Media and the Very Young

From an Advertising Age article about a recent KaiserFamily Foundation research project, some startling and disturbing stats about media use by the very young:

14% of children under 2 see two or more hours of screen media a day, 22% see one to two hours, and 25% less than an hour a day.

43% of children under 2 watch TV every day and 18% of children watch videos or DVDs every day.

All together, 14% of children under 2 see two or more hours of screen media a day, 22% see one to two hours, and 25% less than an hour a day.

19% of babies under a year old have a TV in their bedrooms and 29% of children 2 to 3 have one.

The study, one of the more extensive efforts yet to track how much time children under 6 spend with various screen media, also reports that 83% under age 6 spend time every day with TV or other screens, and those who watch do so for nearly two hours a day. Media use increases with age, with 90% of 4 to 6 year olds reporting watching or looking at screen media.

I'll admit that due to our son's autism, the corresponding learning style and his own very significant needs for "input," we've really bent the rules for him in regards to TV. Our other children (5 older siblings) rarely watched TV, especially at younger ages. He is almost 3, and watches Sesame Street or similar kiddie fare pretty much every day. Not as long in front of the tube as this study suggests is average. Still, more than we have allowed in the past. Is this ok? I'll try to explore that next post.

How about you? Do you allow your autistic child watch the TV or play on the computer this much?

(Thanks to "jwb's mom" for the pic)