Background Television May Be Harmful

Young children are exposed to an average of 4 hours of "background television" every day, that according to a survey by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is when the TV is on, but kids aren't necessarily engaged in watching it.

The youngest kids, African American children and those from the lowest income families were exposed to as much as 6 hours a day. The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that background television exposure can harm social play and cognitive functioning in kids under age 2.