A Dose of Dr. Gwenn

Did you catch the recent Eli Stone controversy? Regardless of where you fell on the issues of immunization and autism, there’s no denying that TV greatly impacts our ideas and how we think. The problem with shows that have medical content, however, is that if those shows become misguided, so too can their audiences. And, recent events should cause us all to pause and at the very least wonder about the thoroughness of medical review for TV dramas.

Why is this so important? Simple. It's essential to have solid background information on all TV dramas because of how real and believable the events portrayed can seem. The same is true for what you see, hear and read on the internet. Keep in mind that celebrities are actors but are not experts. They just play experts on TV or online.

If it hadn’t been for the medical community shedding light on the Eli Stone episode before it aired, many parents may have not known the facts and could have been too easily convinced that immunizations are harming their children. They may have been all too swayed by the power of the drama and their own emotional hot buttons and could have been misguided to not immunize their own children. The interesting irony with this episode is that even before it aired, a new study demonstrated that thimerosal, the element always cited as the culprit of vaccine harm, is innocent as charged.

Thanks to the outcry of medical experts, the producers of Eli Stone did post a disclaimer at the start of the show and some links at the show's conclusion. Those are often tried and true ways of alerting you to important medical information. In fact, question shows you see with questionable medical information that does not take those extra steps. A responsible show with a good message will include some sort of informational message at the end, if not question the reliability of the show and hold fast to your current health beliefs.

If you ever watch a show that raises medical questions about someone in your family, your family's pediatrician or internist are two wonderful resources available to you. Start there before you go too far online. The last thing any of us want is for a TV show to confuse you and if you are confused, others in the practice likely are, too. So, let someone know.

My kids’ spring school vacation this year fell during TV Turn Off Week. I figured this would be a snap with the change in routine and the excitement of exploring new locales. I anticipated happily tired kids falling asleep at the end of each day before they even remembered we had a TV in our hotel room. Even without an “official” no TV week, vacations are low TV times for us – we’re just too much on the go.

However, I quickly faced one huge hurdle I didn’t quite anticipate: we were visiting The Big Apple – the city that never sleeps and that has a screen of some sort on just about everywhere you go: hotel lobbies, elevators, restaurants, bars, museums, Times Square, and even taxi cabs. Talk about TV tube over load complete with an instant failure of our attempt at TV Turn Off Week. My only solace was that none of us actually hit the “on” for those bigger than life screens.

With TVs also now available in refrigerators and cars, we do honestly have to ask ourselves when this will end, especially knowing the plethora of studies citing the risks to our kids and our society for too much tube time. And, that is what we are talking about: too much.

Kids who watch too much tv are at risk for obesity, inattention and even behavioral issues. And, a recent study in Pediatrics actually showed that teens without TVs in their bedrooms were healthier. They moved more, ate healthier foods and spent more time with their families.

But it is not just kids that fare better with less TV and technology. Adults do, too. I recently learned of a very creative day called “Shutdown Day”. Such a brilliant concept: be plugged in less and get outside to interact with the world more.

We all should be doing that a great deal more - unplugging. I often wonder if we emailed less and talked more, would we be better off and I have a feeling the answer would be yes. And, I can say that without citing a study and just by looking a what my life was like pre and post the email craze.

It may take time to niche away at the societal issues of being overly plugged in and with TVs at every turn, but you can do something about your own family's little piece of the world. Since returning from NYC, I've been reciting this to myself:

Spring has sprung; the grass has riz; I wonder where all the family time is??

Family time should be active and outside this time of year and not passive and in front of a tube. So, unplug your family and get everyone out on the same grassy field with some balls and just see what happens. One more thing - leave your cell phones in the car. This is a completely unplugged family experience - I have a feeling the first of many once you see how incredibly bonding with your kids like this can be!