Seattle, Wash.: April 5, 2004 – Early television exposure in children ages 1-3 is associated with attention problems at age 7, according to a study from Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle. The study, published in the April issue of PEDIATRICS revealed that each hour of television watched per day at ages 1-3 increases the risk of attention problems, such as ADHD, at age 7 by almost 10%. These results control for other attributes of the home environment including cognitive stimulation and emotional support.
The findings also suggest that preventive action can be taken to minimize the risk of attention problems in children. Limiting young children’s exposure to television during the formative years of brain development consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) recommendations may reduce a child’s subsequent risk of developing ADHD. The AAP recommends parents avoid letting their children under the age of 2 years watch television and that caution be exerted in children over the age of 2.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects between 4 to12 percent of children in the United States, and is the most common behavioral disorder in children.
The study, led by Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH, a researcher at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center did not look at the content of the television programs. “This study suggests that there is a significant and important association between early exposure to television and subsequent attentional problems. We know from national estimates that children watch an average of 2-3 hours of television a day in this age group and that as many as 30% of children have televisions in their bedrooms. There is a tremendous and growing reliance on television for a variety of reasons. However, parents should be advised to limit their young child’s television viewing,” said Christakis.
This national study adds inattention to the list of harmful consequences of excessive television viewing that also includes obesity and violent behavior. Children ages 1-3 were chosen to participate because their brains are still developing rapidly and they are too young to be clinically diagnosed with attentional problems, such as ADHD.
Attentional problems, such as ADHD, do not typically manifest in children until later years.
Consistently ranked as one of the best children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report and Child magazines, Children’s serves as the pediatric referral center for Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Children’s delivers superior patient care, advances new discoveries and treatments in pediatric research, and serves as the primary pediatric teaching site for the University of Washington School of Medicine. For more information about Children’s, visit www.seattlechildrens.org.
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