Media matters for youth health

We live in a media world and the mass media offer educational and entertainment opportunities for adults and children. However, pediatricians and parents are increasingly aware of the potential health risks that media exposure presents to children and adolescents. For many years, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has made media education a key goal for member pediatricians: Six policy statements about the impact of mass media have been published (and revised) over the past decade. In 1997, the AAP launched a 5-year, nationwide media education campaign called Media Matters. Although education about media is the cornerstone of Media Matters, pediatricians have other important roles. In offices and clinics, the AAP suggests that pediatricians take a media history from patients and discuss connections between a child's health and behavior and media use habits. Pediatricians can also provide anticipatory guidance to families about media in the home, including limiting media use, making wise media choices, encouraging co-viewing and critical thinking, and making the home a positive media environment. Many gaps in our knowledge about the effects of media images and messages on young people still exist; pediatricians call for ongoing, targeted research about media. In this way, we can all enjoy the benefits offered by media, while minimizing the risks.