Docs Warn Of Weak Memory In Kids Due To Smartphone Use

Children find it difficult to concentrate after hours of watching fast-paced content

- RISHITA KHANNA @Bengaluru

ONCE thought to be an illness of ageing, dementia now has a twin in the digital age. Doctors in the city are pointing to "digital dementia" in children, a condition where the brain's natural ability to build and retain memory is weakening because of constant smartphone use.

Experts note that many children are finding it difficult to stay patient or concentrate on tasks for long, as hours of watching fast-paced content on phones are shortening their attention span. Alongside this, doctors, teachers and parents are observing gaps in recall with children struggling to remember sequences in a story, retain what they study beyond a short period, or connect lessons from one day to the next and even their parent's phone numbers.