Does children’s spending long hours in front of the TV or computer cause Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
According to the results of long-term scientific studies, there is no clear relationship between excessive use of TV or computer and the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Although many television or newspaper reports claim the opposite, we do not have clear data. As we mentioned in our previous article, the main causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are genetic and environmental factors (toxic causes encountered during pregnancy and the first years of life). After long-term use of the TV or computer, we feel tired because our minds are bombarded with stimuli. We may have difficulty in paying attention and concentrating for a certain period of time, but a long-term and permanent disorder such as ADHD is not caused by the TV or computer. One study suggested that meeting television at an early age, such as 1-3 years old, causes shorter attention spans in the following years (7 years old) than their peers, but this finding could not be replicated.
All these data mean that there is no relationship or connection between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and long-term use of television, computer?
No. Individuals with ADHD easily get caught up in situations that contain intense stimuli. Rather than pursuing a task with little stimulus, such as a reading or writing task, they tend towards fun, attractive, exciting, colorful, and varied stimuli. Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder watch television more, use the computer, play games for a long time, text a lot, use the phone extensively, and send a lot of sms. They have a great deal of interest and time devoted to such activities. For this reason, children with ADHD use television and computers much more than their peers, and the right limits must be set.
Is there an age limit for children to watch television or use computers?
The general recommendation of American sources is that under 2 years of age should not use television and computers. They report their concern that fast scenes and quick actions may affect the early stages of social, emotional and cognitive development of children under the age of 2 years.
I would like to give some of the scientific publications I have benefited from as they may cause controversy or confusion:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21338006
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/4/708.short
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21144536
Other To access attention deficit articles: Click here.
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