Des Moines Register
08-27-07
Unplug the video, tune in baby to build brain skills
A study says more video time means infants learn fewer words. Here's what
some Iowans say and do.
By DAWN SAGARIO
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Aimee Staudt periodically pops in a DVD geared to babies to entertain her 7month-old son, Austin.
"We aren't heavy users of them by any means," the Ankeny mom said. It
happens about once a week, maybe a little less, and for about 20 minutes at a
time.
That time is outweighed by playing on the floor with Austin, reading and talking to
him, Staudt said.
"I wasn't expecting him to get smarter by watching it, " she said. "I'm sure reading
and just spending time with him is far more beneficial to his brain."
That one-on-one interaction with baby is the best thing parents and caregivers
can do to help spur an infant's development, specialists in early childhood
development say.
It's a mantra they believe bears repeating, particularly in light of a recent study
that found that "Baby Einstein" and "Brainy Baby" DVDs and videos may do more
harm than good.
"There is always something better for baby to be doing than watching a video,"
said Holly Burns, early childhood coordinator with West Des Moines Community
Schools.
"A baby's brain is not actively working and programming through videos or any
sort of electronic media," Burns said. "A baby's brain patterns itself after its
experiences. We want it to form a lot of different experiences."
A recent study showed that for each hour daily that infants, ages eight to 16
months, watched such programs, they knew six to eight fewer words than babies
who did not watch the videos.
Researchers at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital
Research Institute conducted the study, which was published in the Journal of
Pediatrics.
Staudt, who has read about the research, said it's about finding a balance.
"I'm sure it's like anything else; if you did it every day or hours every day, I'm sure
they're missing out on a lot of interaction," she said of babies watching the
videos. "I think if it's in moderation, it's probably fine."
Michelle Greenough, from Granger, said she used Baby Einstein books, toys and
lullaby CDs, but not the videos, with her daughter when she was an infant.
They do own one baby video, geared for infants birth to nine months, that they
received as a gift, Greenough said. But she waited until her daughter, Tatum,
was more than a year old before she let her watch it.
And it's something they use sparingly to keep their 20-month-old occupied,
Greenough said. "I use it strictly for that time when I can't be with her. I'll handle
the teaching."
The best predictor of social, reading and cognitive skills is a child's vocabulary,
said Susan Hegland, associate professor in the department of human
development and family studies at Iowa State University.
Children from birth to 5 years old on average learn nine words a day, Hegland
said.
"You have to look at what in the young child's world allows them to learn that
many words without drill and practice," she said. "As children acquire language,
there's a dance that goes on between the parent and the child. The richer the
child's experience, the richer their concept and the richer their vocabulary."
Hegland, who has children ages 27 and 31, said there was a school of thought
while her kids were growing up that believed in drilling children with flashcards to
help brain development.
Hegland chose instead to look for durable, affordable toys at garage sales, like
wooden blocks and train sets. These were not only more economical, she said,
but would also continue to stimulate her kids' curiosity as they grew up.
"The toys that had 'educational' in the title were least likely to be flexible in use,
responsive to the child's manipulation (and) engage the child's curiosity," she
said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time - that includes
television and videos - for children under age 2. For older kids, the academy
recommends no more than one or two hours daily of quality television programs
and videotapes.
In a pinch baby DVDs and videos can be a short-term option, specialists say. For
example, if a parent has to put in a load of laundry or find a way to preoccupy a
child while starting dinner.
"Just be aware to use that at a minimum," Burns said. "I encourage parents to
use it as little as possible before the age of 2 and after that, very selectively."
Here are 15 ways parents and caregivers can help boost infants’ learning:
1. Read to babies, pointing out pictures and sharing the names of things
2. Mimic their expressions.
3. Be animated when talking to them.
4. The three R’s: Be reciprocal, respectful and responsive, said Susan Hegland
of Iowa State University. Let children explore, respond to their cues and what
they’re interested in, and respect them by not interrupting their investigations.
5. Let children touch and probe different items of various sizes and textures.
6. You don’t have to break the bank by buying expensive educational toys or
materials. Look for is a toy that’s responsive to the child’s initiatives, Hegland
said. That can be as simple as a spoon and a pot—the child hits the pot with the
spoon and gets immediate response.
7. Dance together.
8. Sing songs.
9. Play peekaboo.
10. Watch what a child is doing, ask what he or she is trying to do and adapt your
responses to what they say.
11. Try a DVD of family vacation photos as an alternative to the baby-geared
videos. Hegland said photos of familiar places and things – like pictures from a
family visit to the Iowa State Fair—accompanied by recollections from parents is
a way to mix sights and people they’re while gradually introducing new
vocabulary.
12. Choose toys, books or videos that relate to experiences children have had.
13. If you need to occupy an infant for a short amount time, Hegland suggested
putting a child in a high chair with some Cheerios, frozen peas and carrots to
chase around on the tray. That can help babies develop hand-eye coordination
skills, she said.
14. Be careful with the amount of adult-directed play. Sometimes parents do too
much of this, said Sonni Vierling, coordinator of 1st Five Healthy Mental
Development Initiative with the Iowa Department of Public Health. Step back and
watch your child to see what he or she is interested in.
15. Social and emotional development are also key in children’s growth, Vierling
said. Family stress and parental depression are also factors. The 1st Five
Healthy Mental Development Initiative is working with doctors in Iowa at pilot
sites, who are using standardized surveillance tools to screen for those issues.
This can help identify children at risk for developmental concerns. Parents should
talk to doctors if they have any concerns.
Source: Holly Burns, early childhood coordinator with West Des Moines
Community Schools; Susan Hegland, Iowa State University; Sonni Vierling,
coordinator of 1st Five Healthy Mental Development Initiative with the Iowa
Department of Public Health
Reporter Dawn Sagario can be reached at (515) 284-8351 or
dsagario@dmreg.com