My kids don't watch TV. This opinion piece is lacking in facts. It all comes down to an empirical argument about the author's many generations of family always being worried about too much screen time.
I do want to say, however, that from my limited understanding it's more likely not the negative effects of television itself, but more a lack of positive influence. That is, time spent watching television is time spent not engaging in more creative pastimes typical to children of that age. Things like play, exercise, socializing, and testing limits in various ways.
Almost any resource on brain development and function will spell out that the early years of childhood are the most crucial, and development during that time will influence your development throughout the rest of your life.
I mean, without diving deeper and finding real resources, I'll predict that there's no special poison that makes television so detrimental, it's the displacement of other positive stimuli in childhood.
I didn't read your other sources, don't have the time presently -- is this generally apt? Or are they more pointed than my take?
UCI is a non-profit, whose board is composed of very qualified childhood health professionals/researchers: http://www.urbanchildinstitute.org/about-us/board-of-directo...
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"Infant exposure to television has been linked to delayed language development and kindergarten readiness skills."
Christakis DA. Audible television and decreased adult words, infant vocalizations, and conversational turns: a population-based study. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 2009; 163(6): 554-558.
Zimmerman FJ, Christakis DA. Children’s television viewing and cognitive outcomes: a longitudinal analysis of national data. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 2005; 159(7):619-625.
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"Early exposure to TV has also been connected to attention disorders and sleep problems."
Schmidt ME, Pempek TA, Kirkorian HL, et al. The effects of background television on the toy play behavior of very young children. Child Development. 2008; 79: 1137-1151.
Thompson, DA, Christakis DA. The association between television viewing and irregular sleep schedules among children less than 3 years of age. Pediatrics. 2005; 116(4): 851-856.
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"TV use at age three has been linked to behavior problems and to long-term effects on social development, classroom engagement, and academic achievement."
Manganello JA, Taylor CA. Television exposure as a risk factor for aggressive behavior among 3-year-old children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 2009; 163(11):1037-45.
Mistry KB, Minkovitz CS, Strobino, DM, et al. Children’s television exposure and behavioral and social outcomes at 5.5 years: Does timing of exposure matter? Pediatrics. 2007; 120: 762-769.
Pagani LS, Fitzpatrick C, Barnett TA, et al. Prospective associations between early childhood television exposure and academic, psychosocial, and physical well-being by middle childhood. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2010; 164(5): 425-431.
1: https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages...