Need more proof that TV’s bad for your kids? Look no further.

In a new study, Ohio scientists have compared mother and child communication while watching TV to reading books or playing with toys, to show the impact of TV on child development.

The results indicated that watching TV leads to less interaction between parents and children, and in turn, negatively impacts a child’s literacy and language skills.

One of the main problem lies, the researchers said, in how parents communicate with their children while the kids are engaged with TV, books, or toys.

By describing objects or new words and images, or by prompting conversation through questions, maternal responsiveness can help a child engage with an activity. It can also provide positive feedback or encouragement to a child.

According to the study, mothers who co-read books communicated significantly more with their children than mothers watching TV. Maternal communication was higher among children who read books than those who played toys, but not significantly so.

In addition, when reading a book with their children, parents used a more active communication style, and introduced children to words they may not hear in every day speech, thereby improving their vocabulary and grammatical knowledge. In contrast, watching TV consisted of significantly fewer descriptions and positive responses.

“When a mother and child are focusing on the same object, be that a book, toy or TV show, the mother’s response can have an important impact on their child’s understanding and self perception,” said study researcher Amy Nathanson.

“We would encourage parents to regularly substitute TV for other forms of entertainment to ensure frequent and positive interaction with their child,” Nathanson concluded.

The study was published in Human Communication Research.

If you have children in kindergarten through 5th grade, you likely received a summer reading list with the last report card of the year. If you’re like most parents, you tossed it aside as you packed your bags for the beach or the first day of summer camp and thought “We have plenty of time for that!”

Although September seems far away, it is important to dig that list out and help your child get started on required reading, as well as checking out the suggested titles for his or her grade. The purpose of summer reading in the elementary school years is to maintain your child’s reading skills, such as decoding words, comprehension of text, and making inferences or predictions about the text. It is also meant to foster a love of reading that educators know is crucial for success in school.

You don’t have to be a reading specialist to address common reading skills your child needs to maintain over the summer. For example, to practice decoding words, ask your child “What sound does this letter make?” Help him sound out unfamiliar words. You can check for comprehension after reading by asking “Wh” questions such as “Where did the main character live?” or “Who is the main character’s friend?” This ensures they retained the main details of the story.

You can also work on making inferences about the story by asking questions not directly answered in the text. For example, “How do you think he was feeling after he had a fight with his friend?” guides your child to use clues from the story as well as his own experiences to draw a logical conclusion. Remember to have fun! Summer reading is an enjoyable way to support your child’s academic and social growth while away from the classroom.

As the summer days pass by, it gets harder to maintain a schedule with your families enjoying some much-needed down time. A break from the stress of your busy school-year schedules is necessary, but too much time without exercising the brain can be detrimental to your child’s academic health.

This is why it is important to attend to your child’s summer reading list starting now. Most middle and high schools choose one or two required readings and allow for some independence with a suggested reading list. This is a great opportunity for your child to get introduced to a new author or genre he or she may not have known before. In addition to developing a love of reading, children in these grades will likely be tested on material read or be expected to write a response to the text.

You can help your child maintain information about the stories by giving her a journal in which to take notes, reading the book with her, and having weekly discussions with her to ensure she comprehends the material. You may also want to celebrate the completion of books with a special reward, such as a little extra money to spend back-to-school shopping or a family movie night. However you do it, supporting your middle school or high school age child in their summer reading will ensure her school year gets off to a great start.

A new study indicates that weaning your children off the bottle early may be an effective way to prevent later obesity.

Researchers from Temple University analyzed data from 6750 children to estimate the association between bottle use at 2 years of age and the risk of obesity at 5.5 years of age.

Of the children studied, 22% were prolonged bottle users, meaning that at 2 years of age they used a bottle as their primary drink container or were put to bed with a bottle.  Nearly 23% of the prolonged bottle users were obese by the time they were 5.5 years old.

“Children who were still using a bottle at 24 months were approximately 30% more likely to be obese at 5.5 years, even after accounting for other factors such as the mother’s weight, the child’s birth weight, and feeding practices during infancy,” said Dr. Robert Whitaker  of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University, in a press release.

The researchers say that drinking from a bottle beyond infancy may contribute to obesity by encouraging the child to consume too many calories.

An 8-ounce bottle of whole milk constitutes about 12 percent of a two year-old child’s daily caloric needs, according to researchers.

The authors suggest that pediatricians and other health professionals should work with parents to stop bottle use by the child’s first birthday.

The study was published in The Journal of Pediatrics.

A new study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that football-related injuries have drastically increased among children and teenagers in recent years.

Statistics from the study indicate that the annual number of injuries that resulted in emergency room visits increased by 27 percent during the 18-year study period, from 274,094 in 1990 to 346,772 in 2007.

Throughout the entire study period, approximately 5.25 million football-related injuries resulted in visits to emergency rooms.

“We found that nearly 2,000 pediatric and adolescent football-related injuries were treated every day in emergency departments during football season,” said Lara McKenzie, PhD, study co-author and principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, in a press release. “We need to do a better job of preventing football-related injuries among our young athletes.”

The most common injuries were sprains and strains (31 percent), fractures and dislocations (28 percent) and soft tissue injuries (24 percent).  Concussions accounted for 8,631 injuries each year.

Adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old were the most likely to be injured (78 percent), and were more likely to sustain a concussion.  Younger children aged 6 to 11 were more likely to suffer from lacerations.

“Prevention and treatment of concussions are the focus of many discussions at every level of play – from the junior level all the way up to the National Football League,” said Dr. McKenzie, also a faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, in a press release. “Every day during football season, an average of fifty-seven 6 to 17 year olds are treated in U.S. emergency departments for football-related concussions. The potential long-term consequences of this type of injury make this an unacceptably high number.”

The study was published in Clinical Pediatrics.

If your child has Autism you’ve likely become quite familiar with the physicians in your area- pediatricians, developmental pediatricians, neurologists, etc. Hopefully you’ve found doctors you are comfortable with and whose advice you trust. Though your doctor may be the expert in her field, you are the expert on your child and it is important you share some information with the doctors, nurses, and staff working with your child.

Be prepared

Visit the doctor’s office without your child prior to your appointment. Check out the toys and books in the waiting room (Anything your little one may want to hoard?); take a look in the bathroom (Is there an automatic hand dryer or automatic flush system that bothers so many children on the spectrum?); and of course, say hello to the nurses (Briefly introduce yourself so you have a familiar face next time you’re there). Knowing as much about the people and the facility as possible will help you generate strategies and supports to make your child’s visit go smoothly.

Wait time

If you are working on increasing the time your child can wait appropriately, share this information with the receptionist. Maybe you need to walk in the hallways and she can call your cell phone when the doctor is ready for you. Be honest about your child’s challenges so you get your appointment started on the right foot.

Sensory needs

Your child may have sensitivity to lights, sounds, and textures so inform the doctor and nurses of any issues you foresee. Think about Band-Aids, cotton swabs, or tongue depressors that your child may not want to touch. Think about the volume of music in the office. Think about the bright, fluorescent lights. Explain your child’s needs and ask if they could lower the music while you’re there or turn on just one light in the examination room. Simple modifications go a long way.

Who’s the boss?

If your child needs to have blood drawn, a strep throat culture taken, or any other procedure that may cause discomfort or pain, be clear with your doctor about who should talk to your child. If the doctor, nurse, and you are all trying to talk with your child while he is frightened, he will miss the message and all that language will probably escalate his behavior. If you’re in the lead, ask your doctor what steps he is going to take so you can prepare your child. You may need to bring pictures or a written schedule to help your child understand what’s happening. One person should be guiding your child through the process then everyone can praise him when he’s done!

Written by Jennifer Cerbasi, a special education teacher at a public school in New Jersey and owner of The Learning Link, LLC. Exclusive to AskDrManny.com.