 2018 study by MIT, revealing that monitoring and reducing a child's screen time leads to better sleep, which is necessary for cognitive function.
A study in JAMA Pediatrics found that limiting screen time actually boosted physical activity but only in kids.
Earlier this year school officials across the country sounded the alarm on banning smartphones and tablets in the classroom, with the Los Angeles Unified School District being the most vocal.
The National Institutes of Health determined that excessive smartphone use has been linked with impaired cognitive functions and mental health problems among children and teenagers.
