Another Study Urges: No TV for Toddlers

Yet more experts are pointing out that it's not a great idea for parents to plunk their children down in front of TV or computer screens. A group of pediatricians published a paper in an influential British medical journal this week formally asking that doctors and government officials set limits on the amount of time children spend in front of screens, from TVs to mobile phones—and that limit should be no time at all for tots under three, the Guardian reports.

Guidelines like the ones they're suggesting exist in the US, Canada, and Australia, but not yet in Britain. The group reviewed the evidence and found that too much screen time causes developmental and even physical harm, including an increased risk of obesity and heart problems. Those under three are particularly vulnerable, since their brains are in a critical development stage, but the group suggests that even for children over 16, screen time should be limited to two hours. (More television stories.)