Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

when DH is home with DD, he keeps the tv on from the minute i leave at 8 until i come home at 5. I can't see how this is healthy for her.

Have any of you come across any articles that i can show him? He won't listen to me.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

What is he watching? I would be more concerned with what he's watching rather than how long he has the TV on for.

ETA that I'm assuming he doesn't have your DD sitting and watching TV the entire day but rather that it's just on in the background all day?

Message edited 3/19/2008 2:01:50 PM.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Wow. I am all for TV watching but that is a long time. Does she sit there and watch the entire time or does she play and it is just there for background noise?

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

its a combination of both, sometimes its her shows, sometimes its his shows and sometimes its just on because he doesn't turn it off.

Granted, he usually goes out for an hour or two with her every afternoon and she'll usually take an hour or so nap. I know she doesn't actually sit in front of it for more then a few minutes at a time, but I still dont' think its right.

i grew up in a house, where the tv was a special treat, but in his family they ate dinner and did everything with the tv on.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

The TV is usually on all day in my house if we're home but DS isn't really watching it...it's more just background noise. I have some of his toys set up in his room and bring him up there often throughout the day to play quietly though and read books with him. He doesnt have a TV in his room.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

The TV is on all day in my house too. DD is only 8 weeks so she only watches it if there is something flashing on the screen or when I put on Baby Einstein for her. I'd say if you DC isn't watching the tv for 8 hours a day then it shouldn't be a problem.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Here is an article a friend gave me

Should Tots Watch TV

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

I'm a speech pathologist and I always recommend turning off the tv. Even if they're not watching and it's just on in the background it can affect language development. Here's a few articles.

article

article article

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Posted by MicheleMaBelle

Here is an article a friend gave me

Should Tots Watch TV

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

I still say that it's not TV that's to blame, it's how you *use* that tool. I believe that DS is reading years ahead of his peers, and DD knows letters and numbers earlier than her "milestones" because of TV. We are very interactive with both DC, and we have Closed Captioning on all the time. DS is 4.5, and for over a year, he has been reading at least some of the captions, and is upset when they don't match what they are speaking. We never use the TV as a babysitter (except for going to the bathroom... )

I think TV is bad if parents just put DC in front of the TV and do stuff that isn't focused around DC. As long as you are using the TV as an educational tool, I don't see the harm in it.

(I know that's not what you wanted to hear, though... )

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Posted by GoldenRod



(I know that's not what you wanted to hear, though... )

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

We try not to let DD watch TV for several reasons. First I have read a study that links availability of cable TV in households to the rise in Austism, I'm not saying it's right, but it is compelling.

Secondly, our TV is huge and bright and we just can't see how her brain can process it comfortably.

Third, we see a marked difference in how easily she falls asleep on days when there was no TV as opposed to days when there was.

Finally, I've read that children who watch TV, even just kid's shows and cartoons see approximately 14,000 images of death by the time they are 12.

For all of these reasons DD doesn't watch much TV at all, and neither do we anymore (we do Tivo a few favorites but that's it).

I'm not saying it's wrong, some kids do just fine with it. It's just a choice we made.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Message edited 3/19/2008 4:00:10 PM.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Here is one from the Amer. Academy of Pediatrics:

Television

If you scroll down, you'll see that they do not recommend any television viewing for children under 2. That said, I tend to think very moderate TV for this age group, especially involving shows created for young children, is probably okay. As long as parents balance it out with reading, outdoor activities, play, and talking to their child, I doubt serious harm would take place.
JMO.

Does DH go out with DC during the day? I have the news on in the morning, but after that, the tv is generally off until evening. I'm busy doing other things around the house, playing with DS, or taking him for walks. We usually go out midday, and I really have no interest in putting on the tv when we get home. I put music on sometimes during the day, and DS loves that.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

hannah watches tv and she has learned ALOT of language from the shows on noggin.

we also sit with her when she watches and talk about the things she is seeing.

if she wanders from the tv area, then we turn it off. we dont keep it on all day.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

I suspect that any harm from having TV as background is minimal. That is JMO but I did get some food for thought from these posts. Honestly, after attending a Music Together class, I am paying more attention to the sounds and rhythms that my son is exposed to and I am going to start playing fun childrens' songs for him. Songs that come from kids TV are probably not much different anyway.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

The TV is usually always on in the background at our house. DD pays no attention to it unless the IO Digital Cable commercial comes on LOL

DH is obsessed with TV and doesn't see anything wrong with it. I really don't either....I don't get myself too concerned with things like that. I will change the channel though if there is violence or sex on.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

I dont know that the effects are as strong on an infant as they are in a toddler who begins to pay more attention to the TV. I dont see anything wrong with watching some favorite cartoons in the morning or the afternoon...but a child should not be staring at the TV for 8 hours a day, every day...that I would say is a problem.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

My kid watches TV all the time, Thomas The Tank Engine mostly.

I think the blank stare means he is getting smarter, thats right isn't it???

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Coming from a parent of a TV ADDICT, I think it has the potential to have a negative effect. We call Nicholas "Mike TV" (from Willy Wonka) He has ADHD (well..without the "H" really), but I don't think TV caused it. I think the TV makes it worse though. He is too busy worrying about what show he will watch or the show he just watched, that he sometimes can't focus. He didn't really watch it a lot as a toddler either. We do have rules though, no TV on school nights.

I also read a study recently that children who watch TV during the week are less productive in class than children who don't.

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

I thought this article was interesting. The author thinks it is worse to have the tv on in the background when the child is not watching.tv article

Re: Negative effect of TV on infants and toddlers?

Like most things...I tend to think moderation is the key (i.e. Being pg and not eating tuna, feta, cold cuts, etc.) I've said it before in these TV posts, my mother claimed I was in front of a TV most of my childhood, she was very young and this was her parenting technique in a tough situation, and I certainly do not have ADHD. I found all of the above articles very interesting; what bothered me was the fact that they made a direct link to background noise in general. How do you quiet a very active and talkative two year old? Will my younger/ infant be language delayed because of my older child's noises during play? I highly doubt it. I feel fortunate that my older son has terrific play skills and I am not going to quiet him and stop the imaginative play/dialogue he has, I think its great modeling for my younger child. I think the post needs to be: The negative effect of poor parenting skills; Parents need to learn how to imaginitively play with their children instead of keeping them busy/ entertaining them- be it TV or toys. My son watches TV, I have no problem with the shows he watches, no death scenes to date

Message edited 3/19/2008 10:55:23 PM.