Does Television Exposure Provoke ADHD Behaviors?
by John H. Samson, M.D., F.A.A.P.
October 23, 2006
Referring back to my article of July 24, 2006, I invited my readers to join with me in the quest for information found in pediatric medical literature. I have summarized several of these journal articles for your benefit and encourage you to read the complete work.
In PEDIATRICS Volume 117, Number 3, March 2006 is found a good article from the Department of Educational Psychology Leadership of Texas Tech University. It shows that there is no meaningful relationship between television exposure and symptoms of ADHD.
No statistical significance was found between kindergarten-age patient's exposure to television and the emergence of ADHD symptoms in first grade.
There are many causes of ADHD behavior. The following are but a few: broken families, home stress, learning disabilities, physical impairment, mental retardation. Autism, Aspergers Syndrome, abuse and of course primary ADHD.
Although I favor limiting television and video game exposure, it appears that watching television was not implicated in this study.
What does this mean? If confronted by ADHD behavior, look elsewhere for the cause. Remember, most causes of ADHD behavior are not of the primary type. Thus, the causes are not remedial to medication. Treat the cause, not the symptoms.
Copyright © 1997-2009 Intermag Productions | Website design: Copy & Design
THE INFORMED PARENT is published by Intermag Productions, 23546 Coyote Springs Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: Contributions to the magazine are welcomed; please address them to the Editor and include return postage. All submissions to THE INFORMED PARENT will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyrighting purposes and subject to Informed Parent's unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially.
The publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of artwork, photos or manuscripts, that all rights are currently available, and that the material in no way infringes upon the rights of any person. All columns are stories by the writer for the entertainment of the reader and neither reflect the position of THE INFORMED PARENT nor have they been checked for accuracy.
WARNING: THE INFORMED PARENT or its writers assume no liability for information or advice contained in advertisements, articles, departments, lists, stories, e-mail question/answers, etc. within any issue or e-mail transmissions. www.informedparent.com is copyright © Intermag Productions.
Search Our Article Archives
The Informed Parent Book of the Month
WHERE IS MY MOMMY?
by Mary Kilgore, MSW Mitchell Kilgore, MSW
How do young children cope when a parent leaves? Doesn't she love me anymore? Is she lost? Was it my fault? This 32 page booklet is a valuable tool designed to understand and aid the grieving child.
SOMETHING IS WRONG AT MY HOUSE
b
y Diane Davis
The subject matter is parents fighting. Do they have any idea how destructive this behavior is on their children? And, what is a kid suppose to do about it?
Both booklets are written for the 3 to 10 year olds.