Nearly every day,
I get to meet new people and hear their unique perspectives.
I also get a lot of questions on all kinds of topics. I'm
always happy when I can give my questioner a definite answer.
If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that
giving parents and teachers clear information is essential
to helping kids.
But for years, I've heard one question three or four times
each week, and I haven't been able to supply an adequate
answer. It's a question that cuts to the heart of two of
the most controversial issues facing young people today.
The question: is there a connection between early media
use and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
It seems like a no-brainer. Anyone who has seen a kid unable
to sit still after a long stretch in front of the TV is
bound to think the two have to be connected. The quick-cut
pace of today's movies and video games seems to cultivate
a very short attention span. Until recently, we've had no
scientific proof.
Well, the research keeps rolling in. The latest issue of
the journal Pediatrics unveils a study that took
seven years to answer this question. The answer won't be
surprising to anyone who has suspected a connection between
heavy media use and inattention. According to the authors
of the study, for every hour per day children between ages
one and three watch TV, the risk of attention problems at
age seven increases by ten percent. That means the average
baby, watching two hours every day, is 20 percent more likely
to have the symptoms of ADHD than a baby who watches no
TV.
ADHD is the name for an affliction that seems to be affecting
a growing group of youngsters. The symptoms include an inability
to sit still, trouble paying attention, and a lack of mental
focus. Kids who have ADHD often do poorly in school because
they have so much trouble reading, paying attention in class,
and staying on task. These unfortunate kids may be easily
confused, impulsive, and restless, thanks to their attention
problems. Although some believe ADHD is over-diagnosed,
everyone agrees that children with real attention problems
are suffering.
Other studies show that many very young children spend a
lot of time in front of screens, and an alarming number
of them have TVs in their bedrooms. Parents who want to
give their children the best chance to avoid attention problems
need to make a MediaWise to do list. First, get the TV out
of the bedroom. Next, limit screen time to a reasonable
amount. And don't forget to limit your kids to age-appropriate
programming.
The information is clear. If you want to help your kid avoid
the challenges of ADHD make sure the media don't loom too
large too early in their lives. That way, they can pay attention
to what is important: growing up healthy and happy.
David Walsh, Ph.D. is the founder of the
MediaWise Movement, a program of the National Institute
on Media and the Family (www.mediafamily.org).
His latest book, Why Do They Act That Way? A Survival
Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen
is available at all major booksellers.
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