New Study Further Proves TV Impedes Kids’ Development

According to a new policy statement issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children below two years old should have minimal, if not zero, access and exposure to television programs. This includes even those TV shows deemed educational for young kids, as the AAP points out that no studies have actually confirmed the benefits of TV viewing for young children. They further cited that TV viewing before bedtime could actually lead to sleep problems in children.

 

TV for kids below 2 years old

Pertinent data was used to illustrate how TV can actually impede a child’s development - of toddlers, in particular.

The problem lies in the fact that the child may not yet be equipped mentally to understand what they’re watching, and to actually pay attention to what they’re watching. Dr. Ari Brown from the AAP, a pediatrician from Austin, Texas, and lead author of the new policy statement, shares that studies have shown that kids below 1 ½ years old react the same way to a TV program whether it’s played forward or backward. Older children, on the other hand, appreciate the TV program more if it’s played the right way.

Educational DVDs for babies and toddlers, even if just played in the background, could actually distract them from playtime activities which are more beneficial to learning. With this, the AAP strongly discourages parents from letting their kids below 2 years old watch TV, but says video games and smart phone applications, which are considered more active type of activities, may be a better choice.

The sad reality, though, based on a 2007 study, is that 90 percent of American parents actually let their kids below 2 years old watch certain types of media at an average of one to two hours per day, showing mostly educational programs. In addition to the findings, by age 3, almost one third of these kids already have a TV set in their bedrooms.

 

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Unstructured play is best

Given these findings, the AAP recommends that children below 2 years old be given unstructured play time, which is best for them at their age. This helps develop their critical thinking, problem solving skills, reasoning, motor and self-entertaining skills.

Parents are urged to set limits on their child’s TV viewing time, and avoid placing a TV set in their child’s bedroom. They should be aware which programs may actually be detrimental to their child’s development, even if the child may not even understand the program. TV sets should be switched off when no one is watching and adult programs should only be watched when no children are around.

Said Brown, "In today's 'achievement culture,' the best thing you can do for your young child is to give her a chance to have unstructured play -- both with you and independently. Children need this in order to figure out how the world works."

Here are some guidelines from the AAP:

• Discourage media use for kids under age 2 – or at least set media limits and have a strategy if they do choose to engage.
• Instead of using screen time to entertain a child while making dinner or taking a break, get the child involved in unstructured play with blocks or nesting cups.
• Don’t put a TV in a child’s bedroom.
• Parents should monitor their own media habits, which can affect their children.

You may also want to read: Watching TV Bad for Baby’s Brains, says Study 

Sources:
• October 18, 2011. Aislyn Greene. “’Screen-free’ play best for kids under two, says pediatrics group” techflash.com
• October 18, 2011. E.D. Kain. “New Report: Pediatricians Say No TV for Kids Under Two” forbes.com
• October 18, 2011. Rachael Rettner. “Kids Under 2 Should Play, Not Watch TV, Doctors Say” livescience.com

 Photo by oddharmonic via flickr creative commons