Parents are always looking to know what is best for their infants’
developing brains. One question that often comes up is whether exposing
children to TV will help them learn or prevent them from doing so.
In this month’s issue of Pediatrics, CMCH researchers Dr. Marie Evans Schmidt
and Dr. Michael Rich
were part of a group of authors who tackled this question. After
looking at data about the TV viewing habits, vocabulary, and motor skills of several hundred
infants, they found that babies who watched TV were no better or
worse off after two years than those who didn’t.
Given these results, CMCH recommends that:
- Whenever possible, limit
television viewing for children under 2 years old. Instead, provide lots of opportunities
for your children to interact with their environment — chances to handle
objects, solve open-ended problems, and play with adults and other
children. - If or when your children do
watch TV, choose age-appropriate, non-violent, educational programs.
>>
Video: Dr. Michael Rich on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric
>>
Video: Dr. Marie Evans Schmidt discussing the study
>> Time Magazine: TV for Babies
>>
CMCH Website: Learn more about media and infants
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