Children are often seen scrolling on social media whenever possible. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre
A 15-year-old boy in Ho Chi Minh City recently smashed household items and threatened his parents with a knife after they confiscated his phone, an incident that alarmed the entire neighborhood.
Cases like this have been increasingly reported at hospitals.
Growing number of children hospitalized for smartphone addiction
Psychiatric hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City have recorded many cases in which children are hospitalized for treatment related to smartphone, social media, and gaming dependency.
Some arrive in severe agitation, while others are brought in by local authorities rather than their parents, said Dr. Nguyen Thi Kieu Tien, head of the hospital’s child psychiatry department.
At Children’s Hospital 2, doctors report seeing hundreds of pediatric patients each month with mental health concerns indirectly linked to excessive electronic device use.
However, none of them bring their children to the hospital specifically for digital addiction. Most seek help with delayed speech, poor concentration, emotional disorders, and aggressive behavior in their children.
When addiction develops, children may do anything to get access to screens, including extreme behavior, Dr. Tien said.
In more severe cases, they may physically attack their parents or even use weapons to cause harm, all to gain access to screens.
“Regardless of the reason a child is brought in, we always ask in detail about their use of phones, tablets, and computers,” Dr. Tien said.
“It is an inevitable part of the assessment.”
Dr. Nguyen Thanh Sang, head of the clinical psychology, rehabilitation, and traditional medicine department at Children’s Hospital 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, said dependence on televisions and smartphones not only has immediate effects but can also lead to long-term consequences for children’s mental health and academic performance.
One of the most common signs is delayed speech. Young children who are frequently exposed to screens tend to have reduced interaction with those around them, diminishing their language development.
Overexposure to screens can also disrupt sleep, reduce learning capacity, and weaken social skills.
If left untreated, children may go on to develop vision problems, poor communication skills, and difficulty interacting with peers.
In more serious cases, they may lose interest in school, avoid attending classes, and experience disruptions to personality development.
Some children also show signs of behavioral disorders linked to being routinely accessed electronic devices from an early age.
Busy parents with limited time increasingly rely on smartphones and tablets handed to their children as a quick way to keep them occupied.
In some cases, a single parent juggling work, childcare, and housework may hand over a phone for 30 minutes to cook or bathe.
It is increasingly common to see children handed smartphones to keep them quiet while parents are occupied. Photo: Th. Duong / Tuoi Tre
Some also believe early exposure to technology offers an advantage, unaware of the potential long-term consequences, doctors said.
By the time problems become serious, parents often express regret.
Some resort to extreme measures such as cutting off Internet access or removing devices entirely, but children may still find ways to access them elsewhere, even leaving home to do so.
Treatment is most effective when problems are identified early, doctors noted, stressing the need to limit screen time, encourage direct interaction, and promote physical and social activities.
Also, parents have to engage in play, or to create a positive communication environment for their children.
Coordination between families and schools is essential, as participation in group activities and interaction with peers and teachers can help improve social skills.
Dr. Tien said the solutions are not complicated: avoid early exposure to screens, limit usage time, increase direct interaction, and encourage physical and social activities.
“These measures may seem simple, but they mark the boundary between habit and addiction,” she said.
“Once that line is crossed, the cost could be a child’s future.”
Impacts of smartphone addiction differ across age groups
The effects of screen exposure do not occur suddenly but develop over time. Among children aged 0-6, the most common impacts are delayed language development and reduced communication.
Scenes of children sitting quietly in front of screens while parents eat are increasingly common.
Between ages 6 and 12, many children own personal devices. Online learning can easily shift to gaming or social media use, leading to reduced concentration and declining academic performance.
More concerning is exposure to age-inappropriate content, including sexually explicit material promoted by platform algorithms. Some children have been lured online and suffered serious psychological harm.
Adolescents aged 12-16 are considered the most vulnerable, as their brains are rapidly developing in emotional and behavioral aspects.
This is also the stage when addiction is most likely to form if not addressed early.
Some countries have introduced bans on social media use for children under 16, raising questions about whether Vietnam should adopt similar measures or seek alternative ways to address the growing impact of screen addiction among its children.
