The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents not allow their children under 2 to watch television. That's because there is a critical window of opportunity for brain growth found to occur during the first three years of a child's life. During this time children need good, positive involvement with other children and adults, as well as ample time to play and explore. Television watching, experts say, is a passive activity that can deprive children of the active, responsive and communicative environment in which they thrive.
"The AAP wants parents to realize that interactive learning and positive reinforcement is the way babies learn best," says Susan L. Buttross, M.D., a member of the AAP Committee on Public Education and chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss.
"During the first years of life, a baby's brain grows very rapidly. During this time it is important for a child to have immediate reinforcement when a new word or skill begins to develop. Parents can help to foster appropriate development through interactive play," she says. "If parents are looking for a way to take a break, they should remember that you can place a child in a safe area with blocks, puzzles and books and he will benefit much more from the visual and tactile stimulation of the activity. Babies can be 'media free' and develop wonderfully."
The suggestion to delay exposing children to television was also motivated by the growing concern over the amount of television U.S. children are watching these days. According to reports published by the AAP, school-aged children are watching as much as 4 to 6 hours of television a day. This figure does not include time spent watching movies, listening to music or watching music videos, playing video or computer games or surfing the Internet for recreational purposes.
"What we know and understand about young children is that their intellectual, cognitive, social and emotional development all occurs in the context of relationships," says George Askew, M.D., a pediatrician at Boston Medical Center.
"Television is a passive activity that does not provide two-way interaction or response, both of which are critical to young children," says Dr. Askew. "In order to learn nuances of language, how to relate to others and to develop social skills, there must be an active give and take. I believe that the day-to-day, moment-to-moment connections with a responsive, nurturing, committed caregiver are far more enriching to a child's growth and development than any brand of media."
A study reported in the Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine (July, 2005) reported that excessive television viewing during childhood (ages 5-11 years) and adolescence (ages 13 and 15 years) was related to poor educational achievement
Another factor concerning the issue of toddlers and television involves the increasing problem of obesity. Children who spend time watching TV instead of running, jumping and playing are much more likely to be overweight. Not only are they saturated with commercials generally promoting unhealthy, sugary and fatty foods, but they also tend to snack more while watching TV than they would otherwise.