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Is television dangerous for babies?
For television producers, there is no doubt that toddler specials produce benefits on their development. But for child psychiatrists, like Stéphane Clerget, the answer is quite different: ” TV is useless, at worst harmful. Everything she brings can be found elsewhere: in books, at the museum, on the Internet… “.
More room for the imagination
A child too often glued to the television less work on your own imagination. For good reason, the TV does it for him! If there is a world invented from scratch, it is the one offered by cartoons and other fictions. In order to develop harmoniously, your little one needs interactive activities, which force him to move, to think, to invent …
Identification risk
You may have already observed it, your little one has fun reproducing the facial expressions of his favorite characters on TV. Even before age three, a child can relate to cartoon characters. It is not necessarily noticeable, but when he builds his identity, he is influenced in his temperament, in his way of being, by the personality of fictional characters, ”explains child psychiatrist Stéphane Clerget.
Television: a risk of addiction
The newborn who spends a lot of time in front of the TV will also spend a lot later. There are dependencies that are being put in place, “underlines Stéphane Clerget.
Pay attention to the slightest overexposure sign on the television :
– Baby wakes up often at night;
– He often cries for not much and it is difficult to console;
– He lacks attention and does not know how to stay focused;
– He does not speak yet or not much.
Keep an eye on what he’s watching
It’s not easy to control everything your little one will see, especially if he spends his days with a nanny. Nevertheless, it is important to try to do it.
Namely: there are two kinds of viewing:
– active: your child is comfortably installed and stays concentrated in front of the screen ;
– passive: the television is on and your child is playing in the same room. Then you think you can watch your shows or the TV news … Be careful ! Baby can hear words or see pictures that may disturb him.
TV: when marketing steps in
Baby chains are a hit and parents want more! In France, in parallel with the programs offered on terrestrial channels, thematic channels have developed (Tiji for children under seven, Playhouse Disney for 2-5 year-olds, Piwi for 2-6 year-olds). The most recent, Baby TV, launched in October 2005, targets the 0-3 age group. In the program ? Cartoons whose duration does not exceed ten minutes, mini-clips featuring mini-singers …
Crazier still, high-tech designers are also entering the market. Among the most original ideas: televisions in the shape of fire trucks or helicopters, plush televisions that the child can cuddle (the screen is wrapped in the body of a giraffe, an elephant, etc.). We think we are dreaming …