Can Too Much TV Cause ADD or ADHD?

Many people wonder why so many of today's youth are being diagnosed with attention defecit disorder (ADD) and attention defecit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Recent psychological studies have shown that watching too much tv as a child could actually lead to the development of these disorders. TV and film have changed drastically since their birth, and so has children's programming.

If you turn to an old airing of Sesame Street, the camera stays in one place with a head-on angle and relative slow-moving action. Now, however, cartoons change frames a mile a minute, with bright colors and rapid movements. It's easy to see how spending many hours in front of a television could significantly effect the way a child's brain develops. The human brain continues to develop into a person's early twenties, but the most important years for brain development are the first six years of a child's life. Some parents send young children to daycare where they may be propped in front of a TV all day long, and even parents who stay home with their children may allow the kids to watch lots of TV to keep them out of their hair while they do housework.

It is important that parents undertand how much influence TV can have on the development of their child's brain. A little TV can be good for kids because many programs help them learn things, but parents should keep a close eye on the amount of television their child watches and what types of programs they watch. If a child only watches one or two shows a day and the shows are educational, they probably have much less of a chance of developing ADD or ADHD than a child who sits for hours and hours and watches whatever comes on. It does not take that much more effort for parents to give their kids brain stimulating activities, like coloring books or toys which stimulate the imagination. Even having them help with chores around the house can be a great way to keep their brain and body active as well as learning responsibility.

It is not necessarily true that anyone who has ADD or ADHD watched too much television as a child, because there are many factors that contribute to these common disordres. Some children may be genetically predisposed to develop these disorders and some could develop them as a result of many different environmental factors. Parents should understand that psychological disorders are often the result of a combination of some genetic factors and some environmental factors, and all causes have not been determined by scientific proof at this time. However, there is a strong relationship between lots of TV and kids who develop ADHD and ADD. If your child already has been diagnosed with these disorder, do not ban them from watching television altogether, but whether they have been diagnosed, if they seem like they may someday, or if they seem fine, every parent should pay attention to how much and what their children are watching as well as providing alternative forms of entertainment for your kids.