You may be impressed your toddler knows every word to her favorite Dora
the Explorer CD or that your teenager can repeat every line of his
favorite movie.
You may not be impressed to know both of you will spend close to half
of this year watching TV - - that’s according to the 2007 U.S. Census
Bureau’s Statistical Abstract of the United States. Adults and teens
will spend nearly five months or 3,518 hours this year watching
television, surfing the Internet, reading daily newspapers and
listening to personal music devices.
Parents and kids will spend 65 days in front of the TV, 41 days
listening to radio and a little over a week on the Internet. Teens and
adults will spend another week listening to recorded music.
What does this mass media overload mean for your child’s health?
“Too much media time can talk a toll on a child’s mental health,” says
Sarah Hampl, MD, pediatrician at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and
Clinics. “When children get too much media time, especially TV time,
they can be more aggressive, fail in school more often, have
socialization issues or develop sleep problems. So the implications can
be pretty severe.”
And so are the implications on a child’s physical health.
“It’s recommended a child be active for at least an hour a day,” Dr.
Hampl says. “Time spent watching media may contribute to kids being
overweight, because most children are not physically active during
these times. Physical activity has become less of a priority. If
these habits don’t change they will continue into adulthood when
physical activity is especially important to help prevent diabetes and
heart disease.”
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation the mass media overload can
start at birth. It reports nearly 61 percent of babies under two watch
TV, and 43 percent of those watch TV every day. The American Academy
of Pediatrics recommends no TV time for children two and under.
The AAP recommends parents develop positive viewing habits:
Set limits: Limit your child's time with TV, movies and
video and computer games to no more than one or two hours per day.
Don’t let her watch TV while doing homework and don’t put a TV in her
bedroom.
Watch TV together: This monitors what he’s watching and
talk about what you see.
Give other options: Help your child find other things to
do with her time, such as playing; reading; learning a hobby, a sport,
an instrument or an art.
Set a good example: Limit your own TV time and choose
programs carefully.
