There's been much debate on whether TV is bad for kids or not. Recently, there seems to be more discussion from the not-bad side. Here's another: an article that reports on a study taking a new approach: using data from 1965 test scores for almost 300,000 kids to compare later performance according to whether the city they lived in got TV earlier or later. Their conclusion: no difference.

It's probably rather more to the point to worry about whether the child is being raised in a loving home or not. The Guardian reports on the Bucharest Early Intervention Project -- the first randomised clinical trial set up to investigate the effects of social deprivation on the emotional, psychological and physical health of children. It is not, of course, the first study to demonstrate that a child's home life can have significant effects on their development, including intellectual development.

Relatedly, the Guardian also has an extract from Steve Biddulph's new book (to be released 6 March): Raising Babies: Should Under-3s Go to Nursery?