Watch Out
Sun Herald
Sunday October 7, 2007
Early brain development can be adversely affected by hours of TV watching. But how much is too much?
Television can be a convenient babysitter, as parents know. But perhaps relying on the small screen to entertain a baby or toddler isn't such a smart idea, says Dr Jill Stamm, an international lecturer on infant learning. "Long hours of television are detrimental to healthy early brain development," says Stamm, whose book, Bright From The Start (Penguin), blends neuroscience with parenting advice. When very young children watch too much television, she says, it can impact on the development of the frontal lobes. The result: a toddler's brain becomes used to short-attention-span use. "The child's brain gets wired to scan and shift and this can inhibit later learning ability," says Stamm. "Some scientists believe excessive early TV viewing may help explain the rise in ADHD cases."A 2004 study by the University of Washington of one- to three-year-olds found that for every hour of TV viewed per day, a child was 10 per cent more likely to show ADHD symptoms at age seven. Although the study did not show a direct cause-and-effect relationship between TV time and ADHD, Stamm feels children should have limited viewing until the age of five. This is cause for concern, given that a 2005 study of 10,000 infants and pre-schoolers by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) found that children as young as four or five watch an average of 2.3 hours of television daily. Stamm is also sceptical about TV's educational value. She says research is showing that human minds develop best in relationships with other humans. Stamm says a better way to engage and educate babies and toddlers is to "read them a book in short periods over the day. Many old-fashioned games, such as with pots and pans, also go a long way towards active, interactive play." There is some good news, though. The AIFS report showed 70 per cent of children spend 1.5 hours a day being read a story, talking and singing with adults. Meanwhile, stressed parents may take comfort in the fact that toddlers who watch "very little" TV won't experience any detrimental effects, says Stamm. "Every parent can give themselves permission to occasionally resort to the TV when they need to grab a few minutes."
© 2007 Sun Herald