Dr. Alison Yeung: The Smartphone Effect on Kids
Host Sarah Adams sits down with Dr. Alison Yeung (The Smartphone Effect MD), to unpack the impact of smartphones and social media on children’s mental health.
In this episode of Parents Uncharted, host Sarah Adams sits down with Dr. Alison Yeung, widely known as The Smartphone Effect MD, to unpack one of modern parenting’s biggest challenges: the impact of smartphones and social media on children’s mental health.
Together, they cut through the noise of polarized tech debates and explore what the research actually shows. Dr. Yeung explains why children’s mental health is complex and multifactorial, why “screens aren’t the problem” is an oversimplification, and how excessive screen time can affect motivation, focus, and emotional regulation- especially for vulnerable groups like kids with ADHD.
This conversation offers practical, preventative guidance for parents and educators, emphasizing digital literacy, healthy boundaries, and the power of modeling balanced tech habits at home.
More About Dr. Alison Yeung, MD, CCFP:
Dr. Alison Yeung graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences, followed by medical training at the University of Ottawa and a Family Medicine residency at Western University. She has practiced as a community family physician in Kitchener since 2014, caring for over 1,200 patients with dedication and compassion. Her clinical focus and passion lie in child and adolescent mental health.
As both a family physician and a mother of two, Dr. Yeung has witnessed firsthand how digital technology shapes the lives of young people—offering connection and creative expression, but also profound risks. Over the past decade, she has cared for youth navigating rising rates of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and self-harm, often accompanied by feelings of loneliness, disconnection, and loss of purpose.
Recognizing that these challenges are complex and multifactorial, Dr. Yeung has become particularly concerned with the growing role of social media and screen time in children’s daily lives. Today, tweens spend an average of 5–6 hours a day on digital entertainment, and teens 6–8 hours—time that displaces sleep, outdoor play, physical activity, and in-person connection.
Since 2023, Dr. Yeung has been speaking to parents, educators, policymakers, and healthcare professionals about the impact of screens and social media on child development and mental health. Her mission is to empower families with knowledge, inspire change, and advocate for a healthier digital future for children.
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