Baby Einstein DVD refund - why television isn't good for babies in the first two years of life

October 26, 2:02 PMLong Island Mental Health ExaminerLisa DeLuca

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The Walt Disney Company is offering a full refund to people who purchased a Baby Einstein DVD between June 5, 2004 and September 4, 2009. No receipt is required and the offer is valid until March 2010. Click on this link for information on how to secure the Baby Einstein refund.

The Baby Einstein refund is different than the Baby Enstein recall, of Baby Einstein Discover & Play Color Blocks, which have been painted with lead paint.

Baby Einstein videos were marketed to parents of babies in the late 1990's and early 2000's. Prior to that DVD's were not marketed to babies. The claim was that the Baby Einstein videos were "educational", implying they would make babies smarter. The idea was  controversial at the time because many people, rightfully, did not buy into it.

Susan Linn, director of Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood said she sees the refund as an acknowledgement that babies do not benefit from watching television, a fact that has been supported by the research.

The American Academy of Pediatrics statement on babies and television

Babies need plenty of face to face contact and verbal interaction. This helps them bond emotionally and develop their emotional intelligence. They need a stimulating environment to encourage them to develop their motor skills and intellect. Sitting as a passive observer to something like a television show does not do much for babies. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under two years old not watch any television. The Academy has stated that, "...Babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other significant caregivers (eg, child care providers) for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Therefore, exposing such young children to television programs should be discouraged."

The first year of life is, first and foremost, about human bonding. Difficulties in early bonding can delay physical and emotional development, and can sometimes lead to the development of personality disorders in the future.

Bonding and personality disorders

A personality disorder is "an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the individual's culture, is pervasive and inflexible, has an onset in adolescence or early adulthood, is stable over time, and leads to distress or impairment." (American Psychiatric Association's Diagnositc and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

Some of the more commonly-known personality disorders are borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. There are eleven personality disorders in all.

Babies need to learn to associate contact with people with feeling good and having their needs met. This helps them to bond with others. They need to have regular interaction with a secure person who will tend to their needs. This helps babies learn that they can have some control over their environment, and that people can be trusted. It helps them know what to expect and this gives them a sense of security that frees them up to explore further.

The characteristics of a personality disorder usually develop in late adolescence and early adulthood. They are rarely diagnosed in children because children may exhibit certain of these symptoms during normal development and later outgrow them.

Photo: Doriana S., Sxc.hu