Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby's First Years by Walter J. Cook

Author:Walter J. Cook
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: RosettaBooks
Published: 2020-01-28T00:00:00+00:00

Baby screen time

Chances are if you’re an American parent of a young child, at some point you’ve found yourself downloading an app, streaming a video or holding a DVD intended to improve your baby’s intelligence. You wondered if it could help promote junior’s brain cell connections.

Turns out human interaction still is likely to trump anything on a screen. While games or videos might catch your baby’s attention, the screen time probably won’t contribute to his or her development. In fact, research shows that an infant learns most when interacting with you or other caregivers.

Studies examining the specific effects of baby DVDs and other infant programming are limited and research on the impact of newer technology, such as touch screen devices, on infants is even more scarce. Study results generally aren’t positive. In one study, children ages 8 months to 16 months who were exposed to baby videos scored lower on a language development test than did babies who had no screen time. Another study of children ages 2 months to 4 years showed that turning on the television reduced verbal interaction between parents and children — which may delay language development. In addition, studies indicate that when parents spend time on their phones, it reduces the quantity and quality of parent and child interaction. In contrast, research has shown that regularly reading to and interacting with young children boosts language ability for both babies and toddlers.

Many pediatricians discourage screen time for children younger than age 2. Instead of relying on videos or smart apps, concentrate on proven ways to promote infant development — such as talking, playing, singing and reading to your baby. Even if your baby doesn’t understand what you’re saying, or grasp the plot of a story, he or she will soak in your words and revel in your attention. These simple activities form the foundation for speech and thought.

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