Faulty parenting is damaging Generation Beta’s brain connections:IAOP President Neelam Mohan says, ‘Loving talk builds emotions in children’; stresses on no mobile screens till age two

As India moves toward its ambitious “Viksit Bharat 2047” vision, the real foundation lies in the children growing up today. However, senior pediatric gastroenterologist Dr Neelam Mohan, President of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IOAP) warns that faulty parenting, poor nutrition, and excessive screen exposure are severely affecting children’s brain development. Dr Neelam Mohan, who pioneered pediatric liver transplants in India, shared these concerns in an interview, highlighting how modern parenting habits are shaping a mentally and emotionally weaker generation. Dr Mohan, speaking with Dainik Bhaskar, said incorrect upbringing practices, unhealthy diets, and excessive mobile usage are disrupting children’s neural connections. This damage is not limited to physical health—it is affecting children’s thinking ability, emotions, and behaviour. She stressed that parents are increasingly avoiding affectionate communication, such as speaking in a loving or playful tone, and instead pacify crying children by handing over mobile phones.
“This prevents the development of human emotions. Children begin bonding with instruments rather than people,” she said, calling it a major challenge for future generations. Emotional disconnect will backfire on parents Dr Mohan warned that when parents fail to teach love, respect, and emotional bonding during early childhood, they should not expect emotional support later.
Children attached to material objects lose essential life skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, stress management, patience, and emotional resilience. No mobile screens till age two She stressed that the brain forms the fastest connections between birth and two years of age. Introducing mobile screens during this critical period leads to misdirected brain development, contributing to a rise in conditions like autism.
“Children should not be given mobile phones at all till the age of two,” she firmly added. How screens affect the developing brain Answering how screens impact children, Dr Mohan explained that digital content moves at an unnaturally fast pace, conditioning children to constant stimulation.
As a result, children struggle with slow activities, become irritable, experience sleep disturbances, and even show early signs of high blood pressure. Children also become addicted to instant rewards from reels, games, and videos.
“They never learn to be bored—and creativity is born out of boredom,” she said, adding that constant screen engagement leaves no space for imagination or original thinking. AI and ready-made solutions killing creativity Citing studies, Dr Mohan said children who rely on AI tools for homework show reduced creativity, while those who think independently display more imagination and diversity in ideas.
“Today everything is ready-made. This weakens children’s thinking ability. Even small problems cause panic,” she noted. A generation at risk by 2047 Her biggest concern is the declining tolerance and emotional stability among children.
“If this continues, by 2047 the generation expected to lead the nation will be mentally and emotionally fragile,” she warned. Alarming child health indicators in Madhya Pradesh Dr Mohan highlighted that Madhya Pradesh continues to struggle with high infant mortality.
While India’s infant mortality rate stands at 19 per 1,000 births, Madhya Pradesh’s figure is nearly 60% higher. The primary reason, she said, is anemia among adolescent girls—around 55% suffer from it.
“When mothers are anemic, healthy childbirth is impossible. A weak foundation cannot support a strong structure,” she explained. Not poverty, but lack of awareness Contrary to common belief, Dr Mohan said child health issues are not caused by poverty alone but by lack of nutritional knowledge.
Families assume meals of Rice, Dal, and Roti are sufficient, ignoring the need for salads, fruits, curd, green vegetables, seeds, and nuts. Shockingly, data shows only 11% of women in India are able to provide proper nutrition to children. Malnutrition and Obesity: A dangerous paradox India faces a dual crisis—malnutrition on one side and obesity on the other.
Nearly 8% of children, around 40 million, suffer from obesity due to excessive intake of sugar, refined flour, packaged foods, and junk food. “Sugar is like poison for children,” Dr Mohan said, warning that obesity leads to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and bone disorders. What should children eat? She recommended balanced diets including healthy fats like ghee, mustard oil, and olive oil in limited quantities.
Parents should avoid bakery products, refined flour noodles, and packaged foods, and instead opt for whole grains and minimally fried foods. “The most important thing is that parents must follow healthy habits themselves, because children learn by watching,” she said. IAP’s ‘Nutrition plus program’ To tackle these challenges, the Indian Academy of Pediatrics is launching the “Nutrition Plus Program.”
With 393 branches nationwide, IAP is developing a free mobile app for parents, allowing them to input their child’s age and receive customized dietary guidance. In addition, awareness programs will be conducted in schools to instill proper nutritional understanding from an early age.