From Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a researcher, paediatrician, and parent, this video explores the media’s impact on early childhood development. Delivered at the TEDxRainier 2011 event, the talk focuses on how early TV exposure of certain types and in certain doses can inappropriately stimulate a child’s brain development.
In the video, Dr. Christakis explains that a child’s mind goes through tremendous growth in the first two years of life; the growth comes from the formation of synaptic connections. “It’s the quality of those synaptic connections that makes the difference between a child developing attention problems later in life and a child who is able to take advantage of beneficial cognitive stimulation that enhances their ability to pay attention, learn and grow.” His research seeks to find out: “Is it actually possible to over-stimulate the developing brain in ways that are not beneficial but harmful?”