We are now the people of the screen. We are surrounded by screens,
monitors, and other flickering devices, and each demands our attention.
What began with the television has now spread to a host of other
technologies. Our minds are increasingly shaped, entertained, informed,
stimulated, and perhaps even altered by the Age of the Screen — and so
are the minds of our children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, meeting this week in Boston, has
been concerned about the effects of exposure to screens on children.
Over a decade ago, the academy proposed that pediatricians should ask
questions about screen exposure when conducting routine medical exams
and evaluations. This just week, the groups adopted a new set of
guidelines, calling upon parents to put severe limits on the exposure of
young children to television.
Parents should pay close attention to the group’s statement, released
as “Media Use by Children Younger than Two Years.” According to the
AAP, 90 percent of parents reported that their children under the age of
two “watch some form of electronic media.” These children watch,
parents reported, an average of one to two hours of television a day. A
considerable number of parents indicated their belief that television is
“very important for healthy development,” and leave the television on
virtually all waking hours. Keep Reading>>>
No comments:
Post a Comment