‘Time bombs’ in the hands of Iraqi children: Health and academic institutions sound alarm

Shafaq News/ Health and academic institutions in Iraq are issuing urgent warnings about the increasing use of mobile phones and electronic devices among children, especially those under the age of six. These devices have been called “time bombs” and have been linked to an increase in health problems such as strabismus and poor cognitive performance. Experts warn of potential long-term societal consequences, including family breakdown and developmental disorders.

Medical warnings

On August 20, Dr. Walid Hamid Jassim, director of Ibn Al-Haytham Eye Hospital, revealed to Shafaq News that there has been a 50% increase in cases of strabismus and refractive errors in children under the age of six. He explained: “Although there are no precise statistics on the number of children affected, the cases have doubled compared to previous years, based on observations from the hospital’s strabismus unit, the only one of its kind in Iraq, at Ibn Al-Haytham Eye Hospital.”

Dr Jassim attributed this increase to the excessive use of mobile phones and electronic devices, which are often given to children by their families at a young age. He added: “The negative effects on children include reduced physical activity, obesity, reduced cognitive performance and an increase in autism cases, as children disconnect from the real world.”

He further explained that certain types of strabismus are aggravated by the use of devices due to the strain on the eye muscles. In some cases, latent strabismus in children becomes apparent through prolonged use of these devices. He also noted additional adverse effects for adults, such as dry eyes, muscle spasms, and other related problems.

In an earlier statement to Shafaq News, ophthalmologist Dr. Mohammed Hamza highlighted the harmful effects of electronic devices on eye health. “Prolonged use of devices at distances shorter than 35 centimeters leads to chronic dryness, corneal swelling, redness and frequent eye infections. It also increases the risk of internal strabismus due to prolonged focus on a near point,” he said.

Dr. Hamza advised that children under the age of ten should limit their use of smart devices to a maximum of one hour per day, divided between morning and evening. He advised using distant screens, such as televisions placed three meters away, for educational purposes or games. For children over the age of ten, the usage should not exceed two hours per day, based on necessity.

Warn of increasing risks to children

According to UNICEF statistics, more than 175,000 children access the internet for the first time every day, which is the equivalent of one new child every half second. The UN agency dedicated to child welfare has warned that while digital access offers numerous opportunities and benefits, it also exposes children to a wide range of risks and dangers. These include access to harmful content, sexual exploitation and abuse, cyberbullying and the misuse of their personal information.

A report commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron on May 1 also raised alarm bells about children’s use of digital devices. The report stressed that children should not use smartphones until they are 13, and that access to traditional social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat should be banned until they are 18.

The report, described as “powerfully worded”, stressed the need to protect children from the tech industry’s profit-driven strategies to capture and exploit their attention. These strategies exploit multiple cognitive biases to keep children engaged with screens, monitor their behaviour and monetise their time online.

In addition, the report recommended that children under the age of three should not be exposed to screens, including television. It also recommended that no child under the age of 11 should have a phone, and that any device given to children between the ages of 11 and 13 should have its access to the internet restricted. The minimum age for children to have a smartphone with internet access, the report concluded, should be 13.

A double-edged sword

In an interview with Shafaq News, social researcher Samar Al-Faili described mobile phones and electronic devices as a “double-edged sword.” She explained: “These devices can enhance children’s intelligence and stimulate creativity in certain areas. On the other hand, children are exposed to content that may not be appropriate for their age.”

Al-Faili stressed that families bear a lot of responsibility for their lack of attention and awareness, which leads children to spend long hours in front of screens. “There is no harm in children using these devices and social media, but it should be under parental supervision and limited to one or two hours a day,” she noted, acknowledging the positive aspects, such as children learning to draw or improving their English skills through these platforms.

However, Al-Faili warned of the dangers of electronic games, saying they can lead to addiction and damage children’s eyesight if parents do not intervene. “A child’s eyesight can weaken or even deteriorate completely. Reports also highlight other damage, including problems with hand and finger movements due to long-term gaming addiction, which is extremely dangerous for children,” she added.

Social disasters due to mobile gaming addiction in children

Academic researcher Dr Rafi Muaid Abdullah warned of serious social consequences of children’s obsession with mobile games.

In an interview with Shafaq News, he explained: “We are facing significant social risks for families due to the excessive use of mobile devices by children,” he said.

Dr Abdullah pointed out that some mothers neglect their children by focusing on social media, beauty centres and online shopping, and leaving them unattended with mobile phones for long periods of time. “The first problem these children face, given their unregulated screen time, is autism,” he warned.

He shared a personal experience with a colleague who runs an autism treatment center, in which he confirmed that there is a noticeable increase in the number of cases of autism among children, which is linked to the excessive use of mobile devices and electronic gadgets.

Dr Abdullah stressed that the damage not only affects the child but also disrupts the social dynamics within the family. “These issues can cause tension between parents, often leading to accusations about the lack of supervision of the child. In some cases, this can escalate to divorce and the breakdown of the family,” he explained.

He concluded by noting that the tension in relationships between partners often begins before a child is diagnosed and continues after the child is diagnosed. He emphasized that these “social disasters” are rarely recognized until they have caused irreparable damage.

Mental Strabismus

Dr. Ahmed Al-Dhahabi, a member of the Psychological Research Center at the University of Baghdad, revealed in an interview with Shafaq News that the university introduced an Internet Psychology course for its master’s and PhD students four years ago. The course examines the medical harms of the Internet in children, such as spinal deformities due to prolonged sitting and the inability to develop a strong personality or interact effectively with society.

Al-Dhahabi stressed: “There is a real need to educate parents before educating children. At the Psychological Research Center, we conduct intelligence tests on children, especially from primary to secondary school, and we found that their intelligence levels were very disappointing due to internet addiction.”

He added that the medical effects on children include red eyes, spinal deformities and another alarming trend: children who spend long hours on tablets and cell phones are either underweight or obese, as many spend more than ten hours a day on the Internet. “Mental strabismus is similar to visual strabismus,” he explained, citing data from intelligence assessments conducted at the center.

The academic expert stressed the importance of setting rules to prevent children from being overexposed to the internet and social media. “Parents should set a schedule for turning the internet on and off, rather than leaving it open all the time, as many children stay awake until morning without their parents knowing,” he said. He also stressed the need for continuous communication between parents and children to ensure that the right values ​​are instilled and children’s ideas are heard.