This Might Be the Best Age To Give Kids A Phone — And Reduce Mental Health Risks

The right age to give a kid a phone remains a hotly contested debate, but a new study is making the case for a specific milestone age as risky for a child to get a phone. 

The recent study, published in the journal Pediatrics, examined data from more than 10,500 children to determine how the age of smartphone acquisition was associated with health outcomes at age 12. The researchers found that children who had a smartphone by age 12 had a higher risk of depression, obesity and poor sleep than those who did not yet have one.