Doctor says kids should watch more TV

"When I say 'watch more television' in counselling parents of preschoolers, I am talking about more good television...There is indeed such a thing as good television."

In this article, physician/author Peter Nieman describes the educational value of television shows like "Sesame Street". He cites a recent study conducted at the University of Massachusetts and the University of Kansas that involved contacting 600 children in high school whose television watching habits they had tracked in the 1980s. They found that the kids who watched "Sesame Street" most often as four- and five-year-olds were doing better in English, math, and science. They also tended to read book for leisure more frequently than their peers. (Data was controlled for parents' education, family size, and preschool vocabulary level). Nieman cites "Blue's Clues" as another example of an educational programme that is valuable; he cites highly qualified producers and careful testing.

Nieman explains this trend by referring to the work of Nobel Prize winner Eric Kandel, a neuroscientist and psychiatrist who claims that early experiences shape brain structure and connections within the brain. However, he indicates that there is much controversy surrounding this issue; the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages even a half hour of television viewing per day for children under the age of 2 based on the notion that this activity takes time away from face-to-face interactions with parents. And Nieman agrees that concern is warranted in light of the negative role that television viewing can play in terms of encouraging sedentary lifestyles, contributing to poor nutrition and obesity, fostering an unhealthy body image, advocating aggressive behaviour and desensitisation to violence, and encouraging substance use and high-risk sexual behaviour.

He refers readers seeking to learn more about promoting good television habits to Caring for Kids site; Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) site; and Media Awareness Network site.Click here to access the full article.