It happens in many homes. Above all, in those where the baby is not the first child and where both parents work and hardly get anywhere. TV becomes an important kangaroo. Logical if you consider that it is really effective since practically all babies find it fascinating to see that movement of colors and sounds with musical melodies made specifically for them. But it’s good? Not really, nothing good. Nothing happens if one day they see it, but its use is not recommended at all since it can cause delay especially in the language, that is, they take time to start saying their first words.
Manuel Antonio Fernández, better known as El Neuropediatra and a great expert in ADHD, autism and neurological development , explains it this way:
Should babies watch TV even if it’s only a few minutes a day?
For this there is a direct and clear answer. No. Babies should not be exposed to television screens or electronic devices and of course there is no recommended minimum per day. It does not matter if it is what has been called “adapted drawings”, youtube or similar.
From what age could they do it?
During the first months of life, infants and young children have a series of activities to develop in their evolutionary process and the use of television or electronic devices does not contribute anything or is necessary. On the contrary, they can provoke a false sensation of a cared child that results in less contact with parents or the environment.
Is it true that there are studies that show that children who watch TV are delayed in language?
Communication is based on an exchange of information between the sender and the receiver of the information. For this, two people are needed and, of course, it is not ideal for the development of children’s understanding and language that their relationship is with a television.
What should parents do to stimulate babies from 6 months?
Within the so-called milestones of psychomotor development , there are a series of important ages that parents must take into account when correctly stimulating the evolution of their children. In these development steps, the use of electronic devices does not play a relevant role .
0 months. The social smile. Children smile from birth as a reflex response to external stimuli.
3 months: The head support or as the parents call it “hold the head” is a necessary step in development and therefore must be encouraged with activities and exercises.
6 months: Sitting or sitting at the next point of motor development that children reach and for this, they must already hold the head, otherwise it would be down and not functional. They must be helped to move from lying to sitting position.
9 months: Standing to stand up and start walking. It is important to follow this order to allow time for your spine, hip, and back and leg muscles to reach sufficient strength.
12 months: The march and the language. From the age of 12 months, children begin to take the first steps and say their first words and therefore their ability to interact multiplies.
When should we go to a specialist and with what warning signs?
The development steps must follow the defined order, as well as appear within approximate dates. It is not considered a problem if a child cannot sit up stably at 6 or 6 and a half months, but you have to worry if you do not at 8 months, for example.
Each step has a range of dates that are considered normal and it is important to maintain established well-child controls so that the pediatrician evaluates the evolution and determines the existence or not of a problem when these developmental steps fall outside the normal range.
