Heavy TV viewing under 2 is found
Ignoring risks, parents cite 'educational' value
By Barbara F. Meltz, Globe Staff May 27, 2007


About 40 percent of 3-month-olds watch television or videos for an average of 45 minutes a day, or more than five hours a week, according to the first-ever study of the viewing habits of children under the age of 2.

The study, by pediatric researchers at the University of Washington, also found that by age 2, 90 percent of children are watching television for an average of more than 90 minutes a day.
Such early exposure to screens can have a negative impact on an infant’s rapidly developing brain and put children at a higher risk for attention problems, diminished reading comprehension, and obesity, researchers said.


Researchers said they were surprised not only by the number of hours young children are spending in front of the television but also by the primary reason: Most parents are using television as an educational tool, not for the more conventional explanation of babysitting. Despite nearly a decade of warnings by pediatricians to the contrary, parents believe that the content of programs aimed at babies is good for brain development.


‘‘I wouldn’t be so upset about this if I thought parents were doing it because they needed a break to take a shower or make dinner,’’ said Dimitri Christakas, the University of Washington pediatrician who co-authored the study. ‘‘What I’m troubled by is the notion that parents think it’s good for their kids. That’s more likely to lead to excessive viewing rather than occasional viewing.’’



Please read the full article and take it to heart. I'm sad when I hear about babies who watch the Baby Einstein videos. Yes the parents believe they are doing a good thing...We

DO want the BEST for our babies. Educational videos and TV programs do not have the contingent response that a real live person gives when interacting with a baby. That is where learning happens. Further the time invested is time the brain is not doing what it is programed to do.

Please follow the AAP advice on this: NO SCREEN TIME for children under 2.