How young is too young for a child to have a cellphone?

If it seems like cellphone owners today are the youngest they’ve ever been, you wouldn’t be wrong.

According to a 2014 survey by MediaSmarts, about a quarter of Grade 4 students, half of Grade 7 students and 85 per cent of Grade 11 students in Canada have their own personal cellphone. That’s way up from a previous MediaSmarts study which found that only six per cent of Grade 4 students and 46 per cent of Grade 11 students had cellphones in 2005.

But with previous studies linking kids’ overuse of cellphones to mental and physical health issues, is there such an age when kids can be considered too young to use and/or own a cellphone?

Absolutely, says Dr. Michael Cheng, psychiatrist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).

READ MORE: Canada’s youth are highly connected, girls face different rules online: study

While there isn’t an exact magic number, Cheng says there’s no reason for kids in elementary school and middle school to have – or use – one.

“Before we give a device to a kid we have to ask ourselves what it’s going to be used for,” says Cheng. “If it’s a younger kid, they don’t need a cellphone. But if it’s an older kid, like a teenager and they’re going off camping for example or somewhere where it’s important for parents to keep in contact, and the cellphone is the only way to have that contact, then I’d say give them a cellphone.”

But as parents allow their kids to increase their screen time with smartphones and tablets, they risk causing more harm down the road.

“I see kids who are brought to me because they’re depressed or anxious or having behavioural problems at home or at school,” says Cheng. “We’re realizing that overusing and misusing technology is actually becoming more and more of a reason why kids, parents and teens are having mental health issues.”

Cheng explains that cellphones today are being used less as actual phones and more as mini computers by kids.

This constant access and connectivity leaves many kids (and adults for that matter) feeling very dependent on their phones. While more research is needed for the American Psychiatric Association to officially deem internet addiction an actual diagnosable ailment, Cheng says he sees the affects this dependency is having on young children every day.

Cyberbullying is another issue kids face. According to a 2013 Ipsos Reid poll, close to one-in-10 teens say they’ve been victims of online bullying on social networking sites.

“In the past year we’ve seen ownership of smartphones among teens increase significantly, which certainly gives teens greater unsupervised access to social networking sites than ever before,” says Dave Pierzchala, senior vice president and managing director with Ipsos Reid in Vancouver. “This just emphasizes how important awareness and education about bullying and how to stop it are to our youth.”

READ MORE: Parents turning to mobile technology to pacify kids: study

Then there are the physical impacts of using cellphones.

“Text neck,” according to The Washington Post, is when the neck bends forward and down, increasing the weight on the cervical spine. Researchers say this poor posture can lead to early wear-and-tear on the spine, degeneration and could even require surgery.

“Selfie elbow” is another example among a growing list of tech injuries. Similar to tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, “selfie elbow” causes inflammation in the tendons that run along the arm from the hand to the elbow.

So when it comes to curbing excessive cellphone and technology use, Cheng offers some tips to parents on how they can unplug their kids from the digital world.

• Spend quality time together: Go for a walk, play outside or play a board game as a family.
• Set limits on technology: Set rules on how much time they get on technology. The time can increase as they get older. Remember that children under two years old should not have any screen time at all.
• Set a good example: Parents are the best teachers so be mindful about how much time you, as a parent, spend on the phone and lead by example. It’s all about balance.
• Use technology wisely: When it comes to social media, have your children “friend” you on Facebook, and regularly check in. Be respectful but if you see something you don’t like, talk to your child face-to-face.
• Implement ground rules with cellphones: Will cellphones have passwords (if so, will you share them)? Can the phone stay in the kid’s room overnight? What will happen if the rules are broken.

For more ideas on how to manage technology with your teen, click here.