What Is the Right Age for a Child’s 1st Phone?

Research examines how early phone use may affect mental health, attention, obesity, and social development.

Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

Whether to allow a child to have a cellphone is a decision that many parents face today.

As concerns grow about the mental health effects of technology—such as rising rates of depression, anxiety, and attention problems among young people—the choice has become far more complex.