Children and mobile phones
We live immersed in a consumer society, with an important technological development, where the need for communication and access to "immediate" information are present at all levels. The children They are not oblivious to it. It is a great stage vulnerability and parents should be alert to problems that may arise from misuse or abuse.
Children have a mobile phone from very early ages: in Spain, the average age of beginning in mobile telephony is 12 years. Many times, the device reaches them for the first time in the form of a gift of kings, birthdays or even First Communion.
The teenager expresses himself with the mobile and through the mobile phone, it becomes a sign of identity for them, which helps them to reach their independence communicative both at home and outside of it.
And although their advantages are many, we all know them, it is also true that they can run dangers such as addiction, threats to privacy or 'cyberbullying'. And the fact is that the phone does not only serve to make calls, but it is a direct access to a "multimedia platform", which also takes photos and records videos, plays music, sends messages, plays or chat.
Thus arises the convenience of pose several questions. Giving them a mobile is not so much a matter of age as of necessity: do you really need it? And on the other hand, what features do you need? Perhaps, a child under the age of 14 does not need to have a mobile with camera, since you will only use it to send and receive calls. And if you have a camera and Internet access, are we sure that our son know all dangers and standards of good use of the phone? As parents, we should ask ourselves these kinds of questions before purchasing a terminal for our children.
Tips for the correct use of mobile
- It is important to talk with your children and agree with them the use what is going to be given to the mobile.
- Initially share the family phone sporadically in order to monitor rational use.
- Increase the age of the first mobile own (preferable not before 13 years).
- Use prepaid card to control consumption and / or pay the consumption with own resources (pay).
- Teach disconnect it in places where it is not appropriate its use (public places, etc.).
- Do not take your mobile phone to schools.
- Limit or regulate access to the Internet.
- Teach children the risk of access to certain networks, games or programs.
- Remember that they should never provide any personal or family information.
- Turn off the phone at night, eating or during the time spent studying.
- Limit cumulative consumption of the different means of communication less than 2 hours a day.
Abusing the mobile phone can cause psychological disorders (known as cyberpathology), which can be manifested by depressive symptoms, tendency to isolation, poor school performance and a tendency to aggression.
Dr. Ana Isabel Díaz Surgeon. Pediatrician Rosa de Luxe Health Center, San Sebastián de los Reyes (Madrid)
