Helplines get many calls on ’children addicted to mobile phones’

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Mar 06, 2017: Makkala Sahaya Vani (MSV) ’Child helplines’ by the NGO along with the child welfare council in the city and elsewhere too, is reported to be getting calls  from mothers in particlular worried about children’s addiction to mobile phones and social media. The counsellors are told that the children could not take their eyes off their phone. This in turn is giving rise to many problems to all concerned on many frounts.

The counsellors are not shocked by the cases, they receive a number of such calls. According to them, over the past two years, it has seen a 20% increase in calls about children’s addiction to smartphones.

The frequency of these calls has been increasing with every passing month. Parents tell us that their children are reluctant to go to school because they have to leave their phones behind,” a counsellor said.

“Children are engaged with their gadgets late into the night, without the knowledge of their parents. They sleep during the day and their academic performance deteriorates,” a senior counsellor added.

“Most of the children who are addicted to cellphones and are brought in for counselling are on the verge of depression. They have lost interest in academics and school life. Some are even ready to go to the extent of stealing money to buy mobile phones. We counsel the parents also about what to do and how to spend more time with their children,”.

Indeed speaking with many parents in the past week it is found that this malady is rapicly increasing and soon will be a major issue. For that matter one proffessional said that this is also the case with mature and responsible adults of different ages and is set to prove to grow into epidemic proportions if not tackled in time.