Slower
Language Development for Infants who Watch Baby Media; Statement
of CCFC’s Dr. Susan Linn on Important New Study
For
infants and toddlers, every hour spent watching baby videos is associated with
slower language development -- six to eight words less on a standardized vocabulary
test than babies who don’t watch.* |
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Press Release
“This
important study is the clearest indication yet of potential harm
caused by the
false and deceptive
marketing
of television programming and DVDs that target babies. Previous
research suggests that television is not a good medium for teaching
language to babies. Now we see that infants (ages 8-16 months)
who watch baby videos have a slower rate of language acquisition
than infants who do not. Not only is there no evidence that baby
videos do any of the things the baby video industry claims they
do, but these media may actually be undermining the development
of the very skills they claim to foster. “We
hope that this study spurs the Federal Trade Commission to
stop companies from falsely and deceptively
marketing their
media for babies as educational. The number one reason parents
allow babies to watch television and DVDs is the mistaken belief
that the programming is educational and/or good for brain development.
Studies show that 40% of three-month-old babies are regularly
placed in front of screens. By the age of two, 90% are watching
for about an hour and a half a day.”
Examples
of the False and Deceptive Claims from Media Companies that
their Products Improve Babies’ Language
Development:
- BabyFirstTV:
Language Playground programming “Encourages
children to develop language through introduction to words, signs,
and languages from around the world.” (Ages 6 months
to 3 years).
- Baby
Einstein: Baby's Favorite Places/First Words/Around Town DVD “The popular developmental series returns with an educational
trip around town.” (Ages 1 and up).
- Brainy
Baby: English -- “Learning First Words.” (Ages
1 year and up.)
*Frederick J. Zimmerman, PhD, Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH,
and Andrew Metzoff, PhD (August 7, 2007). Associations between
Media Viewing and Language Development in Children Under Two.
Journal of Pediatrics
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