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Posted in Consumer & Class Action Blog, General Blog

New study: Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby videos appear to hinder cognitive development

August 9th, 2007 by Erich Vieth

Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby are now getting some bad publicity based on new research.  It never really made sense to claim that allowing one’s baby to watch more TV is better.  These two corporations have been hawking two products for years, but never produced any credible evidence establishing that tiny babies who watch TV get smarter because they watch TV.  Yet that is the insinuation of the names of these companies–that your baby will be smarter if he or she watches these videos.

Not only do these videos not help your baby.  According to the results of research conducted by the University of Washington, these products appear to hinder intellectual development.  The purported educational videos by Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby thus appear to make young minds less functional, not more. 

None of this new research should come as a surprise. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long warned that children under the age of 2 should not watch any television.  According to the Academy:

Children of all ages are constantly learning new things. The first 2 years of life are especially important in the growth and development of your child’s brain. During this time, children need good, positive interaction with other children and adults. Too much television can negatively affect early brain development. This is especially true at younger ages, when learning to talk and play with others is so important.

 Until more research is done about the effects of TV on very young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend television for children age 2 or younger.

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