A Unique Child: Cognitive Development - TV times

Children are exposed to screen media at increasingly younger ages, and the press - both popular and scientific - have displayed knee-jerk reactions, claiming that this is intrinsically bad for children's development, dampening their creative play instinct, risking increases in ADHD and turning young children into mesmerised, passive observers instead of energetic, active participants. In response to this growing trend, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended a total ban on screen exposure before 24 months - an unrealistic reaction to something which has nowadays become a normal part of childhood life.

MODERN LIFE

Recent surveys in the US indicate that by three months of age, the majority of babies have been exposed to infant-directed films, and that from 12 months most children will spend between one and two hours per day regularly in front of a screen. Such figures appear alarming, but modern life is becoming increasingly digitalised and there is little point in fighting it. The challenge for parents and teachers, therefore, is not how to abolish TV/DVD viewing from pre-schoolers' lives, but rather how to control its use and make the most of its learning potential. In an attempt to address this challenge, we review the latest scientific research into the relationship between screen exposure and child development.