Children under the age of two should be banned from watching television, according to guidelines prepared for the Australian government.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Australia: ban TV for under-twos

The guidelines warn that exposure to television at such an early age can delay language development, affect the ability of a child to concentrate and lead to obesity.

The recommendations also suggest that children aged two to five should watch no more than one hour of television a day.

The recommended viewing limits vary wildly from the actual amount of television and DVDs viewed by Australian children.

Australian statistics show that four-month-old infants watch an of average 44 minutes of television each day and that children under the age of four with pay television at home spend at least three hours a day in front of the screen.

The draft guidelines, which have been designed for childcare centres but also offer advice for parents, are intended to help curb the spread of obesity. Six to eight per cent of Australian schoolchildren are currently listed as obese and an additional one in five, while not obese, is overweight.

"Based on recent research, it is recommended that children younger than two years of age should not spend any time watching television or using other electronic media (DVDs, computer and other electronic games)," said a draft copy of the guidelines obtained by The Australian newspaper.

"Screen time ... may reduce the amount of time they have for active play, social contact with others and chances for language development.

"(It may) affect the development of a full range of eye movement (and) ... reduce the length of time they can stay focused."

The government has refused to comment on the Get Up and Grow report for healthy eating and exercise in early childhood, devised by Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital, saying only that the guidelines were still being finalised.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/children...under-twos.html

[The_Dude 1,142]

I don't think children should watch television period.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I don't think children should watch television period.

WORD.

[Peikko 1,575]

Recommendations as to what might and might not influence childhood development are useful for parents and such guidelines should obviously be implemented in any government run child services in order for 'best practice' to be the prevalent practice.

In my personal experience, there is no reason for a child under the age of two to be watching television, one can hardly call it a deprivation.

However, what is probably the bottom line to this, is the use of television by a large minority of parents as a 'baby sitter' not those parents who allow their young children to watch a few age appropriate programs.

[Ban Hammer 13,401]

I don't think children should watch television period.

it's a cheap babysitter

[Mononoke28 135]

I disagree 100%. I've been watching TV for as long as I can remember and 1. I'm not obese, 2. I'm not addicted to it, & 3. I developed just fine, thank you.

Same goes for my 4 year-old niece, she loves to watch shows like "Dora", "Sesame Street", "Calliou", etc. and is just fine. She was moved to Pre-K early because she was doing so well in school, she extremely social, and is definitely not overweight.

Everything in moderation people.

Diana

[Joseph & Ana 0]

Sure why not another Nanny State regulation (literally)

[Malrothien 6]

I don't think children should watch television period.

Hey, Jerry Springer was good, educational TV when I was growing up!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Life was tough when I was a kid. We had to wait for Saturday morning to watch cartoons.

[Peikko 1,575]

Sure why not another Nanny State regulation (literally)

What are you on? Ritalin?

[chri'stina 190]

I disagree 100%. I've been watching TV for as long as I can remember and 1. I'm not obese, 2. I'm not addicted to it, & 3. I developed just fine, thank you.

Same goes for my 4 year-old niece, she loves to watch shows like "Dora", "Sesame Street", "Calliou", etc. and is just fine. She was moved to Pre-K early because she was doing so well in school, she extremely social, and is definitely not overweight.

Everything in moderation people.

Diana

[HAL 9000 96]

I don't think children should watch television period.

Neither should many 'adults.'