CAIRO — A smartphone is something that attracts children's attention because it's easy for them to find something in it that entertains them. But it affects their physical and mental health as they put a lot of effort into apps and games. In Egypt, it has become normal to see children under age 10 with a smartphone. Is there a strong reason for parents to get their children a smartphone at a very young age? Rahma Mohammed, a 31-year-old mother of two, believes that getting a smartphone for children is a good idea as it keeps them silent for a long while. "I bought my six-year-old son a new smartphone for his birthday, and I gave his younger brother my old smartphone. There are no issues, as long as they use them for games and YouTube. It's better for me because they used to play with my smartphone before, but now they have got their own and it keeps them silent and calm for a good while. I cannot keep up with their noise," said Rahma. Rahma added "I'm limiting their usage to these devices. They use it only at home, and with no SIM inserted," she said. On the other hand, Ayat Haggag, a mother of three children, believes that smartphones are dangerous for children and their health. "We adults have become isolated because of smartphones, so imagine when children in their early ages use them; it affects their physical and mental health, especially their eyesight and bones as they keep their hands, neck and head in the same position for at least an hour. They are still in the growing stage," said Ayat. "I allow them to play with my smartphone only for 30 minutes twice a week, only because they keep asking me to, but I won't buy them smartphones until they are 12 years old," she said. Ahmed Attia, a father of a 8-year-old child, believes that the smartphone has become necessary despite that it could be dangerous to children's safety. "I think that children need the smartphone at a particular age. My son is eight, he hangs out with his friends, and stays for a long time in the sports club for practicing, so the mobile phone makes it easier for us to check his safety, and allows us to follow him through the GPS. He usually calls me after his practice to pick him up. It could be dangerous if a thief tries to steal the mobile phone from him especially because the child cannot defend himself," said Attia. "He also uses the smartphone for games and videos, but his mother and I keep an eye on his usage as much as we can, as the Internet is not secure," he said.
