Page 1 of 1 [ 11 posts ]
05 May 2010, 11:57 am
Reuters wrote:
...equals school trouble later
By Reuters - Mon May 3, 3:31 PM PDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Toddlers who watch too much TV may struggle in school later, with measurably lower scores in math, and they may get bullied more than other children, Canadian and U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
Related Articles
Less surprisingly, children who watched more TV at age 2 weighed more by the time they were 10 and ate more snacks and soft drinks, the researchers reported in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
"The results support previous suggestions that early childhood television exposure undermines attention," wrote Linda Pagani of the University of Montreal and colleagues at Bowling Green University in Kentucky and the University of Michigan.
They said children who spend more time watching TV and less time playing with other kids may lose valuable chances to learn social skills.
The researchers started with more than 2,000 children taking part in a larger study. Their parents reported how much TV the children watched at 2-1/2 and later at 4-1/2 year old.
The checked with the children's teachers and doctors when the subjects were 10.
Every additional weekly hour of television at 29 months corresponded to a 7 percent drop in classroom attention and a 6 percent drop in math skills, the researchers found.
An hour more TV a week as a toddler meant a child was 10 percent more likely to be bullied, exercised 13 percent less, weighed 5 percent more and ate 10 percent more snacks, they found.
"Despite clear, age-specific recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics that discourage any screen media exposure during infancy and less than two hours per day beyond 2 years of age, parents show poor factual knowledge and awareness of such existing guidelines," the researchers wrote.
In their group, most of the children watched no more TV than this recommended amount but 11 percent watched more, they said.
(Reporting by Maggie Fox; editing by Chris Wilson)
By Reuters - Mon May 3, 3:31 PM PDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Toddlers who watch too much TV may struggle in school later, with measurably lower scores in math, and they may get bullied more than other children, Canadian and U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
Related Articles
Less surprisingly, children who watched more TV at age 2 weighed more by the time they were 10 and ate more snacks and soft drinks, the researchers reported in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
"The results support previous suggestions that early childhood television exposure undermines attention," wrote Linda Pagani of the University of Montreal and colleagues at Bowling Green University in Kentucky and the University of Michigan.
They said children who spend more time watching TV and less time playing with other kids may lose valuable chances to learn social skills.
The researchers started with more than 2,000 children taking part in a larger study. Their parents reported how much TV the children watched at 2-1/2 and later at 4-1/2 year old.
The checked with the children's teachers and doctors when the subjects were 10.
Every additional weekly hour of television at 29 months corresponded to a 7 percent drop in classroom attention and a 6 percent drop in math skills, the researchers found.
An hour more TV a week as a toddler meant a child was 10 percent more likely to be bullied, exercised 13 percent less, weighed 5 percent more and ate 10 percent more snacks, they found.
"Despite clear, age-specific recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics that discourage any screen media exposure during infancy and less than two hours per day beyond 2 years of age, parents show poor factual knowledge and awareness of such existing guidelines," the researchers wrote.
In their group, most of the children watched no more TV than this recommended amount but 11 percent watched more, they said.
(Reporting by Maggie Fox; editing by Chris Wilson)
Did it not occur to these rocket scientists that the kids end up sitting in front of the television so much BECAUSE they have difficulties developing social skills?
05 May 2010, 12:49 pm
Willard wrote:
Did it not occur to these rocket scientists that the kids end up sitting in front of the television so much BECAUSE they have difficulties developing social skills?
That seems unlikely. Children are often put in front of the television by their parents to keep them occupied, that's where most of the watching takes place. The parents would probably be too busy (or rather, would believe themselves to be too busy) to drive their kid all over time to their "play-dates". It is not until older that the social aspect would play a large part. Besides, surely kids that have social troubles can read, or entertain themselves in other ways than watching television?
Some studies can be awfully silly, though. I remember one that concluded watching television had a correlation with autism. Rather than study how much television was watched, they used the records of when it rained in their area... As if people only watch television when it rains! (Another study used this study (the rain numbers) to conclude that there is a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and autism, which seems like it might at least have some merit)
05 May 2010, 1:09 pm
05 May 2010, 5:09 pm
Willard wrote:
Did it not occur to these rocket scientists that the kids end up sitting in front of the television so much BECAUSE they have difficulties developing social skills?
If these kids have problems in developing social skills they should be practising these skills instead of staying at home watching television. The first years of life are important for development and children should practice activities that promote proper development (talking, playing, singing, and reading together etc...).
Sorry for the rant!
Last edited by Wedge on 05 May 2010, 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
05 May 2010, 5:19 pm
05 May 2010, 6:52 pm
05 May 2010, 7:14 pm
05 May 2010, 7:16 pm
05 May 2010, 8:51 pm
06 May 2010, 2:04 am
06 May 2010, 9:23 am
