Is FaceTime OK for Babies? A Comprehensive Guide for Modern Parents
Yes, FaceTime is generally considered OK for babies, especially when used in moderation and within the guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). While the AAP advises against screen time for babies under 18 months, a notable exception is made for live video chats like FaceTime. The key here is the interactive nature of video calls, which can foster crucial social and cognitive development in infants. Let’s delve deeper into the benefits, potential risks, and best practices for incorporating FaceTime into your baby’s life.
Understanding the AAP Guidelines and the FaceTime Exception
Screen Time Recommendations for Infants
The American Academy of Pediatrics initially recommended that babies under 18 months avoid screen time altogether, citing concerns about potential negative impacts on language development, attention span, and cognitive skills. These recommendations were based on studies showing that excessive screen exposure could hinder a baby’s ability to learn through real-world interactions and play.
Why FaceTime is Different
FaceTime and other live video calls stand apart from passive screen time like watching TV or pre-recorded videos. The interactive element is crucial. During a video call, a baby experiences something akin to a face-to-face conversation. They can see facial expressions, hear familiar voices, and respond (even non-verbally) to the person on the other end of the screen. This back-and-forth interaction stimulates language development, strengthens social bonds, and provides a sense of connection, especially with distant relatives or friends.
Benefits of FaceTime for Babies
Fostering Social and Emotional Development
One of the most significant benefits of FaceTime for babies is its ability to strengthen social connections. Babies recognize faces and voices, and seeing familiar loved ones on a screen can provide comfort and reassurance. This is particularly valuable when family members live far away or cannot visit regularly. Video calls allow babies to bond with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, fostering a sense of belonging and connection within the family.
Encouraging Language Development
The interactive nature of FaceTime can also contribute to language development. During a video call, babies are exposed to language, intonation, and facial expressions. They learn to associate sounds with faces and to recognize familiar words and phrases. Engaging in simple games like peek-a-boo or singing songs together can further stimulate language acquisition and create positive associations with communication.
Providing Comfort and Reassurance
Research has shown that babies find comfort in seeing their parents or caregivers on a video call. Studies have found that toddlers are more comforted by their mothers via video chat than they are through audio alone. This can be particularly helpful for working parents who need to be away from their babies during the day or for families separated by distance.
Potential Risks and How to Mitigate Them
Overstimulation
While FaceTime offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to be mindful of the potential for overstimulation. Babies have limited attention spans, and prolonged exposure to screens, even interactive ones, can be overwhelming. It’s important to keep video calls short and engaging, paying attention to your baby’s cues for fatigue or disinterest.
Blue Light Exposure
There’s been some concern regarding the potential harm of blue light emitted from screens. However, as the excerpt stated, there’s no scientific evidence confirming that exposure of young children to computer screens or blue light is harmful.
Replacing Real-World Interactions
FaceTime should never replace real-world interactions. It’s crucial for babies to have opportunities to interact with people and objects in their physical environment. These experiences are essential for developing sensory, motor, and cognitive skills. FaceTime should be viewed as a supplement to, not a substitute for, face-to-face interactions.
Best Practices for FaceTime with Babies
Keep it Short and Sweet
Limit video calls to short intervals, such as 5-10 minutes, especially for younger babies. As they grow older, you can gradually increase the duration, but always pay attention to their cues.
Make it Interactive
Engage in interactive activities during the call. Sing songs, play games, read a book, or show them interesting objects. The goal is to keep them entertained and engaged.
Choose the Right Time
Select a time when your baby is alert and receptive. Avoid calling when they are tired, hungry, or fussy.
Minimize Distractions
Create a quiet environment with minimal distractions. Turn off the TV, silence your phone, and ensure that the person on the other end of the call has a clear view of your baby.
Monitor Your Baby’s Reactions
Pay close attention to your baby’s facial expressions and body language. If they seem bored, tired, or overstimulated, end the call.
Utilize Guided Access
If your baby tends to accidentally hang up during FaceTime calls, consider using Guided Access on your iPhone or iPad. This feature allows you to disable touch on certain areas of the screen, preventing accidental taps.
Consider Visual Development
At 1 month old your baby will see your entire face. By 2 to 3 months old their ability to focus will improve. By 3 months old they will enjoy looking at black-and-white patterns. By 3 to 4 months old they will be able to track objects and track in which direction you’re looking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is FaceTime safe for baby eyes?
Yes, this kind of visual activity has never been reported to cause anatomical disease to the eye or visual system. In other words, there is no scientific evidence that exposure of young children to computer screens or blue light is harmful.
2. At what age can babies recognize faces on FaceTime?
Babies begin to recognize faces, including those on FaceTime, around 6 to 9 months old, especially if they see those faces frequently. However, even younger babies can respond to the sound of familiar voices and the visual stimulation of seeing faces on the screen.
3. Does FaceTime count as screen time?
While the physical act of being on a device is considered screen time, when a baby or toddler is actively on a FaceTime call it is not counted as screen time because of the interaction.
4. How can I make FaceTime more engaging for my baby?
Use games, finger plays, songs, dances, rhymes and props. Try playing a game like peek-a-boo together or singing a song like “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” that includes finger plays.
5. Can video calls affect newborns?
Screen time is not permitted below 18months but video call is allowed as it helps in interaction and subsequent cognitive development of the infant.
6. Can parents monitor FaceTime usage for older children?
Yes, using features like Communication Limits in parental control settings, you can control who your child talks to and for how long, on a daily basis. This setting applies to Phone, FaceTime, Messages and iCloud contacts.
7. Is occasional TV bad for babies?
Babies shouldn’t watch TV or use screen-based media, the AAP says. It’s okay to introduce small amounts of high-quality, supervised screen time to toddlers after 18 months, but if you can wait until your child turns 2, that’s even better.
8. Do babies understand FaceTime?
Starting around 17 months, toddlers can respond to, understand and learn from video chat interactions and can form a relationship with their partners via the screen. Video chat supports learning and social bonding by mimicking live social interaction.
9. Why is FaceTime considered safer than other forms of communication?
The audio/video contents of FaceTime calls are protected by end-to-end encryption, so no one but the sender and receiver can access them. Apple can’t decrypt the data. The initial FaceTime connection is made through an Apple server infrastructure that relays data packets between the users’ registered devices.
10. How do I childproof FaceTime?
You can childproof FaceTime, by locking your iPhone or iPad Touchscreen Go to Settings –> General —> Accessibility. In Accessibility, select “Learning” –> Guided Access. Turn Guided Access on and set a pass code.
11. Is it OK to watch TV around my baby?
Pediatricians generally recommend keeping children under 18 months from viewing screens. Even after that age, parents should always accompany children with TV watching and ensure they don’t get too much screen time, inadvertently impacting their behavioral health.
12. Can a 2-month-old see my face on FaceTime?
Yes! By 1 month old your baby will see your entire face. By 2 to 3 months old their ability to focus will improve.
13. At what age do babies recognize grandparents on FaceTime?
The degree of exposure matters. If your child sees their grandparents once a week, they’ll probably recognize them by the time they’re 6 to 9 months old. But if they see them daily, it may happen sooner.
14. How do I stop my baby from hanging up on FaceTime?
While Apple doesn’t have a specific screen lock for Facetime, there is a way to disable touch on certain areas of the screen that will prevent the child from ending the call. It’s called Guided Access. Go to Settings>General>Accessibility>Guided Access.
15. How can educational games and research, like those done by the Games Learning Society, contribute to a better understanding of screen time effects on children?
Research by the Games Learning Society and similar organizations can offer valuable insights into how interactive media, including games and video calls, impact cognitive and social development in children. By studying the effects of different types of screen time, we can develop more informed guidelines and strategies for using technology in a way that supports healthy child development. Learn more at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Conclusion
FaceTime can be a valuable tool for connecting babies with loved ones and fostering their social, emotional, and language development. However, it’s crucial to use it responsibly and in moderation. By following the guidelines outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and paying attention to your baby’s individual needs and cues, you can ensure that FaceTime is a positive and enriching experience for both you and your little one. Remember, the key is interaction, moderation, and balance.