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SEATTLE -
Parents may be shocked to learn much of their children's time in home-based day cares is spent in front of the tube.
University of Washington researchers say kids may be spending more than a third of their waking hours watching TV.
Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a pediatrician at Seattle Children's Hospital, estimates kids are spending as many as two hours a day in front of the television while at day cares. Many parents already admit to allowing two to three hours of TV time at home. Since preschoolers are awake about 12 hours, that means those who attend day cares may be spending a third or more of their non-sleep time watching TV.
Researchers gathered their information by surveying licensed child care programs in Washington, Michigan, Florida and Massachusetts over the phone. 70 percent of home-based day cares and 36 percent of child care centers said children watch TV, DVDs or videos daily.
The study found kids in home-based day cares watched TV for 2.4 hours per day on average while kids in child care centers watched TV for 24 minutes per day on average. Toddlers watched an average of 1.6 hours in home care while toddlers in care centers watched about six minutes of TV per day.
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages any television viewing in the first 2 years of life, saying research on early brain development shows that babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other significant caregivers (eg, child care providers) for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
University of Washington researchers say kids may be spending more than a third of their waking hours watching TV.
Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a pediatrician at Seattle Children's Hospital, estimates kids are spending as many as two hours a day in front of the television while at day cares. Many parents already admit to allowing two to three hours of TV time at home. Since preschoolers are awake about 12 hours, that means those who attend day cares may be spending a third or more of their non-sleep time watching TV.
Researchers gathered their information by surveying licensed child care programs in Washington, Michigan, Florida and Massachusetts over the phone. 70 percent of home-based day cares and 36 percent of child care centers said children watch TV, DVDs or videos daily.
The study found kids in home-based day cares watched TV for 2.4 hours per day on average while kids in child care centers watched TV for 24 minutes per day on average. Toddlers watched an average of 1.6 hours in home care while toddlers in care centers watched about six minutes of TV per day.
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages any television viewing in the first 2 years of life, saying research on early brain development shows that babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other significant caregivers (eg, child care providers) for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
