Not Such a Bright Idea

A new study from the University of Washington that was published today in Pediatrics suggests that Baby DVDs--such as Baby Einstein and that ilk--may hinder language development in children between the ages of 8 months and 16 months. Researchers found that every hour of "baby TV" watched was correlated with a decrease in the number of words children knew. According to the lead author of the study, "The most important fact to come from this study is there is no clear evidence of a benefit coming from baby DVDs and videos and there is some suggestion of harm."

Personally, I'll be glad when manufacturers of "educational" toys and DVDs are pressured to prove their marketing claims or stop making them. (Although since Einstein did start speaking relatively late, maybe the DVDs are aptly named....) I'm tired of seeing parents be taken in by the idea that their children need such products in order to develop properly. And as for parents, it's up to us to educate ourselves about what's truly educational for our children.