Can TV cause a baby to have seizures?

Question

My almost 3 month old baby and I sometimes watch BabyTV channel together. I talk to her about the program and sing the songs along to her they sing.

When I am changing her in the living room she looks up to the tv. I can be talking to her and she still watches the TV. If I am in the way she gets mad. If I turn it off so I cant talk to her while I'm changing her she gets mad.

My mother-in-law says that her watching TV can cause her to have seizures.

before i get any negative comments...I DONT PLOP HER IN FRONT OF THE TV & LEAVE HER FOR HOURS! I may fix a bottle, run to the bathroom, or answer the phone.

i work with mentally retarded adults, many of them prone to seizures. And i know that flashing lights can provoke seizures. I thought that maybe since a baby's brain isn't fully developed they can be succeptable to them too?

i turn the tv on as a last resort. when SHE'S tired of talking, playing, being read to, tummy time, being sung to, being fed, everything. sometimes just to keep her not crying so I don't have to hold her while I'm on the damn toilet!!
If you can't read the F'in question and reply accordingly ie. WITHOUT negative comments, then dont!! Are your few little points that important??

Answer 1

My baby discovered the TV when he was about 8 weeks old. He watched an entire episode of Seinfeild and his eyes never left the TV once. He was utterly fascinated. I asked the doctor and she said at this age TV is fine, it's a stimulation but won't cause seizures unless baby is already prone to them. She told me that when baby starts getting mobile then limit the TV so that baby doesn't just lay there watching TV all day.

Now instead of having the news on like I used to always do for background noise I leave it either on the Baby Channel or Treehouse. Sometimes he watches it, sometimes he doesn't. He is 3 months old and absolutely adores The Wonderpets. If I sing the theme song he laughs and giggles like mad and as soon as he hears it on TV he fusses until he can see the TV. He also likes the Backyardigans but only when singing and he is fascinated with Miffy. The painting pony on the Baby channel usually catches his eyes too.

I try to be beside him when he's focused on the TV so that I can sing along and help him "dance" to the music and talk to him to make it more interactive. He does not get plopped down in front of the TV and left there, in fact he will fuss after a few minutes. So he usually has his play gym in front of him and if he wants to see whats on the TV he can. All I know is that it is nice if baby can amuse himself for a few minutes so that you can go to the bathroom, answer the door/phone, go grab a drink etc... without having him in your arms or screaming.

Put it on the music channel if you are concerned about her watching it too much. She is probably just really accustomed to the background noise and display. They have a children's music station and I learn new songs on it to sing to him when we are out and about.

He was watching the hockey game last night as well for awhile. It was cute because it was Daddy's team vs Mommy's team and we were both trying to get him to smile whenever our teams scored. He was too tired to care though, he was just fascinated by the fast moving figures on the TV screen (white ice, dark colored fast moving figures).

Answer 2

No. TV can cause a seisure only in someone already prone to seisures (like an epileptic) Flashing lights alone do not cause seisures in an otherwise healthy individual.


Don't worry about tv "being bad for her"...at her age seeing ANYTHING new and interesting is a learning experieence...and teh fact that you are singing and playing is great.

She'll grow out of the TV fasincation once she starts moving around and can explore.

Answer 3

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV at all for children under 2, and then only very minimal TV after that. If a baby/small child expects to be entertained by flashing lights and colors all the time, he/she may have trouble developing a healthy attention span.

Answer 4

The only thing tv will do is start a little attitude issue, which you've already seen. TV can be fun and interactive, but maybe for an older infant. Just make sure its limited. There have been links between TV and ADD, but nothing solid yet.

Enjoy her while she's still young enough NOT to talk back. :)

Answer 5

OMG. Your mother in law sounds like my family used to. When I would do things my family disagrees with they would tell me 'someone could report you for that' or 'just last week I heard someone died from that kind of road trip' or 'that move could really hurt your kids' or 'do you think that moving away will make your kids have an unstable lifestyle?' or 'don't you think you should not spend your money on that. I mean your kids have needs too you know'. or 'she goes to the park alone??? Just last week a girl was raped...' or 'she goes to PUBLIC school.... you know I saw this documentary on bullying....' OMG. Fear-based people suc. NO your child cannot get seizures from t.v. The same radiation from a t.v. is from a microwave. Does SHE watch t.v? Maybe she should worry about herself. I would tell her to stop making comments that would cause you too second guess yourself and that when you are open to having 'nay-sayers' in your life, you will let her know.

Answer 6

No, Tv cannot CAUSE a seizure unless your child has a predisposition to seizures...like epilepsy or another neurological disorder. Just watching Tv will not cause a seizure.

Answer 7

Does it matter? There is no benefit for your baby in watching TV. Unplug the baby!

A three month old needs eye contact and social interaction not passive reception! A three month old needs belly time to build up core muscle strength, so they can then turnover, creep, crawl and eventually walk. A three month old needs to be able to feel hunger and thirst, indicate those needs and have an attentive adult respond. Children who sit in front of TVs are not in touch with their physical needs.

Recent research shows that even Baby Einstein videos are not in baby's best interest. UNPLUG THE BABY!

Answer 8

No, it can't. Unless she is epileptic and flashing colors come on to the television, she will not have seizures from watching it.

Answer 9

Wow, thankyou! exactly what I was looking for. I looked for the answer on other websites but I couldn't find them.

Answer 10

watchin tv will not cause her to have them unless she's epileptic. then it's the pixels that cause it, not the fact that she's viewing the tv.