What shows are overstimulating for children?
Cocomelon, along with many other popular infant/ toddler shows such as Little Baby Bum, Blippi, and Baby Einstein, are so overstimulating that they actually act as a drug, a stimulant. These types of shows are carefully designed to hold a young child's attention, and they are very successful in doing so.
Overstimulation happens when children are swamped by more experiences, sensations, noise and activity than they can cope with. For example, a newborn baby might get very unsettled after a party where they've been cuddled by a lot of grown-ups. A preschooler might have a tantrum after a big event like a birthday party.
In an Instagram story, Sannes wrote, “Cocomelon is so hyperstimulating that it actually acts as a drug, as a stimulant. The brain gets a hit of dopamine from screen-time and it seems that the stronger the 'drug' aka the level of stimulation a show delivers, the stronger the 'hit. '
Child-development experts say CoComelon is no more problematic than most other children's TV shows.
“Cocomelon is so hyper-stimulating that it acts as a drug, a stimulant,” Sannes posted on social media. “The brain receives a hit of dopamine from screen time, and the more they watch the show, the more the brain begins to expect this intense level of stimulation.”
Jerrica claims the show could cause even neurotypical children to display the type of dysregulation, inattention or behavioural issues more common in neurodivergent children, such as those with autism or ADHD.
Children's television program “Bluey” has become a great influence on children, giving them an example of a supportive and functional family environment. The national sensation with three seasons that was created in 2018 named “Bluey” is a perfect alternative to “Cocomelon”.
Sound: Loud sounds like music or fireworks or exposure to multiple conversations at once can be overstimulating. Taste: Certain flavors, temperatures, or textures can lead to sensory overload. Touch: Any touch that's too light, firm, or scratchy — or sudden or unexpected — can trigger overstimulation.
What is Overstimulation? Overstimulation (OS) occurs when there is “too much” of some external stimulus or stimuli for a person's brain to process and integrate effectively. This leads to an unpleasant sensation of being flooded and an impulse to escape the stimulus – or, failing that, to cry or scream or thrash about.
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Overstimulated Newborn or Baby
- Clenches fists, waves arms or kicks legs.
- Crying louder or more than what is normal.
- Extra cranky or tired.
- Moves in a jerky way.
- Turns their head away from you.
What show is better than CoComelon?
Classical Baby (HBO Max)
Winner of multiple accolades, including a Peabody Award and four Emmys, Classical Baby is a far more relaxed alternative to CoComelon, and helps introduce young children to classic musical arrangements by Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and other classical composers.
“Cocomelon is so awful for children. It's over stimulating which can delay a lot of developmental milestones," one mum claimed. Another mum shared on Reddit that her little one was so addicted to CoComelon, she would tantrum to the point of harming herself when she wasn't allowed to watch it.
This is one that all ages can enjoy. There are subjects that the parents can enjoy as well as the kids. My daughter is almost 5 and this is the only thing on Disney + that she cares to watch. I also appreciate that they are only 8 minutes long, so it's not much of a time commitment.
If you have kids or spend plenty of time around children, you know that listening to "Baby Shark" on repeat can be agonizing. But now, a court has ruled that it's actually a form of torture.
"Without empirical research on the show CoComelon, there is no data to substantiate claims that this show is overstimulating due to the pace of the scenes," says Rebecca G. Cowan, Ph. D., a professor in the college of social and behavioral sciences at Walden University.
Essentially, if your child is overwhelmed by Bluey, and shows signs of overstimulation during and after its viewing, it may be overstimulating to them. Overstimulation, though, is not a common complaint from parents who allow their young children to watch Bluey.
It helps them learn new words, and it helps them internalize what a story structure is. There's an educational element to wanting to watch them over and over again.”
Sensory overload happens when something overstimulates one or more of the senses. There's suddenly too much information coming in for the brain to process. It's common in people with sensory processing issues. Many people associate sensory overload with kids who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Overstimulation is a state of feeling overwhelmed by the situation you are in. This might take the form of physical or emotional discomfort and feeling like your brain is frozen or you're unable to think or process anything that's happening.
Sensory issues are considered a symptom of autism because many people on the autism spectrum experience them. But not everyone with sensory issues is on the spectrum. Some have ADHD, OCD or developmental delays. Or they may not have a diagnosis at all.
What does autistic overstimulation look like?
Know your child's signs of overstimulation
Some signs of overstimulation are: Rocking. Covering eyes or ears. Tensing muscles.
Some people who are overstimulated may experience extreme emotional or even physical discomfort. They may display extreme irritability, anxiety, or fear. Some may voice their discomfort by crying or throwing tantrums. Or, they may even show aggression.
Sensory overload occurs when you get more input from your senses than your brain is able to process. Although anyone can experience sensory overload, this condition is most commonly associated with autism, PTSD, sensory processing disorder, and fibromyalgia.
Kids can become overstimulated from screen time without realizing it, which can result in moodiness, increased anxiety, higher levels of irritability, and poor behavior. These symptoms could affect every aspect of the child's life, including academic performance and social interactions.
But my “go to” calming technique—especially for kids who are overstimulated or overwhelmed—is something called heavy work. Heavy work is when kids push or pull on an object, or compress or stretch a body joint. Think body resistance—slow, steady resistance that requires a child to exert effort against her muscles.
Some people can experience sensory overload and accompanying anxiety even if they don't have one of these other conditions. Ultimately, it's possible for anyone to feel overstimulated and have an intense response, especially to an unexpected or overwhelming situation.
There are 5 seasons of CoComelon on Netflix as of August 2022, although a sixth season will be released in September 2022. Netflix has the global rights to CoComelon and every region receives new seasons together.
For kids, Bluey is a great show about the joy and heartbreak of childhood. In 125 eight-minute episodes across three seasons, Bluey and Bingo, two sweet little dogs, play and go to school and cause trouble. The games they invent and the lessons they learn are easily portable to kids at home.
Screen time addiction has widely been discussed over the last years. Before the addiction is actually developed, the child's nervous system is likely to become overstimulated from regular exposure to the screen. This causes chronic stress to the brain resulting in various learning and behavioral disorders.
What the researchers concluded was that the unnatural pace of the cartoon sequences was overstimulating and stressful to the child's brain.
Do kids shows Cause ADHD?
The bottom line on TV: Cancel the guilt trip. Plenty of kids who watch little or no TV are diagnosed with ADHD, and an abundance of evidence points to a genetic connection. The researchers themselves stated that, based on their findings, TV does not cause ADHD.
Despite recent claims on TikTok—and (seemingly widespread) disapproval—there's no definitive proof showing that CoComelon causes behavioral and/or developmental issues.
Jerrica claims the show could cause even neurotypical children to display the type of dysregulation, inattention or behavioural issues more common in neurodivergent children, such as those with autism or ADHD.
CoComelon is causing tantrums in children
It's over stimulating which can delay a lot of developmental milestones," one mum claimed. Another mum shared on Reddit that her little one was so addicted to CoComelon, she would tantrum to the point of harming herself when she wasn't allowed to watch it.
It's not SpongeBob himself who's the culprit, he says, but fast-paced or violent shows. "It's overstimulation that causes the problem," he says. The theory is that overstimulation while a child's brain is developing makes it harder to focus on sustained tasks later on.
Some experts think that viewing Cocomelon is absolutely fine for young children. Nicole Beurkens, a psychologist in Grand Rapids, finds Cocomelon stimulating but not overwhelming.
- They Have Sleep Issues. ...
- They Have Language Delays. ...
- They Exhibit Aggressive Behavior. ...
- They Give You Sass. ...
- They Are Physically Inactive. ...
- They Have A Lot Of Fear. ...
- They Beg For Things. ...
- They Can't Pay Attention.
Simply put, people with ADHD have areas of the brain that function differently. The disorder begins in childhood, but somewhere between 30 to 70 percent of sons will also be fathers with ADHD. A number of published studies show a clear link to genetics, but it is not 100 percent conclusive.
It's important to know that TV cannot cause autism, even in large doses, contrary to a now-debunked 2006 study (though, of course, too many hours of TV can make it hard for a child to find time to do anything else!).
ADHD symptoms start before age 12, and in some children, they're noticeable as early as 3 years of age. ADHD symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and they may continue into adulthood. ADHD occurs more often in males than in females, and behaviors can be different in boys and girls.
