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PAPERS: B W Lloyd and K Brodie Recognition of television images as a developmental milestone in young children: observational study BMJ 2000; 320: 836-838 [Abstract] [Full text]

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Milestones in the New Millenieum

C Vidyashankar   (24 March 2000)

Tinky-Winky, La-La, Dipsy and Po

Chris Manning   (28 March 2000)

Clinical utility of this milestone has not been established

Michael Hunter   (28 March 2000)

Re: Tinky-Winky, La-La, Dipsy and Po

Kamran Abbasi   (29 March 2000)

My Purple Tinky-Winky

Colin Guthrie   (30 March 2000)

Milestones in the New Millenieum 24 March 2000
C Vidyashankar, Pediatrician Delhi, India Send response to journal: Re: Milestones in the New Millenieum	The exposure of children to home electronic appliances will require the need for defining new developmental milestones as has been brought out in this study. With the increasing access to computers, children can manipulate a mouse earlier than a pencil. The age at which a child can use a mouse could be a developmental milestone tests gross motor, fine motor as well as cognitive development. This should also be a subject for study.
Tinky-Winky, La-La, Dipsy and Po 28 March 2000
Chris Manning, co-chair Hampton Wick Send response to journal: Re: Tinky-Winky, La-La, Dipsy and Po	Dear Sir I hope that this test could be further refined to include the more specific recognition of favourite TV characters. This has as much place in assessing the development of children as for the screening of their parents in terms of the time they spent watching the TV with their offspring. Yours Faithfully Dr Chris Manning Conflict of interest: Involved currently in an evaluative study on the nutritional efficacy of Tubby Custard.
Clinical utility of this milestone has not been established 28 March 2000
Michael Hunter Send response to journal: Re: Clinical utility of this milestone has not been established	Dear Editor - Lloyd and Brodie propose that an 18 month old child's ability to recognise television images may be a useful milestone in the assessment of development (1). Their data is derived from the examination of two conditions only: Down's syndrome and normality. To extend the concept to include learning disabilities in general, language disorders and autism is therefore not necessarily valid. The authors found their milestone to have a high degree of specificity (96%): very few normal children were unable to recognise television images. The sensitivity of the milestone, that is, its' ability to detect Down's syndrome, was 81%. One fifth of children with Down's syndrome were not detected. We do not know how sensitive the milestone is to learning disability generally, language disorders or autism. We cannot assume that the findings with the Down's syndrome group can be generalised. The clinical utility of this developmental milestone has not yet been established. Michael Hunter Specialist Registrar in Psychiatry Community Health Sheffield NHS Trust, Northlands Community Mental Health Centre, Southey Hill, Sheffield References 1. Lloyd BW, Brodie K. Recognition of television images as a developmental milestone in young children: observational study. BMJ 2000; 320: 836 - 838.
Re: Tinky-Winky, La-La, Dipsy and Po 29 March 2000
Kamran Abbasi, Managing editor Bulletin of the World Health Organization Send response to journal: Re: Re: Tinky-Winky, La-La, Dipsy and Po	Dear Sir, I am surprised to read that Dr Manning is studying the nutritional efficacy of Tubby custard. He should at least know that the correct order is: Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, La-La, Po. Yours sincerely, Kamran Abbasi
My Purple Tinky-Winky 30 March 2000
Colin Guthrie, General Practitioner 1448 Dumbarton Road Glasgow G14 9DW Send response to journal: Re: My Purple Tinky-Winky	My purple Tinky-Winky makes all the children smile My key-ring Tinky-Winky is with me all the while When Billy's drums are bulging and he's screaming fit to burst Out comes Tinky on my key-ring It's the toy that I use first The storm subsides, his face softens tears still flow , then comes a smile Recognition, warmth and kindness makes this job so worthwhile 'It's Tinky!' says Billy's mummy now he's smiling fit to burst clutching Tinky to his tummy and the pain is briefly cursed Whisked home as if by magic to familiar fireside calm I sail through my auroscopic for he knows I'll do no harm My purple Tinky-Winky is with me all the while My key-ring Tinky-Winky makes everybody smile.