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Brain Development

Is it okay for my toddler to watch the same Sesame Street movie over and over?
 Is it okay for my toddler to watch the same Sesame Street movie over and over? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: What is the consequence of watching the same Sesame Street movie over and over? It's Sesame Street and it's a movie, and it's only about 1 hour long. So it's not TV, it's not computer, it's not passive. We watch it together and we interact throughout it, with singing and dancing along. My daughter…

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How can I stop my kids from being ‘catfished’?
 How can I stop my kids from being ‘catfished’? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q:The Manti Te’o “catfish” story makes me wonder how I can best prepare my teens for future online friendships. My teens say that kids meet through friends-of-friends online and off, but online they just lie about personal information. I’ve always thought that practicing strong communication skills, honesty, integrity, and trust would help my kids grow…

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Am I limiting my child’s chances of success in today’s economy by trying to limit his screen time?
 Am I limiting my child’s chances of success in today’s economy by trying to limit his screen time? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 11-year-old son spends every free minute in front of his computer—doing homework (he really does, thank goodness), social networking, playing games, and now creating his own games. Concerned that, one by one, he has dropped sports, playing with friends, getting outdoors, and, frankly, spending time with the family, I have struggled (and been…

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Is it ok to let my kids play with the iPad when I need a break?
 Is it ok to let my kids play with the iPad when I need a break? 150 150 Mediatrics

I have two kids, ages 7 and 2. My eldest is given access to the iPad on car trips and once in a while at home. My younger son likes to sit by his brother while he plays and of late, has been pointing to it and asking for it. There are some days when…

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The Mediatrician’s tips for choosing family-friendly holiday films
 The Mediatrician’s tips for choosing family-friendly holiday films 150 150 Mediatrics

The holiday season is often filled with family traditions that are passed on from generation to generation, year after year. From special foods, activities and decorations, to visiting with family and friends, this is the time of the year when we celebrate traditions and look to share them with our children and the ones we…

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Do pop-up ads affect young children?
 Do pop-up ads affect young children? 150 150 Mediatrics

My almost 3-year-old son loves to watch Caillou on Sprout, a TV channel that carries programming for infants and young children. Throughout Caillou, there are many pop-ups that soundlessly advertise Sprout or the next show that will air. These pop-ups distract me as an adult. Have there have been any studies on how they affect young…

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Is having music on in the background harmful to toddlers?
 Is having music on in the background harmful to toddlers? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I recently read that exposure to background media (TVs, computers, etc.) can affect a child’s development. Is this true for music as well? I play classical music, light rock, and NPR in the background throughout the day with our toddler. I thought it would be good for her. Is it potentially not so good?  -Background…

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Will my young kids be ‘missing out’ without a smartphone?
 Will my young kids be ‘missing out’ without a smartphone? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I am mom to a 3-year-old and a newborn. I’m careful about the amount and content of my kids’ screen time. I occasionally try to find simple computer games for my toddler to develop keyboard and mouse skills, but I wonder if these skills will be relevant for her in the future. I’m starting…

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What should I do when my 8-year-old won’t stop asking me for a cellphone and other gadgets?
 What should I do when my 8-year-old won’t stop asking me for a cellphone and other gadgets? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 8-year-old son sees a lot of kids around him with iPods, iPads, video games, and phones, and keeps asking us for them. Even though we have explained that he doesn’t need all of these electronics and expose him to lots of other activities, the peer pressure is getting to him. What can I…

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My teen loves a role-playing game involving torture, what should I do?
 My teen loves a role-playing game involving torture, what should I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 16-year-old son loves playing role-play games on the Internet. We recently became concerned, though, when we found out that the plots often involve torture. We are wondering why he is attracted to this kind of play and if there are any long or short term risks we should know about. We wonder if…

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