Experts tell parents to keep infants from TV<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
A number of parents recently complained about persistent decline
\nin the performance of their children in class in their first year
\nof elementary school children.<\/p>\n
A psychologist found that children were facing difficulties in
\nconcentrating during classes, and after a series of consultations
\nshe concluded that the problem stemmed from children's addiction
\nto television.<\/p>\n
\"All the children have been exposed to TV since they were very
\nyoung,\" the psychologist, Mayke S. Tedjasaputra, said on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
She said education experts in the United States had
\nrecommended that infants under two years should be kept from
\nviewing television programs.<\/p>\n
\"Watching TV could over stimulate infants by colors, sounds
\nand moves. While their nerves are not yet well-developed, all of
\nthose give negative impacts instead,\" she told a seminar on
\nstimulation for children held by Mead Johnson.<\/p>\n
Pediatrician Hartono Gunardi supported the thesis.<\/p>\n
\"The first two years of a child's life is the golden period as
\nthis time marks the growth and development of a child's brain. A
\nchild needs good nutrition and stimulation at this stage,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
During this period, Hartono said, children are in dire need of
\nhealthy and positive interaction with their peers and adults to
\ndevelop good language and social skills.<\/p>\n
\"Learning to talk and play with others is far more important
\nthan watching television,\" Hartono asserted.<\/p>\n
\"It is very important to talk with your toddlers as it would
\nimprove their verbal skills. The earlier an infant starts
\nspeaking, the better intelligence level it will have,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A survey by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found
\npre-school children who watched educational TV programs did
\nbetter in reading and math tests than children who did not watch
\ntelevision. However, for younger children it's a very different
\nstory.<\/p>\n
Hartono also said until two years of age, it would be better
\nfor children to learn only the mother tongue language.<\/p>\n
\"Teaching infants more than one language at an early age might
\nconfuse them,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Mayke also suggested that parents refrain themselves from
\ncondemning or swearing in front of their children.<\/p>\n
\"Children are good copy cats. They would repeat the words
\neasily. Children who are accustomed to their parents swearing and
\nquarreling would become aggressive because of the negative
\nstimulus,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Parents are not supposed to abuse their children as well,
\naccording to Mayke.<\/p>\n
\"Children who are abused by their parents would suffer
\ndeviating nerve development that would halt stimulus. Later in
\nlife they would not be able to think to solve problems,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/experts-tell-parents-to-keep-infants-from-tv-1447893297",
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