When is it safe for infants to watch TV?

Question

Is there an age when babies can start watching Tv???

Answer 1

When you are comfortable letting them. My kids love to have the TV on but they never sit in front of it like zombies. They dance sing and move around. They started watching at like 3 months. Obviously then they weren't dancing and singing then but it made them happy watching the colors and other baby faces.

The general rule is, make sure they aren't stationary for a half hour at a time. That is when you worry that they are getting too much tv.

Answer 2

First of all, don't listen to anyone who is saying it's not good, or "unsafe" for an infant to watch TV. The AAP issued that press released based on conjecture, and nothing more. There are NO studies done about TV viewing before a year or so, because parents don't want to offer up their newborns for scientific studies.
My son is amazingly smart at 18 months, and he's been watching baby eistein since he was 3 months old. He watches about an hour a day, more if I am feeling ill or otherwise need to occupy him. The TV is not a replacement for social contact, which is very important, but think about this: MOST mothers now grew up in households where the TV was on all day. If you are ok, your child will be ok.
The important thing to remember is that the TV is not a substitute for contact with you. Having your child watch it a little a day is not going to do anything bad to him. If it did, the world would be full of damaged people who grew up in the 50's-80's, the era when the TV was the centerpiece of the family.
There will be times when you need to do something for you, and there won't be anyone around to entertain your baby excpet you. If you need to flip on the TV and let your baby gaze at the screen for a half hour or so, do it, and never let anyone make you feel guilty about it.

Answer 3

Although everyone has their own opinion, and many seem to say that it's bad sometimes you just have to do it! My youngest was in front of the TV from a very young age, whether she was lying with her daddy on the couch while he was watching TV or she was in her bouncy seat with an Einstein video so I could help my other girls. Funny thing is that she is almost 2 and has absolutely NO interest in watching TV. Her older sisters are hooked and could sit for hours if I let them but they get a certain amount of time per day. The youngest won't sit for more than 5 minutes!

Einstein Videos really seem to capture a baby, if not the actually colors of the video the music and if you are going to put your baby in front of the TV make sure they are not to close and try out one of the Einstein Videos!

Answer 4

I don't think there is anything wrong with it if you allow them to do it responsibly. I have always wathced TV with my daughter and interacted with her as she watched. I also was careful of what I allowed her to watch. She started watching Baby Einstein videos when she was 3 months old and by her 1st birthday had all of them. Everyday she watched a different one and I interacted with her as she watched it, reinforcing what she was seeing. As far as TV shows, she watched a lot of shows on the Disney channel, which are very educational and get kids motivated. She loved the Wiggles and they got her up dancing, when she was able to. She watched just a couple of shows on Nick Jr., Blues Clues and Dora. She watched some shows on Noggin. She is now almost three and is very advanced. She is on the same level as a 4 almost 5 year old. She has a huge vocabulary and has since she was only 15 months old. At 15 months she could pretty much hold a conversation with you. She talked in full sentences, could count to 10 (even in Spanish), she knew her ABC's, knew a few letters, knew several Nursery Rhyms. She is very smart and I have always allowed her to watch TV, but it is not used as a babysitter for her either. Like I said, I watch it with her. Depending on the show, we would, and still do, talk about it afterwards, as far as what she had just seen. Maybe refresh numbers, letters, etc. that were talked about on the show. It is not harmful if you go about it the right way.

Answer 5

there is no safe age to watch t.v. there is shows that are age appropriate, and there are safe distances to be from the TV. babies will look at the TV and have no idea for the most part what they are looking at. they see a color full moving box with noise. so make sure they are not really close to the TV because you could make them cross eyed and make sure what is on the TV is blues clues or the wiggles or some other programing that age appropriate. studies show that babies who are introduced to music, counting and the alphabet at a younger age are smarter. but that does not mean you should put your kid in front of it as if it is a babysitter.

Answer 6

yes, they're old enough to watch the rapidly moving sound and picture show known as TV, as soon as Mommy feels the need to use the electric babysitter without feeling guilty because she needs a few minutes alone. If the infant is securely restrained in a car seat on the floor aimed at the boob tube (bad joke, unintended, promise), she can even take a little nap on the couch, to regain strength, for when she later has to become the center of the universe for a very helpless human being.

Answer 7

I have a 22 month old and the TV is never on (we have one in the basement). We play and play! Before I was a mom I watched maybe one hour of TV a week, so my little guy was born into a house that doesn't watch TV!! He has never watched TV, he is very bright and speaks 3 languages. I speak to him in Spanish, his father in German and English is all around! He can identify anything in all three languages and understands that.

Forget the TV and play, play, play with your child, talk and sing to them! It's way better than the TV.

I believe that every mom is capable of making what she feels is the best decision for her child. IF i do turn on the TV for him it won't be until after he's two because there have been studies that link TV viewing with ADD.

The American Academy of Pediatrics say, "Pediatricians should urge parents to avoid television viewing for children under the age of 2 years. Although certain television programs may be promoted to this age group, research on early brain development shows that babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other significant caregivers (eg, child care providers) for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Therefore, exposing such young children to television programs should be discouraged."

Answer 8

According to a recent study, not until after age 2, even for "educational" tv shows made for babies. It can cause problems like ADHD in childhood.

Answer 9

A new policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urges parents to avoid television for children under 2 years old.

"While certain television programs may be promoted to this age group, research on early brain development shows that babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other significant care givers for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills," the policy says.

The new AAP statement on media education also suggests parents create an "electronic media-free" environment in children's rooms, and avoid using media as an electronic babysitter. In addition, it recommends pediatricians incorporate questions about media into routine child health visits, as education can reduce harmful media effects.

"With an educated understanding of media images and messages, users can recognize media's potential effects and make good choices about their and their children's media exposure," states the new policy.

Answer 10

Babies love to watch the colors of the TV, and It won't make theme obese or skinny or Stupid. Just make sure they aren't always in front of the TV and are playing with toy and you are interacting with them.