Is Watching Cocomelon Bad For Babies? What Every Toddler Parent Should Know

Cocomelon is not inherently dangerous for babies, yet it is bad for them. This is not because of the content itself, but rather excessive screen exposure and fast-paced stimulation, which can impact the developing brain of children, especially those under 2 years.

The Indian Academy of Pediatrics recommends zero screen time for children under 2 years and not more than 1 hour for pre-schoolers (2-5 years)

Why Every Indian Parent Is Asking This Question

You want to finish cooking dinner, but your baby is getting very cranky. You give them their favourite toy, but nothing helps. So, you resort to the solution that works almost every time — Cocomelon. You hand over the phone to your baby and let them enjoy themselves. It may seem completely harmless. Sometimes, even educational.

After a few days, you start to notice an unusual change in your child’s behaviour. They don’t babble like they used to, and the moment you try to take the screen away or turn it off, they become cranky. You try to divert their attention using books, toys, literally anything that does not come with a screen.

Sound familiar?

From metro cities to smaller urban households across India, this problem is far more common than most parents realise, and it is not something that should be ignored.

What the IAP and WHO Actually Say

The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) 2021 guidelines, as well as the World Health Organization, clearly state that screen time is not recommended for children below 2 years. For 2 to 5 year olds, not more than 1 hour of supervised screen time should be allowed. It is important to understand that this is not a target but rather the upper limit.

A Meta-analysis published by the researchers at AIIMS Raipur highlighted that in India, children below the age of 5 have 2.2 hours of screen time per day on average, which is more than double the recommended time limit.

What Is Cocomelon?

Cocomelon is a children’s YouTube channel created in 2006 that has over 201 million subscribers and features 3-D animated nursery rhymes and story songs for children. It happens to be one of the most watched YouTube channels on the planet and is also streamed on Netflix & Spotify.

Why Is Cocomelon Addictive?

Young children, even small babies, are addicted to Cocomelon, to an extent that they might even seem hypnotised. This is because it is scientifically engineered to hijack your baby’s developing brain and keep them glued to the screen.

Cocomelon uses rapid screen changes, constant upbeat background music, repetitive song loops and high contrast colours. All these combine to create highly stimulating visuals that trigger the release of dopamine. When you turn the screen off, the dopamine levels drop, causing meltdowns.

It’s not like Cocomelon is toxic or just viewing it once will affect your child’s brain; however, if your little one is watching it unsupervised and over a span of months, it is quite likely to condition their brain in a way that interferes with crucial activities like talking, reading, and imaginative play.  

Does Cocomelon Cause Speech Delay?

While no study has specifically pointed out that Cocomelon causes speech delay, Indian Academy Of Pediatrics specifically lists delayed speech as one of the documented negative effects of increased screen exposure in children.

It is important to understand that speech develops through back-and-forth interaction. When parents speak, children respond, and parents react. That does not happen when your child is watching Cocomelon, and hence, there is no engagement.

A cross-sectional study conducted in Tamil Nadu, India suggested that “an increase in ST was significantly associated with a delay in the development of language, communication, and social interaction among children”

Another observational study by PGIMER Chandigarh found that toddlers in the age group of 18 to 24 months who were exposed to more than 1 hour of screentime daily were more likely to exhibit poor communication skills and speech delays.​

AIIMS. Delhi also conducted a study which suggested that children below 1 year of age, who were exposed to screen time, were more likely to show the symptoms of  autism spectrum disorder, including speech and communication deficits, by the time they turned 3.

Signs Parents Should Not Ignore:

The impact of screen time might not be evident initially, and the signs show up only after the child has been exposed to the screen for a couple of weeks or months without any supervision. It is advisable to speak to your pediatrician if

• Your child is 12 months old and still not babbling.

• Your child is 18 months old but has not uttered a word.

• Your child is 24 months old and still not able to form two-word phrases (like mama bhookh, ball dedo, etc)

• Your child responds to the TV but not when you call their name.

Are There Better Alternatives?

For children above 2, screen time has to be limited and meaningful. Here are some good options.

If you are specifically looking for Indian channels, you can try Chutti TV (Tamil), Pogo (select programmes), and local language nursery rhyme channels that are interactive and slow paced.

Screen Time Rules For Children

For babies who are under 2 years:

• Screen time should be strictly avoided except for video calls with close relatives.

• This also means no television in the background.

• You can opt for  outdoor play, rattles and stacking toys, water play, singing, reading cloth books, talking and narrating daily activities instead.

For toddlers in the age group of 2 - 3  years:

• Total screen time of 1 hour should be allowed in a day, with each session not exceeding more than half an hour (30 minutes)

• Always accompany your child and make sure you keep interacting with them in between

• Choose interactive and slow-paced content.

• Don't allow screen time during meals and switch off at least an hour before bedtime.

Screen Time Tips For Parents

Small children pick habits real quick, so when you are using your phones or laptops in front of your child, they are noticing it. In order to ensure your child is not exposed to screens unnecessarily,

• Keep your phones, laptops and similar gadgets out of sight when not in use.

• If other family members like grandparents, aunts and uncles are showing a screen to your child, talk to them and frame it as a medical recommendation.

• Whenever your child asks for a screen, offer interactive alternatives to keep them engaged in a healthy way.

• If your child throws tantrums when the screen is turned off, don’t give in.

The Bottom Line

Watching Cocomelon once will not ruin your child’s brain; however, it is the regular pattern that matters. What might just seem like a few hours will have a long-term impact on your child. If your child is under 2, no screen time and if they are anywhere between 2 to 5, only 1 hour of supervised screen time should be allowed.​

Note: Always consult your paediatrician if you have concerns about your child's speech or development milestones. This article is for informational purposes and is based on IAP, WHO, and published research guidelines.

References:

https://iapindia.org/pdf/Screentime-Guidelines-for-Parents-Ch-005.pdf

https://www.who.int/news/item/24-04-2019-to-grow-up-healthy-children-need-to-sit-less-and-play-more 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8259964/

http://hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/ut-pgi-study-finds-more-screen-time-leads-to-speech-delays-in-toddlers-101777320182989.html

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/health/too-much-screen-time-aiims-study-links-mobile-phones-to-autism-risk/articleshow/130711401.cms

The blog has been reviewed by Dr Janardhan Reddy (MBBS, DNB Paediatrics)
Dr Janardhan is working as a Specialist Doctor in the National Health Mission. His field of expertise includes Child Growth and Development, Vaccination, Health-Related Issues of the Paediatric Age Group and Adolescent Counselling.