Is Television or Computer screens bad for the babies

system · November 20, 2009, 1:54pm

Hi

I read at times that prefarably babies upto 2 years should not be exposed to Television or Computer screens.
Say we bring this down to 1 year.

Then does it means in the 1st year of the baby only paper flashcards are good.
And any exposure to Television or Computer screens should be avoided.

I am confused.

Vidyut · November 20, 2009, 2:28pm

Good question. One I wonder about. Purely academically of course, as Nisarg enjoys watching the TV and will crane his neck around no matter how we put him… I don’t watch TV at all, but the rest of the family does, and its a little unrealistic to expect them all to stop (and they wouldn’t either). So I guess if its there, he watches, and it is how it is.

Also, I do like showing him kids stuff on the computer. No clue whether it helps or harms his eyes, but I’m not too bothered about keeping him away from absolutely everything “bad for him”, because then I’d spend more time second guessing, than living. I used to watch TV as a kid, and I’ve got perfect eye sight. TV technology has also improved since then, I assume. So he’s not going to go blind from it.

However, I find myself thinking about it, particularly when people exclaim about him watching TV and how its sure to destroy his eye sight.

laughingwater · November 20, 2009, 3:46pm

I have certainly read some reports that say it is bad - both for eyesight and also that watching TV early develops poor attention as real life can’t compete with the excitement and pace of TV. I don’t watch TV or have a TV on in my house during the day - that is limited to after my daughter is in bed. I did find that after she turned one she became much more interested in watching TV. When I took her to play group she now watches with interest whatever is playing on the TV. She is now 14 months and I have just in the last month started to get a few educational DVDs. She is now at the stage that it interests her, and hopefully has no negative outcomes.