There's been a lot of talk about media and our children recently – more specifically, the effects of media on children younger than 2 years old.

As parents, we've all heard and try to heed the warning that television, computers, video games, and other electronic devices most certainly need to be moderated and monitored.

We want our children to be outside playing, reading books and interacting with us instead of being glued to some form of electronic screen. It makes common sense for their overall health.

I fight this battle at home daily. It was quite the techie Christmas in our household. I'm constantly setting timers so my children (and I) know when it's time to get their noses out of those glowing screens and move onto another activity.

But what about our babies?

For more than a decade now, the American Academy of Pediatrics has advised against any type of television for children younger than age 2. Yet babies and toddlers are watching television and videos, and they're watching more than ever before.

Does this matter?

It absolutely does, and with new research and evidence being brought to light about the negative impact of too much "artificial" stimulation on infant brain development, parents are wise to keep it to a minimum. Admittedly, neither of my children made it to age 2 before being introduced to Dora and Caillou, and I often used the television to entertain while I made dinner.

Had I seen an incredible online talk given by pediatrician, researcher and father Dr. Dimitri Christakis on the importance of limiting screen time and maximizing face time in order to cultivate healthy brain development, I probably would have tried harder.

You can still hear Christakis, as I did, at www.ted.com. TED, by the way, is a nonprofit with a mission of sharing "ideas worth spreading." The acronym stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, for a conference that brought together people in those three spheres.

What Christakis so eloquently concludes in his TED discussion of early childhood brain development is that too little stimulation is just as bad as too much of the wrong input. Too little in the form of parental neglect or abuse can impede brain growth in those first few critical years.

On the flip side, too much stimulation in the form of television, DVDs (whether they are "educational" or not), and other media can prevent essential synapses from connecting, and permanently alter and impede those tiny brains. This increases the chances for future attention problems, like ADHD.

How can we support and encourage healthy brain growth? What our babies need is us. That face-to-face interaction and cognitive stimulation such as listening to a parent read a book are essential. Even a recent study found that babies start to lip-read around 6 months of age in preparation for language acquisition.

What this can translate to in the real world of parenting is this: Do your darndest to keep all screen time for children younger than 2 to nothing. It's OK to let your little one play independently in a safe area while you make dinner. It's good for her, actually.

Know that for children younger than 2, programs touted as educational really have no benefit. Maximize face-to-face play and interaction to get those little synapses firing and building great connections.

Keep all types of media out of children's bedrooms.

Know that for children older than 2, screen time should be limited to less than two hours a day; and content matters. The more fast-paced, the more it will wind up your child.

Believe me, I know how crazy days get and how we need a little reprieve now and then. We aren't perfect and won't always get it right, but these are great media goals to have and keep in mind.

I asked Christakis what he thought parents should take away from all of this information and my favorite quote is the same one he used to sum up his brilliant talk: "Change the beginning, and you change the whole story."

Want to hear Christakis yourself? Go to tedxtalks.ted.com/video/ TEDxRainier-Dimitri-Christakis.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Dr. Melissa Arca is a mother of two, a writer and a blogger. Her blog, www.confessionsofadrmom.com, is where her worlds of doctor and mom come together, and it is featured on The Bee's blog and community news network, Sacramento Connect.

• Read more articles by Dr. Melissa Arca