Pediatrician group: Children under two should NOT watch TV, videos

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Pediatrician group: Children under two should NOT watch TV, videos

There’s a new warning from the nation’s pediatricians and it may surprise a good many parents who think those baby DVD’s, even educational television can benefit even their youngest kids. The pediatricians say children under two should NOT watch ANY television or videos.
The CBS Evening News reported that the policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says “parents should cut back on viewing as well.”
CBS News medical correspondent Jon LaPook, MD, explained, “Research also suggests television watched by adults can distract children playing in the same room. … It’s unclear if television directly harms the developing brain. But the panel of experts says at the very least it takes away time better spent interacting with the real world.”
The New York Times reports, “The new report … estimates that for every hour a child under two spends in front of a screen, he or she spends about 50 minutes less interacting with a parent, and about 10 percent less time in creative play. It recommends that doctors discuss setting ‘media limits’ for babies and toddlers with parents, though it does not specify how much time is too much.”
Here are some of my blogs on “screen time” from the last year:

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