Could there be a connection between SCREEN TIME and
AUTISM ?
By Karen D ' Souza
A new study of about 84,000 Japanese families suggests that the more screen time baby boys were exposed to at age one , the greater the likelihood they showed signs of autism spectrum disorder by age three . The pattern did not appear to hold for girls .
In the study , about 330 women said that their child had been diagnosed with autism by age three , a prevalence of about 0.4 %. There were three times as many autistic boys as autistic girls , and the proportion of children with autism increased as screen time increased , according to the study , as Spectrum reported . Some have taken issue with the findings , suggesting there ’ s a lack of specificity in the methodology .
“ The findings are also hard to evaluate because the study lacks detailed information about variables that correlate with infant TV watching ,” as Spectrum noted . “ These factors were either not measured or only crudely accounted for in the new study .”
However , some researchers are beginning to believe that environmental factors such as exposure to screens , rather than solely biological factors such as genetic predisposition , may play a role in the skyrocketing numbers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder , as Psychology Today reported .
Experts have long warned about the adverse effects of screen exposure on the health of very young children . The American
Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that children should not be exposed to screens until they are at least 18 months of age .
First published by EdSource
76 Accessibilty for All To Table of Contents