The findings, notes the author, were taken from a survey of
parents and teachers of 5,000 U.S.
children over a two-year period, to
determine if TV viewing habits during the kindergarten year resulted in
ADHD in first grade.
"The results of the present study do not indicate the presence of an
important relationship between television exposure and subsequent
attention problems," said the study published in the March issue of
"Pediatrics," the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Experts were not surprised at the results of this study, notes the
article, because they’ve always believed that ADHD has been present in
children long before TV could be blamed for the disorder. The
report also stated that if there is indeed an association between TV
and hyperactivity, it may be that the frustrated and exhausted parents
of already overly active children are more likely to let them watch
excessive TV in order to give themselves a break.
"It may be that exhausted parents of very active and inattentive
children resort to using the television as a 'babysitter' more commonly
than do parents of less active and more attentive children," the report
said. "Thus, the relationship between early television viewing
and later attention problems may be linked to child temperament as much
as or more than television causing children to be inattentive," it
concluded.
Earlier studies showed no link between the style of parenting and ADHD
but have cited some environmental concerns such as exposure to toxins.
