Reading or telling stories to infants at least once a day was found to increase their vocabularies by only two or three words, indicating that the negative impact of the DVDs may outweigh the benefits of parental involvement. “You can produce a video in your basement and tell people that anyone who watches it will definitely turn into Mozart, and no one will stop you from saying that,” says Frederick Zimmerman, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington and a lead author of the study.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, which does not recommend TV for children under 2, says the study raises more questions than it answers. “This is the first of several investigations that need to be done,” says spokesman Dr. Ari Brown. “The big question is still ‘Why?’ Is it because parents are using the DVDs as a babysitter when they’re supposed to be using them interactively? Or is there really something detrimental about the content?”
There’s no need for parents to panic, says Andrew Meltzoff, a psychologist and study coauthor. “All the evidence shows that babies are very resilient. They ‘right themselves’ easily in the first three years of life.” Susan McClain, general manager of the Baby Einstein Co., told NEWSWEEK in an e-mail that the company’s collection is designed to “promote discovery and inspire new ways for parents and babies to interact.”
