tv or no tv? ...
that’s the question
by Betsy Bethel

Baby Einstein. Sesame babies. Elmo. BabyFirst TV. Barney. Wiggles. Veggie Tales.

Despite the American Academy of Pediatrics’ stance of no TV for children 2 and under, the list of television and video programs targeting babies goes on and on.

- Disney’s Baby Einstein series seems to be on all moms’ baby shower registries.

- BabyFirst TV launched a year ago as the first cable and satellite channel devoted entirely to “high-quality,” commercial-free programming for babies and parents.

- Last April, the gold standard of children’s programming, Sesame Workshop, along with the well-respected child-development and advocacy group Zero to Three, produced the “Sesame Beginnings” DVD series for babies and toddlers ages 6 months to 2 years, much to the dismay of some pediatric experts.

The producers all tout their programs’ educational value for babies, and as parents, we tend to buy into that. We want our babies to be exposed to as many sights and sounds as possible to stimulate their brain development. We’re told music, especially classical music, stimulates baby’s brain. We love the lessons Barney and the Veggie Tales teach about shapes and colors and being polite.

With this abundance of seemingly positive programming, parents sometimes have a hard time accepting television as an outright no-no.

Dr. Judy Romano, an American Academy of Pediatrics fellow practicing in Martins Ferry, said she understands parents’ point of view, but she has a few strong words of caution.

First, parents should not be lured by so-called educational programming.

“With the Baby Einsteins and such programs, the studies do not show, they do not show that they make a baby smarter,” Romano said.

Second, watching television really can be harmful to a child’s brain development.

“The truth of the matter is, when very young children are looking at that flat screen, there are studies that show it can inhibit development,” she said.

Another danger with television and older babies, starting at about age 12 months, is they start to pick up on what they are seeing and may react to it. In a study published in Child Development in 2003, babies were shown a video of actors interacting with objects, such as a garden hose. Later, the babies were presented with the objects.

“If the actor appeared happy or neutral about the objects, the babies were delighted to play with them. If the actors appeared frightened or upset, the babies recoiled,” said Dr. Alan Greene, an academy fellow, who blogged about the study on his Web site.

“At least by the time the first birthday candle is blown out, pay careful attention to the images at which your child spends hours gazing. The lights are on, and someone is home,” Greene said.

Shows such as Barney and Veggie Tales don’t have any questionable content, however. So aren’t they OK for older babies to watch a little bit each day, parents might ask. One local mother swears by Barney because the purple dinosaur has demonstrated and reinforced lessons about caring, sharing and politeness.

Romano suggests instead of sitting the baby in front of the television, interact with him.

“Talk to them while you dress them; tell them about what you’re making for breakfast; talk to them about what’s going on outside,” she said.

“If you choose to watch those kinds of programs, sit and watch them with your child. Make it interactive. That way, the brain is stimulated in the right way,” she added.

The “take-home message” for parents, Romano said, is that babies’ brain development is not stimulated by abstract images floating around a television screen but by “warm, consistent caregiving” and a “language-rich environment.”

Stacey Sacco of Martins Ferry, is a stay-at-home mom to 20-month-old Matthias. She reads to him often and talks to him constantly, but she also allows him to watch “Sesame Street,” football with Daddy, which he loves, and the occasional Backyardigans or Veggie Tales video.

In an e-mail interview, Sacco said she doesn’t think television is something her son “needs in his life at all,” but she limits his viewing to one hour a day.

“Like most things, moderation is the key,” Sacco said. “An hour of TV has to be balanced in a day of physical and educational activity.”

Romano said studies are ongoing that may reveal types of programming that are produced in a way that spurs development when paired with appropriate parental involvement.

“Stay tuned,” she said.