Too much tube time for kids can lead to behavior problemsCNN | Daily television viewing for two or more hours during early childhood can lead to behavioral problems and poor social skills. The study, which is published in Pediatrics, was conducted by Johns Hopkins researchers on children aged 2 to 5.
Questions and answers
Is your child acting out? It may be time to turn off the tube. Haven't we heard this before?
Elizabeth Cohen, CNN medical correspondent: Yes, but it's an issue that the American Academy of Pediatrics says that parents still don't understand. This study zeroed in on how much TV kids are watching at two key times in their development: age 2 and again at age 5, when it's time for kindergarten.
We've reported a number of studies demonstrating the negative effects of heavy television viewing for kids, everything from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to poor vocabulary development. The AAP has guidelines for TV viewing and children: children younger than 2 should not watch television, and children 2-years-old and older should watch no more than two hours of TV per day.
What about parents -- you know who you are -- who put a TV in a child's bedroom?
Cohen: Bad. The study found having a TV in a kid's bedroom at 5.5 years of age was associated with behavioral problems, poor social skills and poor sleep. Forty-one percent of kids in this study had a TV in their bedroom. It's never too late to start limiting TV viewing by your kids.