Article from DailyMail about Babies watching DVDs - It is true? Your Opinion Pls

[Neateye]

Educational DVDs for babies can 'delay language development and hinder reading skills'

By Fiona Macrae
Last updated at 8:11 AM on 14th January 2009

    children watching television

More harm than good? Youngster watching television (file picture)

DVDs and videos designed to help babies learn to talk may do more harm than good, experts have warned.

The popular buys can delay toddlers' language development, as well as hinder word power, reading skills and memory, studies show.

Research also suggests that those who watch lots of TV as tots are more likely to become hyperactive as they get older, a review of almost 80 studies into the issue warned.

Professor Dimitri Christakis, the review's author, urged parents to 'exercise due caution' in their children's viewing.

The average toddler spends 30 to 40 per cent of their waking hours in front of the TV, he said, with 90 per cent of children being regular viewers before reaching the age of two.

Educational DVDs, such as Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby, are popular among parents keen to boost their babies' IQs but there is no scientific evidence they are effective, said the professor.

Instead, they may be harmful.

A recent Thai study, found that if children under 12 months watched TV for more than two hours a day they were six times more likely to have delayed language skills.

Another study concluded that children who watched baby DVDs between the ages of seven and 16 months knew fewer words than their peers.

Each hour they watched equated to six fewer words in their vocabulary.

Writing in the journal Acta Paediatrica, Professor Christakis said that even Sesame Street, which has been shown to benefit three to five year olds, can delay language development if viewed at a younger age.

One of his own studies found that children who watched a lot of TV as toddlers did not perform as well on tests to check reading and memory skills.

Professor Christakis, of the University of Washington in Seattle, said: 'The weight of existing evidence suggests the potential for harm and I believe that parents should exercise due caution in exposing infants to excessive media.'

He believes TV has a negative effect as it exposes children to flashing lights, and quick scene changes that can over-stimulate developing brain

'TV also replaces other more important and appropriate activities like playing or interacting with parents,' he said.

Time spent in front of the TV reduces the amount of time available to interact with other children and adults and to learn through playing with toys.

Professor Christakis concluded: 'The explosion in infant TV viewing and the potential risks associated with it raise several important policy implications.

'Educational claims should, and can, be based on scientific data.

'In response to litigation, Baby Einstein has recently modified its claims and de-emphasised the educational components of its advertising.

'Nevertheless, the names of the products themselves, and the testimonials that are circulated, serve to further convince parents that infant TV viewing has a positive impact.

'Second, parents themselves need to be better informed about what activities really do promote healthy development in their young children.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1114614/Educational-DVDs-babies-delay-language-development-hinder-reading-skills.html

[nhockaday]

Yep. There have been many studies about it. It's important to understand that the "educational" DVDs in question are ones like Baby Einstein. Here are some threads to look at on the forum. Pay the most attention to the first link. There are 3 pages of everyones thoughts and info.
http://forum.brillkids.com/coffee-corner/do-you-allow-your-kids-to-watch-tv/
http://forum.brillkids.com/general-discussion-b5/watching-cartoons-good-or-bad/
http://forum.brillkids.com/general-discussion-b5/children-tv-and-right-brain-videos/

And here is an article from the brillbaby website http://www.brillbaby.com/early-learning/watching-television.php

[Tanikit]

To be honest I think that it depends on what you would be doing with your child during the time they would have been watching the DVD.

Baby einstein in particular just flashes images at the children - there is no vocabulary in it so if you would have been talking to your baby then obviously they would have heard more language and would acquire more, but if your child would just have been staring at a wall during that time then its better they watch the DVD.

Also obviously if you were showing the same DVD 50 times over, you would not have been saying the exact same things if you had not been playing the DVD so by talking and saying varied things they would pick up on more vocabulary.

My daughter does watch DVDs and I do not believe it is so much what they watch as how much they watch that does the damage - particularly when they are less than two years old. Do they learn from DVDs - yes, I think they do, but perhaps they would learn more if they were not watching it.

[KL]

Basically the same point that was made in this article entitled "Baby Einsteins: Not So Smart After All" by Time.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1650352,00.html

We agree with the articles, but stress that the key is what exactly your child is watching.  There is a world of difference between:

- watching TV cartoons and DVDs like Baby Einstein
- watching DVDs like Your Baby Can Read / Tweedle Wink / Signing Time

[rhonjay]

mmm, makes you think.  all we all want to do is what is best for our kids.  we have the tweedle wink dvds.  i sit and watch the lessons with my little one.  they are presented in a very relaxing way and so far he enjoys watching them.  i like the quiet cuddle time we get together on the lounge.  as tweedle wink and many others say, a loving relationship with your child is the first step to successful learning.  the dvd's give us another avenue for together time just like books, flash cards and play time.

[Micklereed]

Hi All,
I think it is a 2 side coin on the subject. I think that infants and tots should be in more activities - whether around the house or in mommy and me activities and play groups than watching tv. I have ponder on one question i ask myself, If my infant and  toddler watches tv (Sprouts and Noggin Channels) constantly where if I am doing house work at the time or just watching tv, how will the establish their on creativity or develop an imagination that is purely their own. Watching tv, you establish some one else's creativity, points of view and etc. We have established from people like Glenn Doman who children learn when they are in their infancy stage. What they see, hear and experience at this time is most important. I understand that educational DvDs are other form of learning or teaching someone how to learn. Of instance, education dvds that help children with autism and learning disabilities. But then you can think about what Glenn Doman has down for children who are brain injured, blind, learning disabled and with autism. He has done phenomenal things with this kids and it was without dvds or tv. And for those who follow his program and have their kids in activities out side the home, groups and arts and crafts around the home, there is no time for tv and dvds either. Instead of dvds on road trips , how about audio books instead. But in the end its what you want and exposure your children to. I wonder at times does tv watching and dvd watching undo at some point or going against what I am doing with my infant and 2 year old with the Doman program.

[Micklereed]

Hi all,
I would like to also add, if the dvds and tv show watching is harmful or could be harmful, what about when we use the little reader programs to make our dvds of our reading programs and etc. Couldn't that be in the same category? I am just pondering. We are using media even though its not fully like the dvds or tv programs, we are still using a form of media and to help them learning to read or other educational information, pictures, animation and voice. Just a thought?

Take care

[nhockaday]

Hi all,
I would like to also add, if the dvds and tv show watching is harmful or could be harmful, what about when we use the little reader programs to make our dvds of our reading programs and etc. Couldn't that be in the same category? I am just pondering. We are using media even though its not fully like the dvds or tv programs, we are still using a form of media and to help them learning to read or other educational information, pictures, animation and voice. Just a thought?

Take care

Please read what I posted here http://forum.brillkids.com/coffee-corner/do-you-allow-your-kids-to-watch-tv/msg3473/#msg3473

There is a difference between the "educational" DVDs with little or no educational content, and the educational DVDs that teach reading etc.

[Lappy]

We agree with the studies and what KL said is right - you have to understand that there is a world of difference between just watching cartoons and DVDs like Baby Einstein and watching DVDs like Your Baby Can Read, Tweedle Wink, and Signing Time. 

We believe that limited amounts of high-quality educational TV accompanied by adult interaction are fine and could even help your child to learn. When DVDs are used correctly, the repetition and familiarity they provide can actually aid learning. They key here is to BE WITH YOUR CHILD while he watches and explain to him the concepts of that being shown on TV - parents shouldn't take television as a way to leave their child alone; this way watching educational programs WILL MEAN interaction which can help your child to learn.
   
However, no TV at all is better than unsupervised watching. No TV at all is also better than any watching of entertainment-based programs – and that includes shows such as cartoons, which may be designed for kids, but are really not suitable for babies.

[MomPD]

The other day I was reading an article which said that you should not let kids watch TV till they are 2 yrs old as this can cause damage to their eye-sight. Plus, it means that the kid sits at one place and there is no activity which is not good..


However, I think that a few mins a day is ok. may be we should break it up as a few sessions for few mins each day. Say 3 sessions for 10 mins each.

[Virginia]

Hola!
Con respecto a este tema, creo que es mejor sentar al nino lo menos posible frente a un Tv o computadora. yo por mi parte tengo una regla (la cual me ayuda mucho) es no poner al nino mas de 30 minutos cada dia  y si es en intervalos mejor. Eso ayuda a los ninos a prestar mas atencion en el poco tiempo que lo pones a ver algo y no les hace mal. Tambien es bueno tener un orden de prioridades de lo que le vas a mostrar al nino  ya sea un Baby Einstain, Your baby can read, etc. Lo mejor es tener planeado de antemano lo que le queres ensenar al nino en la computadora o Tv, asi rinde mejor ese tiempo.
Saludos!!.

[lekeebaugh]

I don't think that the media itself is bad and that if used wisely it can enhance learning.  What is most important is adult interaction.  DVDs like tweedlewink only do short lessons that only last a few moments and then you are back to interacting with each other.  Where as if you watch a tv show they last at least a 1/2 hour and so over stimulate a babies mind with images and sounds and overstimulation can interfere with learning.  At least this is my opinion.

[LongTallDrink]

I've been concerned with this subject as well, but decided to go with my instincts and continue to pay attention to my baby's. I've read to Marina since she was born and her favourite book at 6 mos was Dr Seuss's ABC. At about that time, I started showing her Baby Einstein's My First Signs, which someone gave me as a shower gift. She learned all the signs, and the corresponding aural and written words in english, french and spanish. It's still her favourite. Then it was YBCR. She knows them inside and out and will only watch them if Signing Time is unavailable, which was the case for the last week. Some days she doesn't ask for them at all, but when she does, it's more, more, more. If I'm particularly pressed and need the extra time, I'll let her watch two or three. I don't know if this sort of thing is increasing her IQ, but she's certainly more capable of communicating complex ideas than I was at her age and my IQ is 156, so... I'll spend more time making sure her EQ is at a level that will prepare her for whatever comes her way.

[wilnie]

in my opinion anything that is TOO MUCH is bad...

I have a niece 3 1/2 years old and an avid fan of barney, baby einstein and lots of educational dvd's... we are in the philippines but mind you she can speak english very well with good accent...

its a matter of chosing what you are presenting to your child... and controlling the time she spent watching tv and monitoring what she is watching couple with interaction and guidance...  it doesnt mean that you have to let him stay the whole day watching tv... its a matter of scheduling your childs activity and keep on changing it as he advance.

i belive that the best way to take advantage of the windows of learning oppurtunity is to expose your child to an environment filled with words, sounds, pictures, books, textures, music, objects and oppurtunities to play and explore...

[texaslady22]

My son watches educational television (YBCR, Tweedlewink, etc) and even the ocassional (ok--daily) Barney, VeggieTales, or SuperWhy. And I still think he's plenty smart, and his vocabulary is just great!!

BUT he doesn't watch tv near the 30-40% of his day that he's awake. Think about that--if your average toddler sleeps 12 hours a day, he'd be watching 4 hours of television a day. 4 hours??!! That's too much!

My guy helps me with the laundry, we cook dinner together, we'll do flashcards and LR and LM, we have "school time," we paint, we'll read books, we go on walks, I take him with me shopping (daily  ). It's not all educational stuff all day, but it certainly isn't tv that much either!

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