PSA about studies involving babies
Sueball1
member
I keep seeing people freaking out about various studies that warn against the dangers of parenting- tv watching, breastmilk vs formula, weight, etc. I think it's important for us to realize two things:
1. Studies involving babies are, by their nature, flawed. Babies can't agree to be test subject, therefore it's unethical to tell parents, "ok, YOU let your kids watch tv, and YOU, don't let them watch any, and we'll see who turns out smarter." What parent would agree to do something that could potentially harm their kid? So, researchers need to work around this to make sure they have test subjects and controls without harming anybody. The way they do this is to find families who are ALREADY engaging in certain behaviors. The problem with this is, there is no "real" control. A family who lets their kid watch a lot of tv may have other issues going on- lack of good parenting in other ways. And on the flip side, a household where kids are allowed NO tv may very likely be a parent who reads up on child development and does a zillion educational activities with the kids or sends them to expensive preschools where they get the best of everything. You look at these 2 kids a few years down the line, and it's no shock that the latter child is more "intelligent" and focused than the one who wasn't exposed to as much postive stimulation. This may have nothing to do with the tv, but more to do with the other surrounding factors.
Baby studies = loose science.
2. The journalists who write these articles are not experts. I was one of them. In fact, I was the nutrition "expert" editor for a highly respected health website. My background in nutrition? Zilch. Yeah, I learned a lot during the job, but I'm a writer, not a doctor. And yes, journalists try for truth and intergrity, but there's also pressure to get the "scoop" and be the first to break a story, and sensationalism sells. Parents are an easy target.
My point is, please take everything you read with a grain of salt. I guarantee you that every mother on this board loves their babies with all their heart and is doing everything they can to keep them safe, happy and healthy. These studies can make you crazy and it's so not worth it, because in a month something will come out completely negating what you just read.
Off my soapbox in 3...2....1...NOW.
Re: PSA about studies involving babies
Totally agree with you!
LOL, I once wrote an article on Vaginoplasty. Yes. I don't even know how to pronounce it correctly!
Well, I'm not sure that's true, or at least not more true than any other human study. Your comment about studies being flawed because its difficult to determine causality in a complex system is true of every study. A good researcher however, knows how to control for different variables, and hopefully will set up the study accordingly. To say that the outcome of any given clinical trial is automatically flawed and should be therefore be discounted is not correct, IMHO.
I do agree that all study findings, while interesting, should be thought about in context of each individual's experience. In the end, we all know our families best.
Sorry, Skat, but I disagree. The difference is that there are ethics involved when it comes to minors that do not apply to adults, thus making studies involving younger subjects party to much interpretation on the part of the researchers, who are most often biased and seeking a certain outcome to get cited in certain journals of note. This problem has been cited in numerous critiques of recent studies- I will try and find these citations but right now I'm typing in between sessions of lulling Leo back to sleep so I just don't have the time!
However, I will tell you that several of the medical editors I've worked with have lectured me on this to the point that it has been drilled into my head and once you look at these studies with this knowledge and delve a little deeper, it's easy to become very skeptical. There's a reason that what was "good" 10 or 20 years ago is now "bad" and I promise you that in another 10, the tide will have changed again. Baby Einstein used to be considered the darling of early childhood education. Go figure.