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Many parents may wonder whether the drawbacks of watching TV for toddlers outweigh the benefits since many television shows are aimed exclusively at providing entertainment to the little ones.
Although some shows are educational for toddlers, it may be inappropriate for them to be glued to the television and prefer it over playtime. Further, some toddlers may exhibit an unhealthy spike in their interest in watching TV. Some may also demand to watch TV more frequently and throw tantrums whenever the TV is switched off.
Read this post to learn more about the negative side effects of watching TV on toddlers.
Is TV Always Bad For Your Toddler?
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Toddlers watching TV before or at preschool age are at a greater risk for developmental challenges and behavioral problems as compared to those who do not watch TV. Early exposure to TV has also been linked to attention disordersiCondition when children are hyperactive and have trouble controlling impulsive behavior and paying attention , issues with sleep and routine, and adverse effects on academic achievement, social development, and classroom engagement (1). Children who spend more than four hours a day before TV are also more likely to experience obesity (2).
Watching TV has always been considered harmful, especially at an young age, as it may affect children’s social skills development and vocabulary-building. While almost all child experts are unanimous about their views on the harmful effects of TV, some also think that TV can have some good effects too. Here is a look at both the good and bad effects of television on a toddler.
Quick fact10 Dangers Of Watching TV For Toddlers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights that 47.5% of children aged two to five years spend more than two hours of screen time daily. Here are ten effects of TV on toddlers that can affect adversely:
1. It Can Permanently Damage The Brain Structure Of Your Toddler:
According to research, watching too much TV can permanently change your toddler’s brain structure. [2]
- If your toddler spends too much time watching TV, he will have a higher amount of gray matter near his frontopolar cortex. It is the area that is located at the front part of your toddler’s frontal lobeiThe largest lobe of the brain involved in motor function, problem-solving, memory, language, judgment, impulse control, social behavior, etc. . Such a condition can mean your toddler may have difficulty with verbal intelligenceiAbility to use and comprehend words to communicate effectively .
- While your toddler watches TV, he may come across several interactive content and educational TV shows for toddlers. However, the pace of knowledge that your toddler gets from watching TV does not always vary or increase as per your toddler’s mental capabilities. It means your toddler may experience a damaging effect on their cognitive development (3).
2. There Are No Real Educational Benefits For Toddlers Under 2 Years:
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Till the time your toddler does not reach the age of two years, there is no real educational benefit in watching TV.
- Whatever your toddler watches on TV is pre-programmed and may not always correlate to your toddler’s cognitive abilities (1).
- In fact, your toddler may have a very distorted image of the real world from the education he receives from watching TV. He may also have problems relating to real people if he gets used to watching virtual characters at an early age.
Dr. Sharifa N. Glass, MD, a board-certified pediatrician from Houston, Texas, says, “All high-quality shows available for children ages 18 months and older are not right for your child. To find the best shows, watch how your child interacts with the content. The best shows will elicit verbal responses (i.e., repeating words, singing, asking questions, etc.) or physical activity (i.e., jumping, dancing, etc.) from your child.”
3. It Takes Away Precious Time From Your Toddler:
Getting used to watching TV will mean that your toddler loses a lot of real time that he could use in real situations.
- Being around real people and in real time situations will help your toddler develop his various brain functions. Having quality family time with fun activities, such as reading a storybook with good moral lessons, can instill good values and improve the child’s creativity and imagination.
- When your toddler plays with other children his age and sees real things, he will learn much more than he will learn from watching TV (1).
4. It Numbs Any Initiatives:
When your toddler is constantly exposed to TV, it can numb his thinking abilities and more.
- Certain TV shows may teach your toddler, but they can also dissuade him from taking any initiative himself.
- As the TV shows come with every idea and activity pre-programmed, there is not much scope for your toddler to develop critical thinking skills and take an initiative to think or do something.
5. Reading Time Gets Encroached Upon:
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The time your toddler spends watching TV takes up time he could spend reading (4).
- Reading is recommended for toddlers from as early as they can hold a book, even earlier if possible. It will help your toddler perform better once he is at school.
- Reading will also help sharpen your toddler’s various cognitive and motor skillsiUse of muscles to make physical movements . It will encourage him to spend quality time, encourage imagination and improve memory.
6. Too Much TV Can Hamper Speech:
Most speech and language experts warn that being exposed to too much TV noise at home can hamper timely child development by affecting their speech.
- If your toddler is always exposed to background noise from the TV, he will have difficulty in listening to other sounds and words.
- It can permanently hamper your toddler’s speaking abilities (5).
7. Learning With A Teacher Becomes Difficult:
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If your toddler gets used to watching shows with high-quality educational programming on TV, it can clash with the way he learns from a real teacher.
- Many parents may wonder whether the drawbacks of watching TV for toddlers outweigh the benefits since many television shows are aimed exclusively at providing entertainment to the little ones. The shows your toddler watches on TV are always fast-paced and filled with animation. Once your toddler gets used to learning through these shows, he will find it difficult to concentrate on regular teaching techniques in the classroom.
- It can also become difficult for your toddler to pay attention to studying or learning at home.
8. Attracted Towards Negative Influences:
TV viewing has always been criticized for the negative impact it has on toddlers and children.
- Even though you regulate what your toddler watches, commercials or shows that do not have age-appropriate content can always come up.
- TV shows will not always match the sensitivities or values you may want your toddler to learn. For instance, you may not want your toddler to eat packaged foods but the TV shows or commercials may encourage so (6).
Emi Sano, a mother and blogger, shares how increasing screen time affected her child’s behavior. She says, “As my son grows up, we’ve been allowing more and more screen time. It doesn’t total more than two hours in a day. I’ve noticed, however, that the more screen time he has been getting, the worse his tantrums have become (i).”
9. It Can Make Your Toddler Obese:
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Watching TV from an early age can adversely affect your toddler’s weight.
- Limiting screen time is crucial as toddlers who watch too much TV may start facing weight issues from an early age. In most cases, your toddler may turn out to be overweight, even obese.
- Watching TV will take away play time from your toddler and may limit their time on physical activity and exercise. (6).
Point to consider10. Increases Blood Pressure:
If your toddler is exposed to TV viewing, it can harm his blood pressure by increasing the levels.
- According to a study, watching too much TV between the ages of two and ten can put your toddler at a 30% higher risk of blood pressure.
- Combined with lesser physical activity, it can further increase the risk factor by 50%.
Introducing TV time to children before the age of preschool can have serious impacts on your child’s health. However, following parental supervision and screen time guidelines while watching TV is considered safe. Many parents use TV as a babysitter or as a distraction. This pattern can cause adverse effects in the longer run. One-on-one interaction with parents, reading books, singing rhymes and poems, etc., has many benefits and can be included in their everyday routine. Also, encourage your toddler to watch educational shows during their screen time. Additionally, co-viewing with toddlers can encourage communication and interaction while watching, thus increasing the educational aspect of watching TV for toddlers.
Point to considerChoosing TV Shows For Toddlers
Although entirely eliminating TV exposure may be challenging, opting for toddler-friendly programs might be beneficial. Consider these guidelines when choosing television shows for toddlers (7):
- Prioritize TV shows that offer good-quality screen time, as it positively impacts learning and behavior in toddlers.
- Choose co-viewing-friendly programs by shortlisting shows that you find both tolerable and enjoyable.
- Prefer shows that foster messages and themes (such as dance or science) aligned with your values and preferences.
- Select shows, movies, and videos with positive messages, inclusive themes, and age-appropriate content, promoting emotional well-being in preschoolers.
- Be cautious about apps featuring ads, check privacy settings, and assess the potential addictiveness of shows to ensure a safe and balanced screen experience for your child.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much screen time is recommended for a two-year-old?
As per the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations, preschoolers can be allowed around one hour of educational programs along with a parent or caregiver (2).
2. Why do toddlers always want to watch TV?
Your toddler might be glued to the screen due to a lack of adult attention, interest in certain shows, or an enjoyable TV viewing experience.
3. Can too much TV cause speech delay in toddlers?
A few studies have shown that toddlers exposed to more than the recommended duration of screen time might have speech and language delays, as well as difficulties with language acquisition (5).
4. At what age should toddlers start watching TV?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children watch TV only after 18 months. Parents must introduce 18-month-olds to high-quality educational digital content only.
5. Can too much TV cause autism in children?
Research notes that children who view TV for more than three hours a day might be affected by short attention spans, language delay, and hyperactivity. These symptoms may correlate with autismiDevelopmental disorder affecting social interactions, and verbal and non-verbal communication spectrum disorder (8). However, more research is needed to establish a definitive link between excessive TV watching and autism.
6. What are the symptoms of too much screen time for children?
Too much screen time could interfere with the child’s daily activities. This withdrawal from daily life could be one of the symptoms of TV addiction. Other symptoms might include decreased motivation, frustration when withdrawn from TV, and lack of control over the TV time limits (9).
7. How do I reduce my toddler’s screen time?
The first step toward reducing screen time is to identify what the child is addicted to on the TV or a device with a screen. Then, reduce the screen time slowly. Introduce them to new hobbies and curate their interest in interesting areas. Become positive role models by reducing your TV time as well. If needed, seek the help of a therapist.
8. What can children do instead of watching TV?
Dr. Glass recommends these activities:
- Toy scavenger hunt: Draw a map of your home and hide items in locations on the map for children to find.
- Photo scavenger hunt: Make a list of items, shapes, or colors that children need to find and take a picture of.
- Math spoons: Write out a page of simple math problems and have young children solve them by counting out spoons.
- Puzzles: Provide age-appropriate puzzles for children to complete. Children as young as two years will enjoy puzzles.”
Infographic: Possible Effects Of Watching Television On Toddlers
With screens becoming an integral part of our lives, children are at risk of excessive exposure to televisions. An increase in screen time has several ill effects on a toddler’s physiological, socio-emotional, and psychological well-being. The infographic below details a few of the negative effects of binging on television and tips to combat them. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- Toddlers who watch television before or during preschool are more likely to have developmental problems.
- Too much television can permanently alter your toddler’s brain structure and numb their thinking and cognitive abilities.
- Loud TV noises at home might also hinder your toddler’s communication ability.
- Prolonged TV exposure increases blood pressure risk in toddlers by 30-50%.
Illustration: Serious Defects Of Watching Tv For Toddlers
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
The impact of television on children has always been controversial. Watch this video to gain insights from an expert on the effects television has on your child.
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Let’s talk about screen time.https://emisanowrites.medium.com/lets-talk-about-screen-time-75eced76b14e
References
- Infants Toddlers and Television.
http://www.urbanchildinstitute.org/articles/policy-briefs/infants-toddlers-and-television - How Media Use Can Affect Kids.
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tv-affects-child.html - Hikaru Takeuchi et al.; (2015); The impact of television viewing on brain structures: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24256892/ - Television: Reducing the Negative Impact.
https://hhma.org/healthadvisor/pa-btelevis-hhg/ - Tots toddlers and TV: The potential harm.
https://brainwave.org.nz/article/tots-toddlers-and-tv-the-potential-harm/ - Kamaruzaman Jusoff and Nurul Nadiah Sahimi; (2009); Television and Media Literacy in Young Children: Issues and Effects in Early Childhood.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1065705.pdf - Good apps, games, TV shows, movies and YouTube for children 2-5 years.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/media-technology/media/good-apps-games-movies-preschoolers - Donna Hermawati et al; Early electronic screen exposure and autistic-like symptoms.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5849631/ - Kids and screen time: Signs your child might be addicted.
https://news.umich.edu/kids-and-screen-time-signs-your-child-might-be-addicted/ - Screen time and children
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000355.htm
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Read full bio of Dr. Tashawna Stokes
Dr. Sharifa N. Glass is a board-certified pediatrician and an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) practicing at The Vine Pediatrics and Lactation, a house-call concierge practice in Houston, Texas. She is also a clinical assistant professor at the University of Houston College of Medicine. Dr. Glass did her MD from Drexel University College of Medicine and pediatrics residency program from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
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