ADHD Weekly, January 23, 2025

Students receive cellphones at younger ages than they typically did just a few years ago. Parents like the thought of staying in touch with their children during the school day for multiple reasons. Educators have valid concerns, though, as the devices interrupt large portions of the school day.

Growing research shows smartphone use during school can hurt learning, not just for the student with the phone but also those around the student. Thirty-one states have either passed laws, introduced new rules, or asked school administrators to set limits on smartphone use during school hours. The US Department of Education published a resource for school district leaders to help them create smartphone policies with the goal of increasing student success.

Some schools have banned smartphones altogether, while other schools or school districts only allow students to check their phone during breaks or at lunchtime. The DOE guidance encourages schools and districts to create a clear plan and stick to it consistently.

Smartphones, school, and ADHD

Smartphones can have a negative impact on students during their learning day. ADHD symptoms like trouble focusing, managing tasks, and acting without thinking can worsen with constant smartphone use. Scrolling through apps, getting notifications for new messages on social media, or playing games may make students with ADHD feel dependent on the stimulation from their smartphones.

These distractions get in the way of valuable learning, and students end up missing what their teacher says or important instructions for assignments. They may find it hard to resist staying up late to play games or surf social media on their smartphones. As a result, they lose sleep, wake up late, and miss school. Some can find themselves drowsy during the school day and unable to participate in learning. In both situations, being overtired can make ADHD symptoms worse.

Teachers take the lead

Some teachers create their own smartphone rules for their classrooms if their district doesn’t have a plan in place.

Devon Espejo, an art teacher at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, California, was one of the first teachers at her school to develop a smartphone plan for her classroom. Smartphones were cutting into the time Espejo had to teach and causing distractions for her students.

“It was exhausting and not what I am here to do. I don’t want to be the phone police. I want to teach,” she says.

She created a hanging storage shelf with pockets for each of her students. When students enter her classroom, they put their cellphone in a pocket. Students have to wait until the end of class to retrieve and check their phones.

Students tend to have mixed reactions to school or classroom smartphone policies. Some are okay with letting go of their phone during class. Other students are not okay with having their phones out of reach—some feel it interferes with their independence or gets in the way of communicating with their parents.

Leo, a high school student, noticed positive things when they didn’t bring their phone to school. “This change has allowed me to focus more during my classes and I’ve come up with more creative ideas due to this change.”

Leo thinks that banning smartphones will positively affect students.

“To put it simply, while the banning of cellphones may take some time to fully get used to, it’s a necessity for all schools in order for their students to concentrate and participate more quickly,” Leo says.

Parents can model positive smartphone use

Setting and sticking to smartphone rules at home can help prevent your child’s ADHD symptoms from getting worse. There isn’t a specific age that’s best for giving a child a smartphone, but generally, the older your child is, the more suitable it becomes. The late middle school to high school years are preferred, especially for kids with ADHD who may struggle with distractions.

Randy Kulman, PhD, is a clinical child psychologist who focuses on ADHD. He says he doesn’t believe there is a perfect age for getting a smartphone. Rather, it all depends on the child.

“Really, the issue is not when they get it [smartphone]; the real issue is that the parents should be in charge of it, setting limits,” says Dr. Kulman.

Before getting a smartphone for your child, consider what they need it for. Do you want to be able to keep in contact with them during the day? Do they need it because they have a 504 plan that allows them to listen to music during independent work time? If so, you may be able to delay giving them a smartphone because an mp3 player will meet that need. If you just want to be able to communicate with them during the day, you can give them a basic phone that only has call and text capabilities, preferably one with pre-programmed phone numbers.

Parental oversight is key, says Dr. Kulman. Decide on when your child can and cannot be on their smartphone, maybe during mealtimes or when visiting family or friends. Set a clear time for when they need to stop using their phone before bed and decide where their phone will be kept overnight. It is a good idea to designate a place for it outside their bedroom, because they may be tempted to use it when they should be sleeping, he says.

If you are not modeling good smartphone behaviors, it will be hard to enforce the rules with your child. Dr. Kulman suggests coming up with alternative activities that don’t involve smartphones—like hiking, swimming, or building construction sets.

Giving your child free rein over their smartphone is not the way to go.

“We wouldn’t say to an eight-year-old, go to bed when you feel like it,” Dr. Kulman says. “Parents need to be involved.”

Further Reading:

• Strategies to Help You and Your Child Develop Healthier Social Media Habits
• Internet Addiction and ADHD
• Video Games and ADHD: Harmful or Helpful?
• When Balancing Social Media Use Becomes A Challenge
• ADHD on TikTok

Join the conversation: What are your thoughts on cellphone during school hours?