Did you know that children’s brain development and learning might be impaired by excessive television viewing?
Although watching television can be a fun activity for infants, is it safe for them to do so?
What about the drawbacks of watching television with a young child?
TV watching may impair children’s brain development and learning, and cause sleep difficulties. Safety tips for watching TV with young children are recommended.
Read to know some safety tips for binge-watching television with your children.
Is It Safe For Infants To Watch TV?
- Early television exposure can negatively impact a child’s language development, reading abilities, and short-term memory.
- Extended screen exposure can impair infants’ ability to recognize and control their emotions.
- Playing video games can discourage children from engaging in activities that benefit their mental development, such as exploration and socialization.
What Is The Right Age For Babies To Begin Viewing TV?
The CSA and several experts recommend avoiding TV until age 3. The Academy of Medicine and the French Pediatric Society haven’t specified a minimum age for babies to watch TV. The American Academy of Pediatrics prohibits children under two from watching television.
- Studies show that watching TV before 18 months can harm a child’s language, reading, and short-term memory, as well as cause sleep and concentration difficulties.
- Common sense should take priority over official guidelines, with parents limiting their children’s TV time and avoiding traumatizing content such as news and violent visuals.
What Negative Effects Does Television Have on Infants?
Negative Effects of Television on Infants:
Impaired Communication Skills:
- Prolonged TV exposure may impair children’s communication skills, leading to difficulties with concentration and learning.
- For example, a study found that for every hour of television watched per day, infants knew six to eight fewer words than infants who did not watch TV.
Negative Impact on Brain Development:
- Most brain growth happens in the first two years, and TV watching may hinder play, exploration, and learning.
- For example, infants who spend more time watching TV have been found to have lower cognitive development scores than infants who spend less time watching TV.
Reduced Social Interaction:
- TV addiction may cause a lack of developmental milestones and reduce opportunities for social interaction.
- For example, a child who is addicted to TV may miss out on opportunities to engage with others and develop social skills through play.
Negative Influence on Communication:
- Children learn to communicate by observing and imitating adults, and TV may misguide their language development.
- For example, a child who watches TV with babyish or condescending language may develop language habits that are difficult to break.
Damage to Information Processing Capacity:
- Overexposure to TV may cause damage to a child’s mental and social health.
- For example, a child who spends too much time watching TV may have difficulty paying attention, processing information, and retaining memories.
Ineffective Language Learning:
- Passive TV viewing or music listening cannot teach a child to talk fluently.
- For example, a child cannot learn to speak fluently by simply watching TV or listening to music without interactive and responsive language input from caregivers.
Misguiding Programs:
- Children’s TV programs may misrepresent reality and teach incorrect skills.
- For example, TV programs that portray violence or aggression as acceptable behavior may influence children to imitate these behaviors in real life.
Conclusion
Parents must choose suitable TV shows because they contain objectionable content. Kids shouldn’t watch TV until their recommended age. Parents must guard their children. If their child doesn’t get enough sleep, he or she might have trouble falling asleep and wandering off.
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