Does Age of Smartphone Ownership Affect Child Health? With Ran Barzilay, MD, PhD

Does Age of Smartphone Ownership Affect Child Health? With Ran Barzilay, MD, PhD

Author: Children and Screens March 4, 2026 Duration: 51:32
How do online environments shape children’s health and well-being? Which features have the biggest impact, and how can we make sense of the very different ways individual children experience the same digital world? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses new research into this “digital exposome” with Dr. Ran Barzilay, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Barzilay explains how researchers are beginning to measure and quantify online environ...

How do screens really shape the minds, bodies, and daily lives of young people? Screen Deep, from the nonprofit Children and Screens, moves beyond simple headlines and fear-based narratives to explore that complex reality. Host Kris Perry engages in thoughtful, detailed conversations with top researchers, pediatricians, and psychologists, unpacking the nuanced effects of digital media on child and adolescent development. Each episode focuses on a specific angle-whether it's the impact on sleep, attention, physical fitness, social skills, or mental well-being-grounding every discussion in current science and practical evidence. This isn't about prescribing a single solution but about understanding the multifaceted relationship kids have with technology. The podcast provides parents, educators, and anyone invested in youth with a clearer, more balanced perspective, translating academic studies into relatable insights. You'll hear experts explain not just the potential risks, but also the realities of digital engagement, offering grounded strategies for fostering healthy habits in a connected age. Tune in for a deeper, more informed dialogue that helps navigate the pressing questions of raising kids in a digital world.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 38

Screen Deep
Podcast Episodes
The Costs of Using Devices to Calm Children with Peter Reschke, PhD [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:29
The usage of phones and tablets to help calm infants and young children in difficult moments is often effective in the moment – yet how is the development of self-calming skills affected by this common parenting practice…
The Science of Raising Humans in the Age of AI with Dana Suskind, MD [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:17
The rise of AI is often presented as an opportunity to make parenting easier, but what happens when technology begins to replace, rather than support, the human interactions children need most? On this episode of Screen…
The Costs of Youth Attachment to AI Companions with Pilyoung Kim, PhD [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:47
AI “friends” and companions are increasingly providing children and adolescents with social interactions and perceived “relationships,” despite being a technology that itself has no need for empathy or emotional reciproc…