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TV Exposure and Children’s Language Development

June 3, 2009 by Amy Webb, Ph.D.

 

A new study was just released yesterday in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine sheds more light on the research showing a relationship between young children’s exposure to TV and their language development.

A leading researcher in the field, Dimitri Christakis, studied 329 children aged 2 months to 4 years old. Using a very creative study method, he and his collegues had the children wear small digital recorders for periods of 12-16 hours. These recorders captured sounds and vocalizations the child was exposed to as well as their own vocalizations. The results showed that

** on average, for every hour the TV was on, parents spoke 770 fewer words to their children.

This is shocking given that the average adult speaks 940 words per hour. Thus, the presence of TV was associated with a significant decline in parent vocalizations. The study also found that children’s vocalizations were much less frequent in the presence of TV as well. 

 
This study is very intriguing because it may help explain previous studies showing that infants exposed to more TV have slower language development. While this association has been found in several previous studies, researchers did not really know why this was the case. This new study suggests that young children’s language development is impacted not so much by the content of TV programs directly but by the fact that parents talk to their children less when the TV is on (even in the background). Research has shown that babies learn language best by hearing it spoken from live adults, not recorded voices or images. Study author Christakis stated,
 

“Since 30 percent of American households now report having the television always on, even when no one is watching, these findings have grave implications for language acquisition and therefore perhaps even early brain development.”

 
This new study reiterates much of the previous findings by these authors I blogged about back in March. Put together, all these studies suggest that TV viewing for babies and toddlers (under age 2) is not educational beneficial and may actually be related to slower language development. 
 

– Check out this article for some good tips on how to incorporate media responsibly into your child’s life.

 

 
Category: Child Development ClassicsTag: child development, television

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becca

    June 5, 2009 at 1:29 am

    Amy-this is an interesting article.

    Reply
  2. The Mother

    June 6, 2009 at 7:14 pm

    Yeah, I read that study. It was sort of a "Duh." For me, anyway.

    The TV is a great babysitting tool when the kids need to be settled while mom makes dinner, or when she just can't stand them anymore (and yes, we ALL reach that point).

    But it was never meant to replace the interactions between parents and children.

    So, I don't think the study results are much of a surprise.

    But then again, maybe some people need to be hit over the head? Blinded with statistics, instead of using common sense?

    Reply
  3. Lori

    June 7, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    Hello to you, Visiting from the MBC.

    Great blog, Have a wonderful weekend.

    Lori

    Reply
  4. Momma Snail

    June 10, 2009 at 10:39 pm

    Can't wait to "meet" the new baby!!!!

    Don't you just love when you hear parents "brag" about how their baby *loves* "educational" shows? And how they make them "so smart."

    Reply
  5. Anonymous

    June 12, 2009 at 1:29 pm

    We leave the TV off most of the time. During the time the grandparents were here it was on much more and we noticed our little guy was making less sounds.

    Reply

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Amy Webb
As a mom of two young boys, I've seen first-hand how research-based child development information, combined with intuition, can guide you through your parenting journey. Although I have a Ph.D.in Human Development and Family Sciences, many of my real parenting discoveries have come through my experience. I believe parenting with confidence comes from knowledge; parenting with grace comes from insight. Join me on this parenting journey of learning and discovery

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