Harmful Effects of Television on Babies

The most common idea of getting entertained is watching television but exposing babies to it can have harmful effects on them. Find out the harmful effects of television on babies.Many parents let their children watch TV because while their kids are getting entertained, they can carry on with their everyday work. Most of these parents do not feel guilty because they consider this ‘quality time’ for the kids. Apart from this, there are a number of programs that are specially designed for small kids to watch and children of so small age naturally get attracted to colourful and moving pictures.However, child development experts are of the opinion that children below the age of 2 should not be exposed to television at all. The main reason behind this is that the first two years of your child is the most important ones in the growth and development of her brain. If children are exposed to television or any other electronic media, they are deprived of exploring the real world, playing and interacting with their parents and other people. In this articleTelevision Can Do More Harm than GoodTips for ParentsTelevision Can Do More Harm than GoodHave a quick look at the harmful effect of television on babies and children.Children learn more when interacting with real people and they might get confused seeing people and things on screen.There is no evidence that electronic media supports or enhances early learning.It is not easy for the children under two to get good visual information from the two dimensional images that occur on television screen.If television is used for companionship, comfort or for sleep, there are chances that it gets into the habit of the child in later life.Watching television distracts the child and hampers his overall development that is possible when playing with toys and other real life games.By only watching and listening to the television, your child can lack the right skills of communication.If the child watches more television, his school learning can be difficult.Very small kids who watch television are found having problem concentrating, shorter attention spans and recklessness.It hampers the development of language skills and these children are less able to recognize letters and numbers when they go to school.Many television shows and videos are actually found teaching wrong things to children.The unnatural depiction of the world creates confusion in the child’s mind and they find the real world quite boring and hence find difficulty adapting to it as well.Long time exposure to television can even have effects on child’s ability to communicate as well as read and write.Tips for ParentsParents of children below the age of two should make sure their babies do not watch television at all.If there are works that need attention, they should complete it when the child is napping.Interact and spend time with your child as much as possible. This will help build her brain.Responding to her smile, speech and actions will help her understand things and people around her.Never expect television to tutor your child. It will not have any positive effect at all.If your baby has to watch television, make it a point that you watch with her and make that time interactive time as well.Stop or discourage your child from watching television. The best stimulation for a growing child is lots of holding, comforting, singing, talking or rocking. Remember, television or any other electronic media cannot provide this responsive and emotional environment. Provide safe and useful toys for your child to explore. You can read out to your child to help her learn and get additional benefits.What is the right age of children to watch television? How watching television affects the development of babies? How should parents discourage children from watching television? Discuss here.