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When Should Your Child Get a Cell Phone?

You've probably heard it again and again... your 10-year-old comes home from school and asks, "When can I get a cell phone?"

Chances are, many of his or her classmates already have phones of their own.

But what age is truly appropriate for kids to have access to a cell phone? Are you a bad parent if you stick to your guns and make your kid wait until a certain age? Or, might there be safety benefits of your child having a phone?

In this segment of Healthy Children, special guest from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Corinn Cross, teams up with your host Melanie Cole, MS, to answer all of these questions and more.
When Should Your Child Get a Cell Phone?
Featuring:
Dr. Corinn Cross, MD
dr cori crossDr. Corinn Cross was born and raised in New Jersey. She attended Barnard College where she graduated cum laude and majored in philosophy. She went on to attend the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, NJ, where she was selected for the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. Dr. Cross did her internship and residency in pediatrics at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Cross has continued to work at CHLA as a general pediatrics attending.

Dr. Cross is actively involved in her local AAP, Chapter 2, where she is an obesity champion. She is co-founder of the Fit to Play and Learn Obesity Prevention curriculum. Through a collaboration between AAP Chapter 2 and the L.A. Unified School District this curriculum is being used to educate at-risk students and their parents on the risks of obesity and to help them to lead healthier lives. Dr. Cross is an AAP Spokesperson and speaks to children throughout the L.A. school district about obesity, healthy lifestyles and the benefits of walking to school.

Dr. Cross is a member of the Executive Board for the AAP's Council on Communications and Media. She is the Editor of the Council on Communications and Media's blog.