Baby Einstein Movies

seems to me like it would make sense. of course i'm sure it hasn't really be proven but i can see the logic behind it. my daughter never watched those videos. poeple say it makes your kids smarter. i don't beleive that, it just gets them hooked to tv at an earlier age. my daughter was born 3 months premature and i was told she'd be developmentally behind. when she was tested at the children's hospital she's ahead 1 year of kids her age with out watching baby instein or any other make your baby smart things that are out there.

My pediatrician told me the same thing. My children aren't big on these anyway so it was ok with me. I have to agree because the scenes go very quickly from one thing to another. My pediatrician told me to keep the kids away from the tv as much as possible when they were real young b/c of this period. I don't know how much it aids in developing ADD. I think if you are predisposed to it already it could make it worst.

Actually it makes a lot of sense. If they are conditioned to fast movements at an early age, they will think this is the norm and behave in that manner. Just my thoughts. On the other hand, I've heard nothing but good things about the videos. This is a very intersting topic.

I have heard of this, not from my pediatrician but from parenting magazine (I think, I'm not certain though). I used them for my oldest, and I still use them for my youngest. I think it really depends on how much time you let them watch. Moderation is key. I don't think one video a day is going to matter much, but allowing them to watch t.v. all day long, regardless of what they are watching is not good for them.

I've never heard about this either. My son loves to watch his Baby Einstein movies! I don't honestly think there's anything wrong with them and in fact he's learned quite a few words by watching them. I don't want to disagree with a doctor but I think I'd want to get a second opinion on that.

I have not heard of this, but I have read multiple studies that show that children who watch excessive television (education or not - movies, videos, or television shows) before the age of 2 are more likely to have autism. That alone is enough of a reason for me to keep my baby away from the television!

I have heard in general that TV can cause ADD and ADHD. I do not think it is just baby Einstein movies. My Daughter is 10 weeks old and she watches 1 movies a day witch is about 30 minutes long. I love to watch her watch the movies because she gets excited over things. Certain parts make her legs kick and her arms go. I do not agree that watching TV makes a kid ADD in less that is all the child does. If a child watches TV all day and nothing else they do not learn how to be proactive (making choices on there own, doing things on there own or by themselves) I think if you limit the time children have to watch TV play video games or play on the computer the children will be just fine.

I think they will blame anything on ADD or ADHD. Personally, I believe they say too may kids have ADD and ADHD as it is (kids who don't but are medicated anyways) BUT moderation would be ok, I would think. I mean couldn't the same be said for Dora. Most of Dora is done in bright colors.

I don't believe ADD/ADHD are things you develop. My nephew watches baby einstein movies, they keep his attention when my sister wants to relax or if she has to do something else. He is learning from them though. I've never heard that they can be a hazard to a child though. I'd look in to that a little more if I were you.

thank you for this discussion, i was really enlightened. my wife is 5 months pregnant now but when i learned that she was pregnant, i was already thinking of buying baby einstein and other similar dvd's for my baby. good thing i tripped on your discussion :) i never knew that it could result to having ADD, ADHD or autism because i thought like classical music helps developing the brain of the baby so i also thought it would be just the same. anyway, hope i get to hear more from other mylotters about different views about this so that i can pick which is the best for the child.

Wait. ADD and ADHD I am pretty sure that isnt something you can develop but you are born with it. I might be wrong here. But I think you are born with that. Maybe autism is a possiblity but not ADD? Do you have proof here or your doctor just going off on his own? I think baby einstein stuff is good for kids to help them learn and stuff. I have never used them but yeah links would be good or research on it not just word of mouth.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no tv under the age of 2. Here's a great article about it, http://www.mothering.com/guest_editors/kids_commercialism/kids_commercialism_archive.html

Children shouldn't be watching television for prolonged periods of time until the age of 6 or so. Their brains aren't developed enough to handle it all! I was reading a very excellent article on how many kids in Japan were actually having SEIZURES because of the Pokemon episodes they were watching! I would keep my kids away!

It isn't surprising! small children are NOT supposed to be glued to the tv!! It is amazing that there are some people who have kids with ADD who continue to let their children eat poor diets and watch constant tv and just put their kids on "medications". Draw the line people! Children are not supposed to watch television until 7 years old or so. Their brains aren't developed enough.

I appreciate you posting this, I have a few Baby Einstein videos for Holly, I also love their books and toys. Now she's in special needs preschool and doesn't watch her movies as often. Probably any TV is not good for kids if overdone, but if the flashing bright colors are an issue, I'd worry not just about ADD but seizures, too. I know in Japan some cartoon had to be pulled because it was too much info for a child's brain to process that quickly, and they were having seizures. Didn't cable TV recently discuss adding an all-day preschool channel? I don't know if that's wise, but their reasoning was, well, kids are watching TV all day anyway, and this is what's good for them to see. Which is sad, kids should be playing. My husband's sister recently found out she was pregnant, and immediately went and got the yet-to-be-born baby a TV set. I think a newborn has more pressing needs than a TV.

I havent heard of this. but i think there is a definante possiblity and see why your doctor would say that.

I would defenetely get a second opionion. Have you gone to webmd to check into this. If we get any of those videos I will look deeper into this.

Wow I have never heard that before. I wonder if that is true...I guess when you think about it, it could be. I always thought the Baby Einstein videos were great because they were supposed to help development of the child's mind, but after hearing that I have to think twice. I think of children I let watch that and I wonder if I should inform their parents. Thanks for this discussion! It's very interesting!

Well this is disturbing news. My daughter LOVED the Baby Einstein animals DVDs--we watched them all the time. My son, not so much. One thing I will say is a friend of mine, who has an autistic child, was mesmerized by the DVDs. She said the bright flashing colors and fast moving pictures were very much like movies they show to autistic children.

I think children should not left in front of the TV by the themselves. I take "Parental Guidance Recommended" seriously. My baby is now 3, and fortunately, I did not have a TV set until she was 1 year old. As a single mom, it is a tough balancing act, and most of the time that I am in the office, I simply have to stop fretting over whether the babysitter - who is also my househelp - is leaving the baby in front of the TV or not. To be able to exert some control, I did not get cable connection, or even a simple TV antennae, so that the only things they could watch are the "baby videos" on the CD player. Baby Einstein, however, was not one of them. A friend lent one to me, but my daughter did not like it very much. That was ok, since the video is too expensive (for me in the Philippines), and other stimulating activities could well substitute for it. I take my baby out for a walk at the University campus nearby, sit outside the house with other kids, or just ride a bus since she loves to watch images rush by (or lights if its nighttime). We had music, though when she was only months old: she likes classical music, and African, too! She's also not so big on TV, but does have a sort of attachment for a few videos for certain periods of time. I never really can guess what she would ask for. Overall, she has picked up words, and later mimicked ballet dancers on Barbie, sings songs, and role plays her favorite characters like Dora the Explorer. I think TV (or the videos) did some good. However, I think the main advice I could give is: Whenever possible, sit with your child, watch the video with her, interacting with her by asking questions about what is happening, who/what this is and that, sing and dance with her! That way, you connect with her also, and together, you create a fun world where you can both escape to when you want to play pretend!