More than a third of children in Sweden’s cities complain that their parents spend too much time staring at phones and tablet computers, leading doctors in the country to warn that children may be suffering emotional and cognitive damage.
According to a survey by YouGov, 33% of parents in Sweden’s major towns and cities have received complaints from their children about their excessive phone use.
The survey also found that more than one in five parents in Stockholm and its suburbs admit to having lost sight of their children while out after being distracted by their phones.
“Of course it will affect their emotional development,” said Dr Roland Sennerstam, one of several paediatricians in the country to warn of the phenomenon. “I sometimes see children tapping their parents on the back to get attention, but the parents give them no time.”
Sweden now boasts the second highest smartphone usage in western Europe after Norway. According to data from Google, 63% of adults own an iPhone, Android phone or Windows phone.