Although mobile phones are here to stay, many are starting to have concern for their effect on brain development in adolescents. The National Institutes of Health has published its initial findings of their landmark $300 million study. And they’re disturbing.

The study involves over 11,000 children. The findings were highlighted by Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes this past Sunday. Preliminary results had the following indications. Though it’s a natural, uncontrolled experiment, the findings are disturbing nonetheless.

According to NIH researchers, here are some discoveries.

1. Lower Scores

Spending more than two hours of screen time on their devices correlated with lower scores on both thinking and language tests.

In my classroom, I know that students who allow themselves to be distracted by their smart phone usually miss out on essential parts of the lesson lesson. As a result, they subsequently perform poorly on assessments. 

2. Premature Aging

The study used MRI brain images to analyzes children’s brain activity. Those who spent in excess of seven hours of screen time experienced a premature thinning of the cortex. According to NIH researcher Dr. Gay Dowling, this is a process normally seen in older brains.

3. Selfishness

Researchers observed how iPad games were highly addictive, and the children in the study were not as willing to share the device as they were to share other toys involved in the experiment.

Dr. Dmitri Christakis at Seattle Children’s Hospital advises that young children need laps, not apps. He goes on to say that children under 24 months should not use technology, except video-chatting.

'Toddlers need laps more than apps.' Dr.Dmitri Christakis Click To Tweet

Looking Forward

This is a longitudinal study, and it may a decade to fully understand the ramifications of excess screen time. But it is clear that researchers are concerned about the addictive nature of these devices have on young undeveloped brains.

Children are in school over seven hours a day. Not only do they not need to be on their devices, but now appears that excess screen time could even be doing permanent damage to their brains. Worse, devices are short-circuiting children’s ability to self-sooth. Self-regulation is an essential skill for adolescents moving into adulthood.

Hopefully, school policymakers will be keeping an eye on this research and modifying technology policies as needed. Lower tests scores and physical brain changes should get everyone’s attention.