Parents on social media are taking sides in a heated debate against the popular YouTube series "Cocomelon," after a viral video implied that it could be bad for child development. According to a TikTok video, the children's show is like "crack" for small children based on how fast each scene changes at an average of one to three seconds.This overstimulates the kids who watch the show.
On the other hand, "My Little Pony," another popular program for kids, has an average of four to six seconds of scene changes. While older shows like "Sesame Street" do not have fast cuts or "Blue's Clues" with mostly long tracking shots.
@thecircusbrain #cocomelon #cocomelonchallenge vs #sesamestreet ♬Oh No - Kreepa
The implication has sparked discussions and reactions from parents in various parenting communities. Experts have also weighed on the viral video, which allegedly came from a Psychology student.
Kids Allegedly Experience Withdrawal Symptoms
On Instagram Stories, mom and child development expert Jerrica Sannes wrote that screen time for "Cocomelon" works like dopamine for the brain that overstimulates the kids. They experience "withdrawal symptoms" akin to drug addiction if they don't watch the show. However, the more they watch the series, the more their brain allegedly craves this overstimulation.
So, because their brain wants "Cocomelon," they can't play creatively without this show played on repeat on the TV screen. Further, Sannes also implied that kids who watch this series develop poor attention and self-regulation skills similar to children diagnosed with ADHD and autism.
"My niece always had wild meltdowns whenever it was time to turn it off, so her parents looked into this, and now it's banned," a commenter said in a Reddit discussion. Another parent said they'd banned "Cocomelon" when their child acted up because they turned off the TV for her bath. The parent said she didn't subscribe to the idea about overstimulation before but then saw the child's reaction firsthand.
However, Sannes also said that there is no published and peer-reviewed scientific research about the impact of "Cocomelon." The best examples out there are anecdotal evidence, such as the ones shared in the Reddit community. Nonetheless, these accounts could be enough for parents to decide if they let their kids continue to watch the series or not.
An Opposing Opinion from a Pediatrician
However, pediatrician Rebecca G. Cowan said she's still not convinced that "Cocomelon" is bad for kids. As Sannes has stated, there is no "empirical research" on the series, and there is also anecdotal evidence of kids without a strong reaction to the show.
Cowan said that parents concerned about the show's impact need to pay attention to their children and intervene as soon as they sense overstimulation or distress. Some of the signs to watch out for are crying too much, crankiness, and frequent tiredness. Kids may also be easily angered and upset. She reminded parents that they know their children best to notice the red flags as quickly as they appear.
