[REVISION HISTORY]

Bambino Gesù Hospital digital addiction clinic launch

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-02 16:23 UTC → 2026-10-04 08:38 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome has launched a ~~new~~ specialized neuropsychiatry clinic to treat digital addiction among children and adolescents. The facility focuses on problematic internet use, including excessive smartphone and gaming habits, social media dependency, and ~~emotional reliance on~~ an increasing trend of adolescents using artificial intelligence ~~chatbots.~~ chatbots for emotional support and personal advice during mental health crises. Medical professionals have observed that ~~adolescents increasingly use~~ such reliance on AI ~~for emotional support, which~~ and digital devices can ~~impact~~ disrupt sleep, mood, ~~and~~ academic ~~performance.~~ performance, and family relationships. Stefano Vicari, head of the hospital's neuropsychiatry unit, noted that addiction symptoms can manifest as agitation or aggression when devices are unavailable, comparing the reaction to substance withdrawal. Data cited by the hospital ~~indicates~~ and Save the Children highlights a significant rise in digital engagement in Italy. For children aged 6 to 10, daily smartphone use has risen to approximately 32.6%, nearly doubling ~~previous figures.~~ figures from 2018-2019. Among those aged 11 to 13, over ~~62%~~ 60% possess social media ~~accounts, with roughly 15% exhibiting problematic usage patterns. Additionally, nearly one-third~~ accounts. Experts emphasize that addiction is defined by a loss of ~~adolescents aged 15 to 19 use artificial intelligence daily.~~ control and negative life consequences rather than solely by total screen time.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.