Aug 22, 2008 4:26 pm US/Central
French Authorities Ban TV Programming For Babies
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CBS) ―
There are new concerns watching any television at all could be bad for
your baby. One country is now banning some TV shows for young children
and that's sparking debate right here in the States, CBS station KOVR-TV in Sacramento reports.
French officials say that TV programs targeting infants and toddlers are dangerous. In a ruling France's broadcast authority said "television viewing hurts the development of children under three and poses a certain number of risks, encouraging passivity, slow language acquisition, over-excitedness and troubles with sleep and concentration."
"I don't know that I would get the government involved," said a parent.
Some parents packing up their kids from soccer wonder if an all-out ban deserves a penalty.
"A lot of US programming at that age has a lot of child psychologists and great programming," said it seems odd to me," said Mike Byrne, cautious about the ban.
Even the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents should avoid television viewing for children under the age of two-years-old.
"There is overwhelming evidence about the negative effects of TV for infants but we don't hear about it anywhere," said Scott MacMillian, teacher.
MacMillian says he can pick out which of his students have been raised on TV. But he admits when his twins were born even he bought educational videos, but pulled the plug on his girl watching them when he found research following children who watched no television and some who watched just a moderate amount.
"Not only was attention lowered with infants who watched TV, but also language skills were lowered for kids who watched TV, which are the foundation for everything," said MacMillian. "So less speaking skills lower reading, math and science skills."
Experts agree. Television is no substitute for human interaction. Turning off the tube in the first place could lead to a healthier lifestyle.
French channels are banned from carrying this type of programming. If a cable operator carries foreign programming it will have to broadcast a warning that warns the show can slow a child's development.
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