Experts advise parents to avoid exposing their infants to video. Both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics have warnings regarding this issue [1, 2].
The general recommendation is not to expose babies to digital media until they are between 18-24 months old. The exception pediatricians will allow is when a baby joins a video chat with relatives [2].
But, aren't colorful images good for the baby’s developing brain? Infants have a hard time understanding what they see on a screen and how it relates to the world around them. They learn and grow by interacting with parents and listening to their speech [2]. A better alternative would be to talk to your child and read books to them.
Researchers are trying to identify the specific risks video watching poses to infants. So far, there is not enough evidence to point them out. One study involving 329 children found that when the television is on in the background at home, parents and babies communicate less efficiently. Adult speech activity decreases, as well as children's humming and babbling [3]. Fewer words from parents may mean less knowledge for babies.
