By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
Television or TV was invented in the early 1900s in foreign land so our forefathers in these mountains grew up without it. I and my generation (now senior citizens) grew up without television. I got exposed to TV for the first time when I was in high school but that was in Manila and it was in black and white. We only watched it briefly in the evening on weekends. Schooldays were concentrated on studying. Vacation time was for farm and house work. My Dad would listen to national news in the radio that operated on batteries. We read newspapers and magazines. We were trained to read as pastime and/or for additional knowledge. Thank God we didn’t have electricity then.
TV is dependent on electricity (thank goodness) so the Mountain Province populace got exposed to TV only starting in the mid-1980s. That’s more than 30 years ago. That span of time would give us enough experience with TV to see how it can adversely affect the development of children. And if we tamper with the proper development of children, what do we expect of the future? As we celebrate Children’s Month, let us be mindful of what we are doing to the hope of the land- our children.
Aside from our local experiences, what do the researchers say about the effects of TV viewing in children?
1. Nearsightedness – watching too much TV can cause eye strain as the eyes move less and this could hamper normal eye development. Our eyes are supposed to blink often for tears to moisten the cornea but TV viewing discourages blinking. Eye doctors also advise against sitting too close to the TV screen. The first three years of a child is very important in child development.
2. Trigger for epileptic seizure- the subtle flickering in the TV screen, even if we are conscious of it or not, has been implicated in triggering epileptic seizures in sensitive children.
3. Damaged or delayed speech. According a study by Dr. Sally Ward, a leading authority in the US on the speech development of young children, TV played a very important role in delaying speech development in 1 in 5 children found to have problems. If children watch TV, they are not spending time talking. So how can such a TV-soaked child learn to articulate his thoughts and feelings and learn to be fluent in any language?
4. Effect on wiring of the brain. The first three years of life is the period when the brain is “wired” – wiring means the setting up of connections between brain cells to be able to communicate and control how the body functions. These neural or brain networks are necessary for proper vision, speech, thinking, emotions and other mental capacities. These pathways or networks develop with proper stimulation from interaction with people; from spontaneous, imaginative play where all senses of the young child is used – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. TV does not provide such multi-sense stimulation. On the other hand, the visual and audio stimulation of TV can be overpowering and so fast that it doesn’t allow time for the brain to make the necessary connections.
5. Not allowed to think. When you watch TV, you are not allowed to think. The constant changing of images on the screen is so fast- 3-6 seconds- that you cannot pursue thought processes because the next image will catch your attention. So TV freezes the brain. And by freezing the thinking in a young child, he will not be able to develop the necessary brain/neural pathways necessary for learning and decision-making even later in life. A child and even an adult who doesn’t think doesn’t learn. That’s why TV is also called the “idiotbox”. And if a child doesn’t learn, what’s his and our future? Imagine non-thinking leaders of the future. They will just follow what vested interests will tell them. Scary.
6. Less creativity – Studies in Holland showed reduced creative imagination of children from homes with television compared with children from homes without TV. The overwhelming images in TV leave no room for imagination.
7. Inability to concentrate. Because of the rapid change in TV images, the child’s attention shifts as often. Commercial breaks cut attention span. These lead to impatience. Behavior experts say that the ability to focus, attain and sustain concentration over a period of time is an internal process that is developed in early childhood.
8. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. “The frenetic pace of television, with its rapidly changing sound and images, may overwhelm the nervous system of some young children and lead to ADHD.” (Consumers Association of Penang).
9. Poor social relationships. TV viewing robs the family and friends or community of talking with each other. And think of the innumerable problems we get just because we haven’t talked or we haven’t talked enough. Too much talking is no problem. Just get away. But what do you do with one who doesn’t talk? So in our home, we banned TV. There is so much more and better things to do other than watching an idiot box.
10. Diseases caused by inactivity. These can happen to adults also. Watching TV freezes the mind and the body. At least for radio, you can still scrub the floor and wash the clothes while listening to the radio. For TV, all you can do is sit (usually slouching) or lie down. We know that inactivity is a risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, arthritis and other degenerative diseases.
Do I need to say anything more?***
“Brains are designed to meet cognitive challenges. Its’ just like muscles: If you don’t exercise them they wither. If you don’t exercise brains, they wither.” Dr. Jerry Levy, a bio-psychologist.
