Patient's question:
My child is now two years old, but our whole family loves watching TV. According to the elders, children shouldn't watch TV, and as new parents, we're also unsure when it's appropriate to let them watch it. We're worried about potential harm to their eyes.How old are children generally allowed to watch TV?
Doctor's answer:
When babies watch TV, the brain's left prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for visual processing, speculation, estimation, and other functions, becomes disorganized due to the rapid movement of the images and the shifting of attention. Meanwhile, the right prefrontal cortex, which processes color signals, loses its inhibitory control, leading to increased connectivity between the left and right cortices and presenting an state of brain structure destruction. The rapid switching of TV images causes distraction in babies, making it difficult for them to concentrate and focus on a single task. Babies can watch TV, but the duration should not be too long. For babies aged six months to one year, they can watch for ten minutes; for those aged one to two years, they can watch for twenty minutes; and for those aged two to three years, they can watch for half an hour.