Is Television Linked To ADHD?

Excessive TV viewing has been known for increasing violent behavior and obesity in children. Researchers saw that by age 7, a child may have attention problems. Every day a child watches TV, it increases a child's risk of attention problems. An example is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

According to these findings, Carolyn A. McCarty, Ph.D, saw that efforts "to limit television viewing in early childhood may be warranted." Based on this, a recommendation is that parents should NOT let their children who are younger than 2 watch TV due to concerns that may affect early brain growth and social, emotional, and cognitive skills development. Parents should set limits on TV viewing and help their children develop "media literacy skills" for children older than 2.

Dr. McCarty says that "Attention problems include impulsivity, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating. We did not use a diagnostic test to assess whether the children had clinically evident ADHD but instead looked at the degree of attention problems their parents reported they had."

As a child's brain continues to develop rapidly, ADHD typically manifests in children as they continue to grow. By age 7, 10% of children have developed attention problems. Limiting young children's exposure to TV may reduce a child's risk of developing ADHD.

http://www.neuropsychiatryreviews.com/may04/npr_may04_excessiveTV.html