But pressure against these videos has continued to mount.  Disney, who bought Baby Einstein in 2001, calls the bad publicity a “smear campaign.”  But on September 4th, as reported this week on the New York Times front page, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood convinced Walt Disney Studios to offer a full refund.  The refund applies to any Baby Einstein DVD purchased after mid-2005.  Return your DVD, and get a check for $15.99 – no questions asked!  You don’t even need the original receipt, or even the box.  Just mail in your Baby Einstein DVD before March 4, 2010.

To download the refund form, click here. Or go to the Baby Einstein website, and search for “einstein moneyback;” the link for the refund form will be on the right-hand side of the page.

Remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics still recommends that there’s no reason to turn on the TV at all, for children under 2 years old; and for kids over 2, limit screen time to 10 hours a week.

–  David Epstein, MD

We had favorite books, which would get read every day.   We all knew the words by heart!  I’ve listed some of our very favorite books in my handout about reading, which you may download (click here).

But my daughter is in high school now, and I know there are newer books available.  I’d love to know what you’re reading to your baby.  And I bet other parents would like to know too.  If other children read some of the same books that you read to your child, then the kids can share their common knowledge when they get together.  (The term for this is “cultural literacy,” a shared knowledge base that binds a community together.)

So:  Please collect the books that are your favorites to read to your infant, toddler, or child.  Post them in a comment to this blog.  And let’s watch the list grow, as parents post their favorites!

Thanks!!

–  David Epstein, MD

Children and teens copy the behaviors they see in the movies and on TV, according to research.

Cigarettes:  If the characters in a show are smoking, kids who see the show are more likely to smoke.  Research shows this effect, even if it’s the “bad guys” who are smoking.  What’s scary is that over two thirds of shows and movies kids see do include on-screen smoking, even PG-13 movies – and the latest movies are no better than the old ones.  Magazines that kids read have just as much advertising for cigarettes as ever, despite new laws prohibiting it.

Violence:  Research shows that kids who see TV shows that model hitting and fighting, even cartoons, increase their real-life physical violence.  This effect is noticed at very young ages, and persists for years after the TV shows were watched.

Obesity:  Experts say that TV watching, all by itself, is responsible for two thirds of our nation’s pediatric obesity epidemic.  The problem is not just that the kids sit and watch; they’re watching one advertisement after another for junk food!

Alcohol:  Kids watch broadcasts of sports events, often with their families.  But beer manufacturers advertise heavily, despite laws forbidding alcohol ads on shows that kids are likely to watch.  Research links this exposure to a tendency to drink later.

So why can’t something be done?  Hollywood has been resistant to criticism, TV ratings are not well understood (and may not be accurate), the internet cannot be regulated, and devices like Ipods and cell phones will only increase kids’ access.  So what are parents to do?  The best advice is for the parents to watch the shows with kids together, with your finger on the “pause” button, and talk about the implied messages.  Ask: “Is that character making a good choice?  What would you do?”

(Download my handout about TV watching (click here) for specific suggestions.)

A recent commentary in JAMA (June 3, 2009, p. 2265) points out “the extraordinary positive power of the media.  Antiviolence attitudes, empathy, cooperation, tolerance, respect for older people — the media can be powerfully prosocial.”  But we, as the parents, must watch out, every time the kids see a show or movie.  Ask yourself:  “How would I react if a real person were behaving like the characters in this show, in front of my children?”

–  David M. Epstein, MD

This is not surprising, because the skills required are different.  Daytime bladder control is under voluntary control, and can be taught.  (This is why it’s best to wait for potty training until your child is interested in staying dry.)  At night, though, the child is (hopefully) asleep, and has no voluntary bladder control.

Nighttime dryness is an unconscious act; it happens when the child’s brain becomes sufficiently mature.  Everyone achieves this state eventually, except in the rare event of a medical problem.  We label bedwetting as a problem only when it becomes a social issue, usually after age 6 or so when many children start to receive invitations for sleepovers at friends’ homes.  The medical term for this is “primary eneuresis,” indicating that the eneuresis or bedwetting does not have another medical cause.

Bedwetting often runs in the family.  Many children with prolonged bedwetting will have relatives who have also suffered with it (though some family members may be reluctant to discuss it).  These children generally are dry during the day, but they wet the bed several times per month, in some cases nightly, throughout childhood until they grow out of their bedwetting.  Limiting fluids in the hours before bedtime, and planned night awakenings for bathroom trips, can help.  Electronic beeper-style alarms, available for under $100, can teach kids to wake themselves over time.  If these measures are ineffective, there are safe and effective prescriptions available.

If a child begins bedwetting repeatedly after a dry period of months or years, it may be a sign of a different medical disorder requiring treatment.  This is called “secondary eneuresis,” and is less common than the inherited primary eneuresis.  A urine infection would be the most frequent culprit.

–  David Epstein, MD

A.  There is probably not much direct harm; no study has yet shown medical disease of any sort in children to be caused by artificial sweeteners, except for an occasional allergic reaction.  But I don’t think kids need them, unless they have a medical condition such as diabetes or obesity.

Although an occasional diet soda is probably fine, I’m not comfortable with kids having lots of artificial sweetener, for two reasons:

1) Even though there’s no studies showing actual harm, I’m concerned about the unknown effects of large amounts of these chemicals.

2) Even though artificial sweeteners have no calories, I worry that kids will get used to drinking sweetened drinks; if this becomes a habit, their learned preference for sweetened drinks may translate into excess calorie intake as older kids or adults.

People asK: “Which is best for kids, regular soda or diet?” But the question frames a false choice: to offer sugary drinks and snacks, or chemically sweetened ones.  There is a third choice, which is the one I recommend: unsweetened drinks such as milk, water, or unsweetened ice tea and flavored waters, and snacks (such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and crackers) which have no additional sweetener.

–  David Epstein, MD

A:  Absolutely.  Headphones pose a risk of hearing damage for children; this is an important issue.  Several recent news reports have spotlighted cases of permanent hearing damage in older adults due to their listening habits in childhood.

Noise induced hearing damage is caused by a combination of loudness and prolonged listening times; giving the ears a “break” of a quiet period after listening for a while may offer some protection.  Most people use open-air style headphones, or the “ear bud” style such as iPod earphones.  In noisy areas, users may crank up the volume in an attempt to drown out ambient noise.  Unfortunately, this puts the hearing at risk.  Noise-blocking or noise-canceling headphones may be less dangerous.

Some experts fear that aerobic exercise may increase the danger of noise-induced hearing loss, because blood is diverted from the organs of hearing (not to mention the risk of injury due to distraction from the music).

Permanent damage may occur before any symptoms (such as ringing in the ears or difficulty understanding speech) are apparent, so prevention of hearing loss by moderation of listening habits is crucial.

David Epstein MD