‘Videos’ and Danger
Concerning columnist Howard Rosenberg’s criticism of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” as a danger to children (March 24 and April 9):
As a research assistant in epidemiology at UCLA I’ve been involved with a study on mild brain injuries in children. For nearly a year I visited emergency rooms looking for such cases, typically resulting from play activities--the stuff of “funny home videos.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the children in the clips shown on TV ended up in an emergency room with the symptoms of a mild brain injury or concussion. I know because I’ve reviewed hundreds of ER charts.
Rosenberg did well to point out that each clip ends at the point of impact. What happens afterward?
JULIA TASLIMI, Center for Injury Prevention, UCLA
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