Television and its impact on young children

By Marie Amos, special to The Progress – Before I alienate my entire audience, I need to clarify that I have basked in the silence afforded when a child in my care has been watching Treehouse. I’ve certainly chanted in Spanish with Dora, and practiced baby sign language as prompted by Baby Einstein videos. It’s a seductive form of entertainment, and provides enjoyment for kids while allowing parents a few moments to shower or attend to other necessary chores. But, the research on the impact of exposure to television media of young children, particularly infants under two, should give parents a moment of reflection (savour it, it may be the last one you have for awhile!). Early exposure to television has been linked to increases in aggression, as well as reduced empathy for victims of violence. One hypothesis is that the exposure to televised violence may be teaching children that violence is a common way to solve problems. The more frequently any of us are exposed to violence the more inured we become to it.

Another side effect, not surprisingly, is childhood obesity. There is a correlation between the number of hours a child spends watching television and their weight; a fact that makes sense if you consider they aren’t running around burning calories. There is also a delay in language development. One of the unfortunate realities is when the television is on there is less verbal communication between parents and their child. If both child and adult are sitting facing the television, then they are less likely to be facing each other and talking.

Particularly frustrating is the advertising of videos that suggest they will increase a child’s intelligence and vocabulary and encourage you to do a good service and let your kids watch television that will prepare them to succeed in life. Dr. Christakis, a professor and pediatrician at the University of Washington has studied popular videos (including Baby Einstein, I’m afraid) and was quoted in the Ottawa Citizen as saying “Infant TV viewing is associated with delayed language, with shortened attention spans and with delayed cognitive development. The scientific evidence of benefit is just not there, and the best available evidence suggests harm”.

Exposure to television media has also been linked to sleep difficulties in infants and young children. There seems to be a connection between time spent viewing TV and disruption in sleep schedules. This can also be true for adults and adolescents, but has been identified as impacting infants and children under the age of three. The viewing of television can also expose children to misperceptions about sexual development, gender roles, body image, consumerism, the likelihood of experiencing violence, and a sense of helplessness and hopelessness about what a scary world we live in. Children have a smaller collection of coping strategies than adults to help them deal with the constant stream of bad news.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that children below two years of age not be exposed to television at all. This is a difficult thing to attain; my nephew who is turning one in December will swivel his neck to see the television if it happens to be on. But as a rule of thumb, if none is best- then likely less is better. Parents can look for opportunities to replace television time with face-to-face interaction. Child directed imaginative play is also a great way for kids to explore their world. A young child with a cardboard box can spend hours devising different ways to play with it.

As parents go about their daily business, stream of consciousness describing of their world and actions provides their children with an enriched vocabulary and a schema for understanding what is going on in their small corner of the world. And the precursor to television, books, are always a good alternative. They increase vocabulary, strengthen early literacy skills, and require more initiative on the part of the child to engage. It may not be possible to purge television from your infant or child’s life, but looking for moments to replace television time is a good start.

For a thorough overview of television on infants, the government in Australia has put together a policy brief, which can be accessed at www.rch.org.au/ccch/policybriefs.cfm.

Marie Amos, MA, RCC, is a Mental Health Therapist with Child and Youth Mental Health of MCFD, Chilliwack.

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