A recent study of the TV viewing habits of young children in early care settings found several concerning results. Despite recommendations to limit TV viewing for young children, many child care settings include on average 2 hours of daily TV viewing as part of their regular activities. This exposure is in addition to the nearly 2 hours of TV viewing reported each day for young children in their homes.
Of particular concern was the increased TV viewing found at home-based child care settings compared to center-based child care:
- Almost 3/4 of staff in home-based child care reported daily TV viewing compared to about 1/3 of center-based child care
- While children in center-based child care were exposed to an additional 1.5 hours of TV viewing, those in home-based child care were exposed to almost double that amount (averages up to 3 hours).
- Home-based providers with high school diplomas or GEDs were less likely to limit TV viewing compared to those with higher levels of education and training.
The study reported that these findings are concerning as “infant and toddler television exposure was associated with obesity, language delay, inactivity, aggression, and decreased attention spans…[and] opportunities for interactions with peers and teachers, as well as outdoor play time, all of which are components of high-quality child care, are displaced by passive television viewing at the levels reported.”
In light of these findings, we want to remind people of the recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding TV viewing for young children:
Pediatricians should urge parents to avoid television viewing for children under the age of 2 years. Although certain television programs may be promoted to this age group, research on early brain development shows that babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other significant care givers (e.g., child care providers) for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Therefore, exposing such young children to television programs should be discouraged.
[For children older than 2 years], limit children’s total media time (including entertainment media) to no more than 1 to 2 hours of quality programming per day.
[Pediatrician] advice to parents should include:
- encouraging careful selection of programs to view
- co-viewing and discussing content with children and adolescents
- teaching critical viewing skills
- limiting and focusing time spent with media
- being good media role models by selectively using media and limiting their own media choices
- emphasizing alternative activities
- creating an “electronic media-free” environment in children’s rooms
- avoiding use of media as an electronic baby-sitter
For more information on the AAP recommendations, click here or here.
