Baby Einstein DVDs
Baby Einstein DVDs and videos have been getting a lot of media attention recently. Researchers at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute found that baby DVDs and videos might actually hinder language development in infants. The findings were controversial. Walt Disney Co. demanded a retraction of a UW news release titled "Baby DVDs, videos may hinder, not help, infants' language development." However, UW President Mark Emmert reviewed the release and said the UW would not retract the release, because it "reflects the essential points made in the research publication."
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posted by Nia Lam at
12:49 PM
19 Comments:
I visited the University Website in hopes that I would find some retraction or concession on the statements regarding Baby Einstein videos. I'm disappointed.
The mother of 2 toddler boys, I'm a big fan of Baby Einstein videos. In fact, Baby Einstein & Little Einstein programs are two of the few TV Programs that my children watch & have watch since they were infants. At age 3.5, my son can write his own name, and almost all other letters of the alphabet and several words. He has an excellent vocabulary in English & knows dozens of Spanish words as well. I seriously doubt that he knows 6 - 8 less words an hour than his counterparts who did not spend time watching Baby Einstein programs. The key to any TV watching is parental interaction with the child along with having a balanced amount of other activities like reading books, outdoors activities, etc. If Baby Einstein or other educational program developers were consulted during this study, I believe they would not support plunking a child in front of any TV programming for hours & only encourage parental interaction during their programming!? How about an apology, at least?
I think That those CD's will bnot contribute as playing with your own child
As a business consultant who uses the statistical techniques emplyed in this research, I have to say that this study is a complete joke. It almosts borders on academic fraud.
The results were based on a very weak sample and the data was collected in a phone survey, which just does not pass the credibility test right out of the gate.
Disney rightly pointed out that the study only focuses on a narrow age group, and is at best an anomalous statistical result and at worst simply shoddy research.
I have reviewed the regression formula and it fails to control for the amount of interaction a parent has with the child. This is such a horrendous methodological gap as to be unconscionable. It is quite possible that parents who do not spend time interacting with the child park them in front of the TV. This I can believe, but under such circumstances is it the video that limits language development or the lack of parental attention. The fact that this study cannot answer that question, yet claims to in the press release smacks of a desire to publish anything that will get picked up in the mainstream media.
The result effectively claims that placing the child in front of a plain white wall with no stimulus is better for development than seeing a baby video. The very suggestion is, on its face, absurd. Yet we are asked to trust this on the basis of weak methodology and poor statistical control variables.
Shame, shame, shame. The bar for "research" is as low as it has ever been and this proves it.
i can't see the dvds causing more damage than the neglect of many parents out there who just pop on the tube and let the kids watch mindless cartoons....the dvds can only help...
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How definitive is the study?
My daughter loved the Baby Einstein DVD's. There was such a large selection to choose from. However, I tried to limit how much time she spent watching them. Although I must admit that once I had her in the baby pushchairs and she stayed there for a whole 45 minutes....whoops!
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Allen Taylor
I like the points made by the Sheldon family. I think this study is ridiculous and I know for a fact that watching these very dvds and others like them has not hindered my little one's speech one bit. Each morning recently when it's dry, our routine is - out for a brisk walk, me wrapped up, the kids in the baby pushchairs, then back in to watch their favourite dvds for an hour or so. As long as they are getting good interaction with their parents too, there are absolutely no problems.
My 18 month old daughter has 3 Baby Einstein dvds. One of these she has been absolutely obsessed with since she was 3 months old. I can't tell you how much time we have spent watching it! Anyways, this child has a huge vocabulary for her age. If these dvds have stunted her learning in any way I would be shocked!! Unless you are using these as an all day babysitter for your child, I don't see the harm.
Though this study is easy to critique and needs a better control group certainly. The basic research philosophy stands. If you call 1000 households and ask them what words your child knows and what words your child doesn't know then what learning products they are using the study maintains decent credibility. Even accounting for the bragging of parents which by the way would push the study more into the this crap is bad for you category if the kids who are not using a learning enhancement dvd are not any more advanced the study stands. Unless this university just got a big grant from someone with a personal axe to grind against infant dvd companies and actually took the time to find people to sculpt their call choices they are using a decently randomized sample with statistically significant results... In short it stands deal with it... As an ESL teacher I strongly believe DVD's lack the ability to copy a responsive human being's ability to emphasize for comprehension.
As with everything, I think the rule of thumb should be "everything in moderation." I agree with most of the other posts here that the study cannot really be taken seriously. The concern with TV, videos etc., surely must be for those children who do nothing but watch the toob all day and don't get enough personal interaction from their caregivers. It's a shame that a quality product like Baby Einstein is taking the heat.
~Shannon
My boy really likes the baby Einstein DVDs .It is something that he gives his full attention to anytime anywhere.
I'm a strict person when it comes to video viewing, and with the proliferation of rubbish available for kids to sit down and watch these days I've found the DVD's a welcome change actually. (I limit the time in front of the t.v. also.) Thanks for the further info..
Great point Deanna. The parents have to get involved for the it to be quality training. Everything I've heard about these videos has been positive.
Our kids (aged 2 and 4) have actually stopped watching all TV programs and DVDs recently by their own choice. We would prefer if they would still watch the odd thing, to get a little break as much as anything! I look forward to their renewed interest in constructive viewing!
Further more baby's nowadays are getting smarter. And also we are impruving everything for them day by day, with all that new stufm like vibating baby bouncers, and classes for newborns. What can they teach them there, to crawl?
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