Attention disorders and TV

[Guest Ronna]

On NBC Nightly news on Monday night they are doing a story on attention disorders and TV. I thought some may be interested given our discussions re: tics and TV.

 

Ronna

[Guest Ronna]

Can't you hear Teletubies and Barney clicking off as we speak!

 

Attention Deficit

 

 

By Michael Conlon

 

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The more television children watch between the ages of 1 and 3, the greater their risk of having attention problems at age 7, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

 

 

 

They found that each hour of television that preschoolers watched per day increased the risk of attention problems such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, by almost 10 percent later on.

 

 

The study, published in the April issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, adds inattention to the list of harmful effects of excessive television viewing that also includes obesity and violent behavior.

 

 

Frederick Zimmerman of the University of Washington in Seattle, one of the authors, said it was impossible to say what a "safe" level of TV viewing would be for children between the ages of 1 and 3.

 

 

"Each hour has an additional risk," he said in an interview. "You might say there's no safe level since there's a small but increased risk" with each hour.

 

 

"Things are a trade-off. Some parents might want to take that risk. We didn't find a safe level in that sense."

 

 

The data from 2,500 children covered by the study found that they watched an average of 2.2 hours per day at age 1 and 3.6 hours per day at age 3. But some watched 12 hours or more.

 

 

The ages are significant because brain development continues through those years, the study said.

 

 

"This study suggests that there is a significant and important association between early exposure to television and subsequent attentional problems," said Dimitri Christakis, a physician at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle who headed the study.

 

 

"We know from national estimates that children watch an average of two to three hours of television a day in the 1- to 3-year-old age group, and that as many as 30 percent of all children have a television in their bedroom," he said.

 

 

"There is a tremendous and growing reliance on television for a variety of reasons. However parents should be advised to limit their young child's television viewing," Christakis said.

 

 

In the United States between 3 percent and 5 percent of children are diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, which is marked by reduced ability to concentrate, difficulty in organizing and impulsive behavior. The symptoms do not typically show up until children are older, around age 7.

 

 

STUDY LIMITED

 

 

The authors said the study had some limitations.

 

 

The television viewing data came from the parents and may not be completely accurate. Also, there is no way to know whether the children already had attention problems early on that attracted them to TV viewing, though symptoms don't appear that early, it said.

 

 

It was also possible the parents who allowed excessive TV viewing were themselves distracted and neglectful, creating a household that fostered attention problems in the children. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder has a high heritability level, the study said.

 

 

And the study did not look at what kinds of programs the children watched.

 

 

 

 

 

"Despite these limitations our results have some important implications if replicated in future studies," it said. "First we (have) added inattention to the previously studied deleterious consequences of excessive television viewing ... (and) our findings suggested that preventive action can be taken."

[Chemar]

Interesting report!

 

However......my family must be the exception.......

 

my oldest son, now nearly 18yo, was an avid cartoon watcher..we lived in S Africa till he was 4, and, although we had only very limited hours when TV was broadcast there back then...and a fraction of that for kid's stuff......he was teeny and LOVED to wath the "toons every day for as long as he could, plus anything else we would let him watch

 

He is a straight A honors student who excells at everything he tries (except sports )

and has none of the neurological issues that his younger bro does..........

 

now, the younger one hardly ever watched TV (we were already living in the states the year after he was born so had the 24/7 availability).....anyway, he was far more interested in playing outdoors or with "building block" type toys.....not much TV till he was much older.....

 

but, he does have ADD and other learning disablities, plus all the other stuff!!!

[Guest Ronna]

I was thinking about this as well. Interstingly, Kurt did not watch TV until he was about 4 years old and even then it was minimal because he was not just interested . Believe me I use to be jealous of the mom's who has kids who would watch a whole disney movie. Even now Kurt is more likely to be my kid that is outside etc.

 

My other two children love to watch TV and I use to be amazed when they were toddlers that they sat and watched TV because Kurt was never interested.

 

Thinking about this study...I wonder if children who present at about age 7 with ADHD show some degree of it when they are 1 to 3 in the sense that the parents maybe allow more TV for these toddlers as it is the only time they are more "quiet".

 

Anyways, it is an interesting study and even more interesting that they will have a warning for parents. Watching less TV is always a good thing.

 

Ronna

[Chemar]

 

Thinking about this study...I wonder if children who present at about age 7 with ADHD show some degree of it when they are 1 to 3 in the sense that the parents maybe allow more TV for these toddlers as it is the only time they are more "quiet"

 

Ronna

 

 

VERY good point, Ronna!

[Claire]

But the study said that ADD doesn't show symptoms until age 7, so this wouldn't self-select the group. I think the better explanation is in part that those parents don't have the time (or don't value making the time, depending on the situation) to actively engage with their kids.

 

Anyway, I just read the CNN article and came here to post it myself. Someone I know read a book on this years ago--TV is soooooooo fragmented--they skip from scene to scene.

 

It is passive viewing--the brains are half engaged and being trained for hours at that level. Like neurotherapy brain training--if you believe in that. (Though I don't correlated this directly to flicker)

 

My son watched 30 minute a day (TV OR computer, he had a choice) max his whole life, starting age 2--and certainly not every day. When he was sick a few weeks back he saw movies.

 

I want to see what the correlation to obesity is. (TV or video games).

 

Anecdotal evidence aside, I would love to see more studies.

 

And unfortunately, I think TV's will be clicked off for a day then back on--the electronic babysitting is just too convenient.

 

Claire

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Very interesting. My son has watched a LOT of TV as a child.. There were days when he used to watch cartoons the WHOLE DAY. And now, he is totally out of TV and it has helped his tics tremendously.

Claire, did your doctor suggest a B complex for your son ( as a part of the supplement protocol).