Center on Media and Child Health

CMCH Researchers Publish New Study in Pediatrics

CMCH authors published an article in the April 8 online edition of Pediatrics. Led by David Bickham, PhD, and CMCH Director Michael Rich, MD, MPH, our researchers looked at screen media usage in 13-, 14-, and 15-year-olds by having the teens keep 24-hour time-use diaries and report at random moments throughout their day what activities were capturing their primary, secondary, and tertiary attention.

The study found that paying primary attention to TV was associated with a higher Body Mass Index, but this relationship was not the same for playing video games or using computers.

What does this research suggest? First, not all media are the same. It is important not to lump all screen-based activities together and assume they all have the same health outcomes. The results of this study should also encourage researchers and parents to think about not just how long young people are watching TV but how they use it. The researchers explain their results using our current understanding of how TV might impact obesity. Attention to food advertising or mindless eating during TV might account for these findings.

The article is forthcoming in the May print edition of Pediatrics. You can take a look at the article abstract online by clicking here. Or take a look at some of the press we've received here. You'll see the article listed in our Database of Research soon!

What Else Does CMCH Have To Offer?

We love finding new ways to connect with you. If you'd like to know what else we're up to, check thsi out:

• The CMCH Twitter account connects with other organizations and individuals and lets you know what we and others are up to. We love making new friends!
• The CMCH staff are always up to talk with you on your blog, radio show, newspaper, or magazine. See where CMCH and its staff members are appearing in the press by visiting our homepage and looking at the bottom-righthand corner or by clicking here to see a feed of our most recent appearances in the press.
• Are you on Facebook? "Like" CMCH here.
• CMCH isn't just for researchers. If you're a parent or teacher, we have resources for you as well. Check out our mentors page, which includes guides and resources for adults who would like to support children and adolescents in healthy and positive media use. Remember also to check out Director Michael Rich's blog, Ask the Mediatrician, for advice and tips on working with children on their media literacy and usage.
• Who are we, you ask? You can learn about the CMCH staff and their interests and expertise by checking out our staff page.
• We'd love it if you signed up for our newsletter, Media Health Matters. By clicking on that link, you can also read the newsletter archives and be sure you haven't missed anything.
• Of course, we're always updating our Database of Research to keep you informed about the latest studies on media, health, and children and adolescents.

CMCH Database of Research Survey

At CMCH, we are working hard to make the Database of Research (DoR) a valuable resource for researchers, media and health-related organizations. The DoR is a digital “library” that collects scholarly research on how media affect the physical, social and emotional health of children. The research included in the DoR comes from many different disciplines including medicine, public health, psychology, gender studies, education and several others.

We are looking for your feedback about the CMCH Database of Research. As we move forward, we would like to know more about how researchers interested in media and child health conduct literature searches, keep current on topics, and what resources they use to find information. 

We have created a quick survey to help us define next steps for the database and assess its value for the research community. We would appreciated if you could take a few minutes to fill out the survey, using the answer or answers that describe you most accurately.

There are 13 questions on this survey, and it should only take you about 10 minutes to complete: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CMCHDoR

Thank you from the CMCH Team!

Recent Questions on Ask the Mediatrician

If you haven't checked out Ask the Mediatrician lately, head on over to see these and other recent questions from parents and answers from Dr. Michael Rich, Director of CMCH:

• My son wants Call of Duty, but how do these games affect teen boys?
• Will my preschooler fall behind if she doesn't learn how to use the computer?
• Does multitasking with media distract kids from homework?

If you know of a website whose audience could benefit from the free Ask the Mediatrician service, send the webmaster these simple steps to add an Ask the Mediatrician button like the one below!

We want to know what YOU want to know!

If you haven't seen it yet, we are now offering a free service called Ask the Mediatrician.  CMCH Director Dr. Michael Rich (pediatrician, parent, and former filmmaker) answers questions about media and kids' health. 

We want to know what YOU want to know!  Send your question to cmch@childrens.harvard.edu today!

Here are some recent questions:

• Is it OK to use cartoons to keep my 5-month-old busy while I do things around the house?
• Which computer games are good for my 2 year old?
• Why do different kids respond differently to media violence?

CMCH Information Services - Which are right for you?

In the past few months, we at CMCH have added several new information services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Ask the Mediatrician to help keep you updated about the latest news and research on media and children's health. 

We are changing things around a bit, so that this blog will focus primarily on resources for researchers.  There will be two main types of posts: the popular Research Wrap-Ups posted every Friday, and our new Research Toolbox posts on Tuesdays, connecting you with tools and resources that can help you in you work. We will also continue to have posts by guest bloggers occasionally.

Because we have so many information outlets and a variety of audiences, we wanted to outline the particulars of each so that you can decide what's right for your needs and how often you want to hear from us.  All services are free!

Ask the Mediatrician

• Content: Q&A from parents looking for advice on media and kids. 
• Updated: 2x/week (every Monday and Thursday)
• Subscribe and receive an email each time we answer a new question
• Send us an email with your question for the Mediatrician

CMCH Blog

• Content: Listings of new research, and tools and resources to help carry out research on media effects. 
• Updated: 2x/week (every Tuesday and Friday)
• Subscribe and receive an email each time we post something new

CMCH on Twitter

• Content: Updates about news and research, parent tips, links to resources for parents, teachers and resources.
• Updated: 2-3x/day
• To subscribe, visit our Twitter page and click "Follow"
  

CMCH on Facebook

• Content: Contains content from the CMCH Blog, CMCH on Twitter, and Ask the Mediatrician into one place where you can comment on stories and join in the conversation with others
• Updated: 2-3x/day
• Visit our page and click on "Become a Fan" at the top to have our stories show up in your news feed.
  

CMCH Newsletter

• Content: The newsletter is on hiatus, but will return in November completely redesigned!
• Updated: 4x/year
• See past newsletters or sign up to receive future newsletters

CMCH Database of Research

• Content: The first searchable online database of research on media and child health.
• Updated: We are currently undergoing major improvements to the Database which will be unveiled in September - a new keyword system and three all new search engines!  New citations will be added weekly after the launch.
• Use the CMCH Database of Research

CMCH Website

• Content: Information about the connection between media and health, tips for parents, CMCH Database of Research, information about the staff and projects of CMCH, and contact information.
  
• Updated: The homepage received a total makeover earlier this Summer so that new information from our other information sources is displayed right on the front page. 
  
• Visit the CMCH Website
  

CMCH En Español!

Previously, we had one of our Spanish-speaking fans translate her experience with media and her grandson into English for us.  After she shared her story, we were determined to start offering CMCH materials in Spanish. 

We are excited to announce the debut of another Parent Perspective from a Spanish-speaking parent.  Yessica talks about her experience monitoring the TV that her son watches, and we have posted her thoughts in both English and Spanish versions. 

As a counterpart to Yessica's story, we have also translated our "What You Need to Know About Media and Kids' Health" page into Spanish.  We hope to make more materials available in Spanish in the future!

Walk Like a Mediatrician

Last Sunday CMCH represented Ask the Mediatrician^SM at the NSTAR Walk for Children's Hospital Boston.  Though it poured in the morning, the weather cleared up for their 7 mile walk and all had a good time while talking up our new service!  Have you got a question for The Mediatrician^SM?  Go ahead and ask! 

If you didn't get a chance to donate to our efforts but would still like to, please click here.

The CMCH Team including Dr. Michael Rich -- The Mediatrician^SM himself (holding sign) and CMCH staff Karen Fisher, Dr. Dafna Lemish, Lauren Rubenzahl, and Dr. Ariel Chernin. 
 

Q: What do you get when you cross a Hollywood filmmaker with a pediatrician?

A: The Mediatrician^SM

Q:  How do I deal with inappropriate commercials during sports TV?

Q:  My 2 year old was scared by a movie, what do I do?

Q:  How much TV is too much TV?

From cyberbullying and violent video games to social networking and sexting, parents are overwhelmed by the new media environment and how it affects their children. To help parents navigate this new and changing landscape, CMCH is excited to announce the launch of Ask the Mediatrician ^SM.

Pediatrician, former Hollywood producer, parent, and CMCH founder Dr. Michael Rich
turns research-based recommendations into action steps parents can take in order to make media a positive and healthful encounter for their families.   

Also, check out our new and improved homepage!

Got $10?

Do you subscribe to our blog or newsletters?  Follow us on Twitter or Facebook?  Use the CMCH Database of Research?  If you find these free resources helpful, consider showing your appreciation by sponsoring the CMCH team in the NSTAR Walk for Children's Hospital Boston on June 14th! 

Click here to donate to our team "Ask the Mediatrician".  You will be directed to donate to our team captain, Karen Fisher.  Money will go to support Ask the Mediatrician -- our exciting new service, launching soon, where parents can ask for advice about using media with their families.

Thank you in advance for your support!