TV, ADHD and Doing Useful Things

WebGangsta writes "USAToday (and others) are reporting that too much TV, at an early age, can cause ADHD in children. They say that there should be no TV watching for children under 2. Every added hour of watching TV increased a child's odds of having attention problems by about 10%. Kids watching about three hours a day were 30% more likely to have attention trouble than those viewing no TV. The researchers accounted for many factors beside television that might predict problems concentrating, but the TV-attention link remained. I imagine that in 10 years we'll be seeing studies about how too much Internet/computer/video game use will also result in ADHD. See PEDIATRICS magazine for more information."

Comments

TV==bad, Computer==good

[illuminatedwax]

Say what you want about TV causing ADHD - its fast switching topics are designed for short attention span, and as such will cause children to adapt to its style, causing inability to focus. However, video games (for children, especially learning games) demand focus from children and are probably beneficial in the same way that mobiles and toys and other baby things are. Having a computer will also get them used to dealing with technology, something which nowadays is vital. I remember I had a Commodore 64 when I was 5 and would just love to sit there and program on it and play video games.

The difference really is that television is aimed at consumers, and consumers are really at heart people with ADHD with lots of money to spend. Video games on the other hand are an involved activity, no more dangerous than solving the Junior Jumble or pushing blocks through holes - provided that you give the children children's software. Don't let your kid end up like this.

--Stephen

Causal relationship?

[Bazzargh]

The paper doesn't actually claim a causal relationship:

"Early television exposure is associated with attentional problems at age 7. Efforts to limit television viewing in early childhood may be warranted, and additional research is needed." (my italics, from the abstract)

Without any evidence of a causal pathway it could be that, eg the constantly changing images are appealing to children who eventually develop ADHD. There have also been studies showing that children watching television in preschool has a beneficial effect on their teenage school performance.

Given conflicting advice, surely parents should follow the advice of their doctors or health board and not jump on the first research bandwagon that rolls through town.

TV vs. Computers

[michaelredux]

"You go to your TV when you want to turn your brain off.
You go to your computer when you want to turn your brain on.
Those are not the same."

-- Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple