– Michigan State University Extension does agree with the American Academy of Pediatrics: It’s really important to minimize TV-viewing time for children under two years old. A recommendation not only valid for television, but for all screen-devices, like tablets or other hand-held devices. Advice unfortunately not followed in practice since as many as 40% of under-five-month-old infants are watching some kind of videos, while more than 90% of two-year-old kids are experiencing screen media… on a regular basis!

– Today, however, we know that a young kid’s brain grows at high speed in the first three years, tripling in size during the first 12 months. The negative impact of screen watching during this sensitive period can be huge. The development of language, reading and short-term memory skills, as well as attention and sleep spans, for example, can be seriously influenced by screens use during the crucial early years of a child.

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