No TV for Children Under 2, Doctors’ Group Urges

[alp227]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Watching television or videos is discouraged for babies younger than 2 because studies suggest it could harm their development, a pediatricians’ group said Tuesday.

Instead of allowing infants to watch videos or screens, parents should talk to them and encourage independent play, said the first guidelines on the subject issued in more than a decade by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The advice is the same as that issued in 1999 by the group, the country’s largest association of pediatricians, but this time it also warns parents that their own screen-watching habits may delay their children’s ability to talk.

“This updated policy statement provides further evidence that media — both foreground and background — have potentially negative effects and no known positive effects for children younger than 2 years,” it said. “Thus the A.A.P. reaffirms its recommendation to discourage media use in this age group.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/health/19babies.html

[msongs]

1. under age of 10 would be better than that nt

[Skittles]

8. I agree

[saras]

2. I don't think ANYONE should watch TV until they can explain how propaganda works.

[MineralMan]

3. We didn't get a TV until 1953, when I was 8 years old.

My parents were late adopters. People who had TV sets used to have casual TV watching parties. Finally, we got one of our own, so we could watch snowy reception from the Los Angeles stations. I was the official channel changer and horizontal hold adjuster. Early remote control. "Go change the channel to 5 - and DO IT SLOWLY, so you don't break the channel changer."

On Channel 5, which was KTLA, you could watch boxing, wrestling or car racing sometimes. Early to mid-50s TV was a trip.

[Skittles]

9. we had a TV but our time viewing it was limited

to this day I can only remember watching Lost in Space regularly :D

[AsahinaKimi]

4. Keep your babies from watching FOX NEWS....

They will grow up sounding like Glenn Beck, and acting like Bill O'Reilly!

[Robb]

5. Something that has potentially negative effects and no known positive effects?

...Also known as potentially positive effects and no known negative effects. :D

[juajen]

6. Disagree. There is only so much a mother can do, and we are

overworked at best. As long as it is approved programming, I believe it is an asset. It keeps Moms from killing themselves.

[DeSwiss]

7. K&R

No TV for Children Under 2, Doctors’ Group Urges

- Fixed.