Although previous studies have indicated a link between the amount of television a child watches and his or her risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a recent study suggests that exposure to TV is not linked to attention problems, say researchers from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.
Researchers examined a previously published childhood development study of over 5,000 children that examined children's TV viewing when they were in kindergarten and noted whether they had ADHD symptoms during first grade. In a 2004 study, researchers found that for every hour of TV that children watched between ages 1 and 3, their risk of attention problems at age 7 increased by almost 10%.
In the current study, TV watching didn't appear to be linked to ADHD symptoms, and researchers suggested that further investigation is needed to understand more about a possible TV-ADHD link.
What This Means to You. Doctors and scientists continue to study the brain, ADHD, and the disorder's potential causes. Even though this analysis casts doubt on previous reports that TV watching and ADHD are linked, it is known that watching too much TV may limit a child's opportunities to learn, play, and develop intellectually. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children older than 2 watch no more than an hour or 2 a day, and children under 2 shouldn't watch TV at all.
If you're confused by conflicting stories about what does and doesn't cause ADHD, discuss your child's symptoms, condition, and treatment with your child's doctor. Symptoms of ADHD in children include inattentiveness, difficulty listening or staying organized, tendency to lose things, fidgeting or squirming, difficulty remaining seated, excessive talking, and problems with interrupting others.
Source: Tara Stevens, EdD; Miriam Mulsow, PhD; Pediatrics, March 2006.
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: March 2006
