BB FANS

DailyMail
16:54pm 2nd October 2005

Watching TV may damage children's brain development leading to increased anti-social behaviour, new research claims.

There is also a correlation between the amount of television children watch and the degree of educational damage they suffer, according to the report by Dr Aric Sigman, who is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society.

And significant long term damage occurs even at so-called modest levels of viewing - between one and two hours a day, the report, entitled Remotely Controlled, says.

Children now spend more time watching a TV screen than they spend in school, but viewing even a moderate amount can dramatically increase their risk of myopia, slow down their metabolic rate and may trigger premature puberty, according to Dr Sigman.

It was also found to lead to a "significantly elevated risk" of sleep problems in adulthood, causing hormone changes, which in turn directly increase appetite and body fat production and damage the immune system leading to a greater vulnerability to cancer,

While the average Briton watches four hours of TV a day, children aged 11-15 spend seven and a half hours a day watching TV and computers - an increase of 40% in a decade -the scientist claims.

More than half of three-year-olds have a TV set in their bedrooms and the average six-year-old will have already watched nearly one full year of their lives.

Dr Sigman said: "A 'dose-response relationship' between the amount of television children watch and the degree of educational damage they suffer is now emerging which has 'biological plausibility'.

"Television viewing is also now linked with stunting brain development in the child's frontal lobes leading to reduced impulse control and increased antisocial behaviour.

"Teachers are under pressure to vie for the child's attentional resources which have been damaged by exposure to fast changing screen images. This leaves teachers facing a generation of children who find it more difficult to pay attention and thereby learn but also exhibit poor self-restraint and anti-social behaviour," Dr Sigman added.

Now, I'm all for TV's and computers in the bedrooms for teens, but for anyone younger than that.. NO !

What sort of retard parent would stick a TV in a child's bedroom? Bah ! Damn it, I bet 90% of the people in my street do it. I guess it ain't working though cause if I look out my window (10.38pm), seems most of the kids (5yrs and up) would rather street hang and smoke pot than watch evening TV.

Bless, what a great society. sigh.

Calrissian: The societal historian of 2351...living in a white trash ghetto.

My kids have TVs in their rooms but they can only watch DVDs or videos on them.Means they can have a stay up on a Friday without hogging MY TV.
My son would happily sit and play computer games all day,but one of the 'benefits' of having a large family is that their time on here is limited.We only have one computer between us so they are each limited to an hour a day on here.I don't limit their TV watching time as they are pretty good at self regulation...my eldest is at that 'lock herself in the bedroom with emo music blaring' and the next 2 prefer the outdoors.
I'm very wary of buying a playstation or whatever for them,tho,as I know a boy who became addicted to it and very aggresive as a result but I do understand parents who feel underpressure to get their kids the next 'must have'

Hmmn, depends if they are connected to the net or not. If they ARE connected to the net, then they might come across god knows what, and theres no way i would want my child seeing some of the stuff thats out there on the net.

Indeed...even sentinels aren't always fool proof.But hopefully a combination of this and the fact that my puter is in a very public place in the house prevents them accessing anything too horrible...The biggest worry to me is who they might talk to in 'virtual reality'games.But they seem to be pretty sensible.They often arrange to go online with some friends to play and only chat to them.