TV Watching is Bad for Babies' Brains

[aLohaBby]

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TV Watching is Bad for Babies' Brains


Babies who watch TV are more likely to have delayed cognitive development and language at 14 months, especially if they're watching programs intended for adults and older children. We probably knew that 24 and Grey's Anatomy don't really qualify as educational content, but it's surprising that TV-watching made a difference at such a tender age.

Babies who watched 60 minutes of TV daily had developmental scores one-third lower at 14 months than babies who weren't watching that much TV. Though their developmental scores were still in the normal range, the discrepancy may be due to the fact that when kids and parents are watching TV, they're missing out on talking, playing, and interactions that are essential to learning and development.

This new study, which appeared in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, followed 259 lower-income families in New York, most of whom spoke Spanish as their primary language at home. Other studies examining higher-income families have also come to the same conclusion: TV watching not only isn't educational, but it seems to stunt babies' development.

But what about "good" TV, like Sesame Street? The researchers didn't find any pluses or minuses when compared to non-educational programs designed for small children, like SpongeBob SquarePants. Earlier research by some of the same scientists, most of whom are at New York University School of Medicine-Bellevue Hospital Center, has found that parents whose children watch non-educational TV programs like Spongebob SquarePants spend less time reading to their children or teaching them.

At this point, parents reading this are probably saying D'oh! TV is so often a parent's good friend, keeping kids happily occupied so the grownups can cook dinner, answer the phone, or take a shower. But clearly that electronic babysitter is not an educational aid.

The bottom line: This latest study adds more fuel to a recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics that babies under age 2 watch no TV at all. If you've just got to watch Dexter, it's best to make sure the tots are fast asleep.


TV Watching Is Bad for Babies' Brains

[jen_lyn]

thanks for the info... good thing amo TV naguba last Oct. 2010 pa..hahaha ..ako bb is 1yr.and 4mos. and he's into books..

[jumps_zilla]

I really depends on the programs you make your kids watch. Educational programs like Sesame Street are best. Later you can get to more complex kids' shows.

Cheers!

[epoaxlan]

hmm case to case basis ra ni..kay ako mga kids motanaw mig tv maka learn man sa mga jingles ug dialogue sa mga shows..mo imitate cla sa conversation ug sa songs sa ads. ako sad jud gibantayan nga dapat dili cla makakita ug mga scene nga dili dapat sa ilahang edad.

[aLohaBby]

^ maayo nuon sis... ang uban man gud luoy kay pasagdan ra mag tan-aw ug tv nya dili kaayo storyahon, labi na if the parents are not around... luoy bya kay it could affect certain aspects like speech, or their interpersonal skills..... dapat bantayan jud and naa pud limit ang tv time...

[isidromax]

sakto jud ni, especially kung ang ipatan aw sa bata kay kanang pang dagko naba. if educational videos cguro, ok ra, kay sa ako experienced, ang ako bata kay naka mao og numbers and colors tungod sa tv unya ang naka nindot pa jud kay pag skwela niya sa nursery, maka follow na siya sa instructions in english kay makasabot naman siya og iningles. ga bisaya ra man jud mi sa iyahang mama pero ako anak kay 90% sa iyahang inistoryahan kay iningles naman. na develop no on siya og samot pag skwela na sa Nursery kay english man ang medium of instruction.

KAron kay malingaw ko og tan aw sa iyaha kay mag cge siya og katawa kun mo tan aw sa cartoons bitaw nga gi dubbed og tagalog version, kay dili man siya kasabot. mag cge og agik ik. nabag ohan guro. hehe

[necrotic freak]

Not true... ang mga toddler dili man sad interesado mo tanaw ug pang dagko nga salida.. pero kung naay bata mo tingog sa TV mo lingi dayon na sila ug mo lock dayon ang radar. inig kawala na sa bata sa TV balik pod an sila duwa ug ila. kabantay mo anang sa mga commercials?

[Hammer_and_Sickle]

ayaw tn-aw ug TV aloha,

[epoaxlan]

Not true... ang mga toddler dili man sad interesado mo tanaw ug pang dagko nga salida.. pero kung naay bata mo tingog sa TV mo lingi dayon na sila ug mo lock dayon ang radar. inig kawala na sa bata sa TV balik pod an sila duwa ug ila. kabantay mo anang sa mga commercials?

right, hehehe kabantay pod ko ani. kasagaran ila tan.awn ang mga ads ra nga up beat kau ug jingles ug kanang naa poy mga bata.

[noel_llapa]

Ako ni ibookmark. basin nya puhon magkafamily ko. thanks ts.