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For children, spending time in the hospital can mean long, boring
hours spent in bed, so many young patients turn to the television
for relief. But the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that television
can promote dangerous behavior in youngsters.
The group urges pediatricians and hospitals to remove TV sets from
their waiting rooms and to develop special programming for children,
as well as to screen stations for violent, sexually explicit and
potentially upsetting shows.
The recommendation is part of an updated statement on children,
adolescents and television by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
TV is perhaps the most powerful teacher kids will
ever have. It is hypocritical for us to criticize parents for not
getting the TV out of their children's bedroom while it is blaring
loud and clear in waiting rooms and hospital rooms.
Nearly one
third of 2- to 7-year-olds and nearly two
thirds of 8- to 18-year-olds have a TV set in their bedroom.
Parents have no right to criticize their kids' bad language or
aggressive behavior if they are going to allow them to have a TV
in their bedroom.
The average child
or teen watches nearly 3 hours of television a day.
Educating parents and children on the power of the media can reduce
violence and substance abuse among adolescents. Many such programs
are now routinely offered in early elementary schools nationwide.
Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the messages
conveyed through television, which influence their perceptions and
behaviors. Many younger children cannot discriminate between what
they see and what is real.
Pediatrics February 2001;107:423-426
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