Certainly, parents need to take heed of the results of the recently published studies on the effects of television viewing on academic accomplishment and scholastic achievement. The well-being of every child whom we expect to become a productive contributor to the growth and progression of our civilization depends on it.

The truth be told, television is only one small part of the electronic media exposure equation that we need to examine in terms of children’s cognitive growth and development. For many children in many homes, use of this septuagenarian invention is being surpassed at an ever-quickening pace by an array of technologies and devices whose impact on academic growth and educational accomplishment remains unclear.

Among our youth, a new set of lifestyle activities has emerged in what is now being called “media time” -- the use of video and computer games, DVDs, MP3 players, the Internet, GarageBand sessions, instant messaging, cellular phones, and e-mail. And the confluence of these powerful technologies has created the “wired child.”

In almost all instances, we have brought these technologies into our homes and schools with little or no planning, forethought, or consideration of the educational benefits or consequences. Before much more time passes, the impact of the use of new and emerging media devices on cognitive development, children’s health, and social outcomes must to be thoroughly and diligently examined to identify both the benefits and the deleterious effects of their use by children and adolescents.

While it is likely that much of the initial research in the area will focus on the displacement of time that would be spent on reading and homework for media time, research efforts must go much further and explore the implication of their use in terms of the content and the context and the corresponding outcome on cognitive development and educational achievement.

The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine has announced the intent to delve into the educational and developmental effects of the use of a broader range of media devices. We should all be eager to gain a greater understanding of the effects of the various media and how they may best serve our children, as well as the boundaries and limits that we as parents and teachers must impose to maintain an imperative balance between the good and the detrimental affects of their use. It is the intent of the editorial board of this publication to continually track research developments in this area to enlighten our readers for the good of our “wired” children.

October 2005