Into the minds of babes : how screen time affects children from birth to age five / Lisa Guernsey.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 263-274) and index.

The three Cs: content, context and your child -- 2. What exactly is this video doing to my baby's brain? : ADHD and autism, should I be worried? ; Why do pediatricians say no screen time before age 2? -- 2. Is TV turning my tot into a zombie? : Why does it look like my child is tuning out? ; At what age do children become mentally engaged? -- 3. Could my child learn from baby videos? : How and when do toddlers learn from audiovisual media? ; What is the "video deficit?" -- 4. My toddler doesn't seem to notice when the TV is on--or does he? : What is the impact of background television? ; How does noise affect language development? -- 5. Which videos are too scary for my child? : What content is most upsetting to young children? ; What should I do when they get frightened by what they see? -- 6. What is educational about "educational" TV? : What are the features of a well-designed preschool show? ; Have children really been shown to benefit from educational shows? -- 7. Could the right DVD teach my child to speak, or better yet, become bilingual? : What exactly leads to language development? ; Will foreign-language videos give my children an edge? -- 8. Can electronic media enrich my child's vocabulary? : At what age can a video make the most difference? ; Under what conditions do children learn words from TV? -- 9. Could this program teach my child to be a good person? : Is there any evidence that videos can inspire good character? ; How are TV, pretend play and good behavior connected? -- 10. Is interactive media worthwhile--or at least better than TV? : Are screen-based toys of any use to babies? ; Is educational software a good idea for preschoolers? -- 11. Will screen time make my children fat? : Are there real connections between TV and obesity? ; Does the location of the TV matter? -- 12. How do real families make smart media choices? : How do they cope with siblings? sickness? single parenthood? ; What are some examples of limits that stick -- Appendix I: Movie review web sites -- Appendix II: Web site reviews of interactive media -- Appendix III: Resources on the use of electronic media with children who have special needs.

A study of the impact of television on children under five distills research into answers designed to help parents make informed decisions about the amount and types of television watching, explaining when it is helpful and when it might be harmful to developing minds.