iPad for a baby?

[Surely]

From the American Academy of Pediatrics:

"Children of all ages are constantly learning new things. The first 2 years of life are especially important in the growth and development of your child's brain. During this time, children need good, positive interaction with other children and adults. Too much television can negatively affect early brain development. This is especially true at younger ages, when learning to talk and play with others is so important. Until more research is done about the effects of TV on very young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend television for children age 2 or younger. For older children, the Academy recommends no more than 1 to 2 hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs."

What is their definition of "too much television"? I would guess they're talking about more than an hour a day. 10-15 minutes a day of interactive iPad use isn't going to cause any problems.

BTW, I agree that too much television could be detrimental to the development of a child. Hell, I even think it's detrimental to the mental health of an adult....

 

[canucksfan88]

why not get your kid some blocks or something tactile they can play with, feel, and just do whatever with.

your kid will grow up in a technology consumed society anyways in the future, why start so early.

what happened to the days of playing with actual toys

your kid is 3 months old, no need for the electronic devices just yet

 

[mike1450]

chiming in

hey guys,

pediatricians worry about things like DVDs and electronic gizmos like iPads because they elicit in children what they call an "autistic response" even in normal kids. This means that they're over focused on the screen and are less likely to seek out social interaction. DVDs like Baby Einstein are considered particularly detrimental. Basically, you run the risk of overstimulation and that can slow their social development. Don't get me wrong, it's probably not particularly dangerous, but it's not doing them any good, and it's faces and social interaction that progress their learning and language. I know with my 4 month old, he becomes mesmerized by the TV and you have to often physically break his gaze.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1650352,00.html

 

[whooleytoo]

My (almost 2 year old) nephew regularly picks up iPhones and wants to play with them. He quickly figured out how to 'unlock' it by swiping his finger, and starting to launch apps. He's now started to get the hang of Angry Birds, but to be honest he's not very good. (Stupid kid... ) He's also figured out the remote control for the TV and DVD player, which my Mum still can't do.

I think it's great seeing how quickly children learn, because they're not afraid of making mistakes. Stairs? Run down them! Knife? Jab it! Power socket? Lick it!

It's good to remember that just because a child might be playing games, or with gadgets, or even watching TV, doesn't mean they're missing other forms of interaction. A day is a loooong time for a young child.

 

[Surely]

why not get your kid some blocks or something tactile they can play with, feel, and just do whatever with.

your kid will grow up in a technology consumed society anyways in the future, why start so early.

what happened to the days of playing with actual toys

your kid is 3 months old, no need for the electronic devices just yet

Right, because the OP is only going to let the baby play with the iPad and nothing else.

Come on now......

 

[Roy Hobbs]

Do some research, most Dr's and such don't recommend letting a baby watch ANY TV/Movie etc before the age of 2. So why on earth would you let a baby watch thing son a phone/iPad/etc???

 

[Surely]

Do some research, most Dr's and such don't recommend letting a baby watch ANY TV of any sort. So why on eart would you let a baby watch thing son a phone/iPad/etc???

You do some research. I have spoken with a number of pediatricians, and none of them told me to ban my baby from TV. They told me to ensure it is used in moderation..... 10-15 minutes or so at a time, only once or twice a day.

Get back to me when you have a baby and you need to take a massive dump. I think bringing the baby into the bathroom would be much more detrimental to his/her mental health than watching a video for 10 minutes.

 

[Tomorrow]

Get back to me when you have a baby and you need to take a massive dump. I think bringing the baby into the bathroom would be much more detrimental to his/her mental health than watching a video for 10 minutes.

QFT.

I think it depends a lot more on what you're letting them watch, and whether you interact with them while they're watching. Our son learned to read and some basic math because of some Leap Frog videos we watched with him when he was younger. It's not all bad.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

You do some research. I have spoken with a number of pediatricians, and none of them told me to ban my baby from TV. They told me to ensure it is used in moderation..... 10-15 minutes or so at a time, only once or twice a day.

Get back to me when you have a baby and you need to take a massive dump. I think bringing the baby into the bathroom would be much more detrimental to his/her mental health than watching a video for 10 minutes.

I've taken plenty of dumps without turning on the tv for my kids each time. I see no reason to turn a tv on for 3 month old baby or to let him/her play with an ipad (that's probably why there aren't many if any apps for a 3 month old). I agree that it can't hurt, but what's the point? Put the kid in a playpen or bouncy chair, play some music, maybe, and dump away!

p.s. and its YOU'RE AWESOME, btw. unless I'm missing some joke....

 

[Surely]

QFT.

I think it depends a lot more on what you're letting them watch, and whether you interact with them while they're watching. Our son learned to read and some basic math because of some Leap Frog videos we watched with him when he was younger. It's not all bad.

Exactly.

I've taken plenty of dumps without turning on the tv for my kids each time. I see no reason to turn a tv on for 3 month old baby or to let him/her play with an ipad (that's probably why there aren't many if any apps for a 3 month old). I agree that it can't hurt, but what's the point? Put the kid in a playpen or bouncy chair, play some music, maybe, and dump away!

You do things your way, I do things my way. In the end, I'm sure we'll both raise happy, healthy, intelligent children.

The point is that he enjoys it and it isn't causing him any harm. For the rest of the time he is awake, he's playing, listening to music, and interacting with others.

p.s. and its YOU'RE AWESOME, btw. unless I'm missing some joke....

I strongly disagree.

 

[mike1450]

You do some research. I have spoken with a number of pediatricians, and none of them told me to ban my baby from TV. They told me to ensure it is used in moderation..... 10-15 minutes or so at a time, only once or twice a day..

Not to add fire, but a developmental pediatrician would never recommend a 15-20 min of TV to a kid under 1. I'm sure you could find one that would, but in general, the doctors doing developmental research are absolutely against any sort of TV for babies. Remember that unless they're specialized beyond just being a pediatrician, they are GPs for kids and are not always up on the latest information regarding what's best, though most try their best to make sure they are.

It doesn't mean they can't glance at it, or it can't be on while you're hanging out with the kid, but a video meant to hold their attention is a no-no.

It is your right as a parent to do whatever you want, but actually having a kid doesn't mean you know what's best. There are lots of parents that think the MMR vaccine gives kids autism, but they're wrong. In the same way it's recommended that you breast feed, or make sure your kid sleeps on its back, these guidelines are there to take the maybes out of the picture. And if your kid is genetically likely to get something like autism, then TVs absolutely do damage.

 

[adrian.oconnor]

Sorry I'm a bit late to the party, but I thought I'd drop by and mention how much my 7 month old baby daughter likes playing with the Brian Eno app 'Bloom HD' on our iPad.

My 2 year old likes the iPad too -- she actually calls it her iPad more often than not. She particularly likes the new Korg synthesizer app, iMS-20, or whatever it is (my 7 month likes that too, for the Kaoss Pads, but she usually tries to eat it)

Also, the iPad is proving remarkably baby proof -- it has been sicked on a few times and got ginger beer poured on it the other day. The home button sticks a bit now, but other than that it didn't even flinch.

 

[Roy Hobbs]

You do some research. I have spoken with a number of pediatricians, and none of them told me to ban my baby from TV. They told me to ensure it is used in moderation..... 10-15 minutes or so at a time, only once or twice a day.

Get back to me when you have a baby and you need to take a massive dump. I think bringing the baby into the bathroom would be much more detrimental to his/her mental health than watching a video for 10 minutes.

I have done the research. I also have 2 kids and have taken many massive dumps without relying on the TV/iPad/other electronics.

I can't find a single article online that stated babies should watch TV. Everything I see says no TV until 2 and even then it should be a very limited amount. Can't a kid play with some blocks or other toys for a few minutes while you are on the toilet??

 

[tkermit]

I have spoken with a number of pediatricians, and none of them told me to ban my baby from TV. They told me to ensure it is used in moderation..... 10-15 minutes or so at a time, only once or twice a day.

Personally, I'm sure that's fine. But still...from an article about toddlers using iPhones:

[...]The American Academy of Pediatrics has long advised parents not to let their children watch any TV until they are past their second birthday. Dr. Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, a pediatrician who is a member of the academy's council of communications and media, said '[...]cellphone industry is becoming so complex[...]' But, she added, 'at the moment, we seem to feel it's the same as TV.'

[...]
Jane M. Healy, an educational psychologist in Vail, Colo. said:'Any parent who thinks a spelling program is educational for that age is missing the whole idea of how the preschool brain grows. What children need at that age is whole body movement, the manipulation of lots of objects and not some opaque technology.
[...]

 

[Surely]

Not to add fire, but a developmental pediatrician would never recommend a 15-20 min of TV to a kid under 1. I'm sure you could find one that would, but in general, the doctors doing developmental research are absolutely against any sort of TV for babies. Remember that unless they're specialized beyond just being a pediatrician, they are GPs for kids and are not always up on the latest information regarding what's best, though most try their best to make sure they are.

Funny, because one of the peds I spoke with was a developmental pediatrician. I used to live near UCLA, and I would bump into and speak with some of the doctors from their hospitals all of the time. I also spoke with pediatricians at Cedars Sinai.

I never said that they recommended 15-20 minutes of TV to a kid under one year of age. I said that they said it wouldn't cause any harm in the long or short run.

It doesn't mean they can't glance at it, or it can't be on while you're hanging out with the kid, but a video meant to hold their attention is a no-no.

Yes, if that video is for a significant period of time. A parent who plops their baby/kid in front of a TV for hours on end is probably causing harm.

My son is either right on track or ahead of the curve when it comes to his development.

It is your right as a parent to do whatever you want, but actually having a kid doesn't mean you know what's best.

I don't like what you're implying here.

There are lots of parents that think the MMR vaccine gives kids autism, but they're wrong. In the same way it's recommended that you breast feed, or make sure your kid sleeps on its back, these guidelines are there to take the maybes out of the picture. And if your kid is genetically likely to get something like autism, then TVs absolutely do damage.

The cause of autism is still unknown, and that includes whether there is a genetic component or not. To imply that TV could trigger autism in a child is irresponsible.

I have done the research. I also have 2 kids and have taken many massive dumps without relying on the TV/iPad/other electronics.

I can't find a single article online that stated babies should watch TV. Everything I see says no TV until 2 and even then it should be a very limited amount. Can't a kid play with some blocks or other toys for a few minutes while you are on the toilet??

Who said that a baby SHOULD watch TV? Not me.

A baby could play with blocks, or stuffed animals, other toys, or even listen to a little Mozart while watching TV for 5 minutes. These are all good options.

 

[mike1450]

Funny, because one of the peds I spoke with was a developmental pediatrician. I used to live near UCLA, and I would bump into and speak with some of the doctors from their hospitals all of the time. I also spoke with pediatricians at Cedars Sinai.

That may be the case, but that's not the consensus. I'm sure they're right that it won't hurt. The majority of dev peds aren't implying that it's going to adversely effect every child. They make a consensus so that it takes out the guesswork for the laymen. They also try to be very polite when talking to nervous parents.

I don't like what you're implying here.

I'm not implying anything. I was explicitly stating that being a parent does not mean that you or I know what's best for their development. We just have to follow our instincts and the recommendations made by the smartest people in the room and hope. That's all any of us can do. There's no subtext there.

The cause of autism is still unknown, and that includes whether there is a genetic component or not. To imply that TV could trigger autism in a child is irresponsible.

The cause may not be known, but the idea that there isn't an genetic component is an old fashioned one. However, I'm not suggesting that TV triggers autism. What is clear is that television, DVDs, etc have often serious negative effects on autistic children. It slows down the development and hinders the kind of therapy that can help an autistic child progress towards normalcy. The children with these genetic markers are more likely to be on the spectrum and that's when it's most important to be careful about TV in the same way you have to be careful about peanuts or shellfish. There are many good articles on pubmed if you're up for a read. I just grabbed the first one that I know of...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20663923

 

[roadbloc]

iPad for a baby? Way to turn it into a spoilt brat.

 

[Surely]

This thread is way off topic, so this is the last time I'm going to respond to this conversation. Opinions on both sides are clearly quite strong, and minds will not be changed by our posts. Hopefully this thread can be brought back on track.

That may be the case, but that's not the consensus. I'm sure they're right that it won't hurt. The majority of dev peds aren't implying that it's going to adversely effect every child. They make a consensus so that it takes out the guesswork for the laymen. They also try to be very polite when talking to nervous parents.

I'm the furthest thing from a nervous parent, and all of the peds I've spoken with knew it. My ped is an excellent doctor, and came highly recommended by his peers and by other parents.

I'm not implying anything. I was explicitly stating that being a parent does not mean that you or I know what's best for their development. We just have to follow our instincts and the recommendations made by the smartest people in the room and hope. That's all any of us can do. There's no subtext there.

Funny, that's not how it reads.....

The cause may not be known, but the idea that there isn't an genetic component is an old fashioned one. However, I'm not suggesting that TV triggers autism. What is clear is that television, DVDs, etc have often serious negative effects on autistic children. It slows down the development and hinders the kind of therapy that can help an autistic child progress towards normalcy. The children with these genetic markers are more likely to be on the spectrum and that's when it's most important to be careful about TV in the same way you have to be careful about peanuts or shellfish. There are many good articles on pubmed if you're up for a read. I just grabbed the first one that I know of...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20663923

*sigh* I never said there wasn't a genetic component. I said that the cause is unknown at this time. I am not trying to imply that vaccinations could be a cause, and I never believed that to be the case.

My child is not autistic, therefore these "triggers" will not affect him.

I've used pubmed throughout my career.

 

[canucksfan88]

Right, because the OP is only going to let the baby play with the iPad and nothing else.

Come on now......

the kid is 3 months old....im sure he/she can go without an iPad for a bit

what did parents do before all this technology...or a year ago when the ipad wasnt even out....

come on now...

 

[Surely]

the kid is 3 months old....im sure he/she can go without an iPad for a bit

what did parents do before all this technology...or a year ago when the ipad wasnt even out....

come on now...

Of course the kid can go without the iPad for a bit. Hell, the kid can go without an iPad for his whole life. It isn't necessary to sustain life.

BTW, your response makes no sense.

 

[mike1450]

This thread is way off topic, so this is the last time I'm going to respond to this conversation. Opinions on both sides are clearly quite strong, and minds will not be changed by our posts. Hopefully this thread can be brought back on track.

It's on track. What's good for babies? no TVs/DVDs/iStuff. Some parents would never think of it without a discussion.

*sigh*

Sigh? Really? sigh? is it my drooling that you find so frustrating? Would you like me to turn off the pro wrestling so i can concentrate on what you're saying?

I never said there wasn't a genetic component. I said that the cause is unknown at this time.

Actually, you said that it was unknown wether there was a genetic component. Since the best way to treat autism is to catch it early, the genetic components are incredibly helpful tools. Giving that to parents, and making sure they don't let their child fall further down the rabbit hole is a gift.

My child is not autistic, therefore these "triggers" will not affect him.

That's fantastic. But this isn't about your kid. It started as a recommendation for someone else's 3 month old, and it's now about what we all feel is good for kids in general. It's what makes you sound like a nervous parent. You came out blasting when it was implied that they shouldn't watch TV or play with the iPad because you've done that and it did your child no harm. My kid isn't allergic to stawberries. See what i mean? To imply that there's nothing to worry about because you made it through the first two years ok... THAT'S irresponsible.

PS. Saying you're not going to respond again, and then giving your opinion is forcing the last word to be yours. It's the forum equivalent of putting your fingers in your ears and saying baaaa baaa baaa baa baaa... I wasn't trying to get you all worked up, and i apologize for speaking in a manor that you took so personally.

 

[t-rev]

I see no problem with letting a baby play with the iPad on occasion. My daughter who is 21 months has been using mine for 5 months now. She has learned a ton from some of the apps. We use the flash card app, alphabet, numbers, and even memory games. We can hand her the iPad, she turns it on and navigates to her folder full of apps. Mainly used on flights or long car trips and at restaurants.

If it's used correctly it can be quite an educational tool.

 

[Surely]

@ mike1450: Actually, I left the door open for you to have the last word..... and you took it as I thought you would. I was not forcing my word to be the last.....the only way to do that would be to lock the thread after my comment, and I don't have that power. I just don't see the point in continuing in this off-topicness and repeating the same things over and over while you cherry-pick and take my comments out of context in your rebuttals.


Oh, and I'm not worked up....... baaa baaa black sheep.

 

[TheGenerous]

At that age babies need to develop perception of themselves and learn to integrate their movements in relation to physical objects, their brains still growing and need to create new connections to what their hear, see, and touch (smell, eat, etc..)

and not staring at a screen because you need a break

 

[GoCubsGo]

English is not my first language, so I didn't mean it that way.

Yes, I'm looking for something to HELP me entertain her from time to time and have fun together or by her own. The goal is not to have an iPad educate or parent my child.

Now, please let's not deviate the original question to a parenting debate...

Well, like I had stated, it may have been an unfortunate choice of words on your part. I did explain myself, which is far more than I tend to do around these parts. That said, I also did attempt to answer your question ...

Some people's first language is English and they can't comprehend... oh well...

Here I go again, specially translated for you dcubed20.

Are there iPad apps aimed for babies 3+ months?

Yes?
No?
Which ones?
Any personal experience?

I hope that's clear enough...

Did you do a search for any of those Baby Genius-type apps? Have those people who made the DVDs put together an app? Do you know? I don't. Can you search? I can but I think it'd be good for you to search as well. I feel your defensiveness and I can actually appreciate it. However, I also feel as though you refuse to do any real work on your own. What have you found to date that has proven to be suitable? Anything? What have you found that is unsuitable?

If you give someone a baseline when you ask for help then responses may be 75% ******** and 25% useful. The ******** answers will always attack your parenting because no matter which way you spin it, you're a parent asking about a $500 + toy for your 3-month old kid that may not even come close to enriching them as much as actual age-appropriate toys. It sucks, but if you come to an open forum and ask a question many people will inject their opinions into the thread. The kicker, the majority of them will likely not even be parents, go figure.