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Infants & Toddlers

Do kids in daycare watch more TV than kids who stay home?
 Do kids in daycare watch more TV than kids who stay home? 150 150 Mediatrics

What you heard about kids in daycare watching more TV than others is true when it’s a home-based childcare situation, but not when the children are at a childcare center. It’s not surprising that of these three groups, it’s the one supervised by people with the most training in child development that sets the strictest limits on screen exposure.

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Why should my family participate in Turnoff Week?
 Why should my family participate in Turnoff Week? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Why should my family participate in Turnoff Week?
A: TV, video games, and computers have become so common that, for many families, they are a default activity, rather than a choice they make about how they want to spend their time. It is not just cramming facts into children’s brains, but giving them the unstructured “down time” to process those facts and come to their own conclusions, that will give them the richest environment in which to develop.
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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What kinds of kids’ activities should be available in a waiting room?
 What kinds of kids’ activities should be available in a waiting room? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: We are opening a new children’s center at our hospital. What kind of recreational technology would you recommend we put in our waiting room?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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How do I stop myself from parenting with television?
 How do I stop myself from parenting with television? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I know it is easier for me to get my chores done around the house if my toddler is entertained by TV. How do I stop this? What can replace these easy “babysitters” so that I can save my mental health?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

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Is it OK for my 2 year old to watch YouTube videos?
 Is it OK for my 2 year old to watch YouTube videos? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My husband watches YouTube videos with our 2 year old son almost daily, and I am not sure what I think about whether it’s a good habit or not. What do you think?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

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How can parents take a step back from technology when we need to use it for work?
 How can parents take a step back from technology when we need to use it for work? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My husband and I want to model good media habits, but we have trouble disconnecting because we are self-employed and use social media for our work. Do you have any practical tips for how to step back from technology in this situation?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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Are kids benefiting from all these electronics?
 Are kids benefiting from all these electronics? 150 150 Mediatrics

I keep hearing how younger and younger children are being exposed to electronics, which must certainly affect their lives. But are the effects positive or negative?

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How long should my 3-year-old play with iPhone apps?
 How long should my 3-year-old play with iPhone apps? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 3 year old son can spend hours playing with the PBS kids iPhone app but how long should he spend using it?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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How can I talk to my pediatricians about the TV screens in their waiting room?
 How can I talk to my pediatricians about the TV screens in their waiting room? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My pediatrician’s office plays Disney movies in their waiting room and my child was scared by one of the movies he saw. How can I talk to the doctors about monitoring what they show on their TV screens?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

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Could speech delays be related to TV watching?
 Could speech delays be related to TV watching? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I am a speech therapist, and a large percentage of the children with speech delays whom I treat are allowed to “graze” on TV all day. Is there a connection?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician ®

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