The Correlation between Television and Attention Deficit Disorder

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It is commonly accepted that there is a considerable genetic element in the incidence of attention deficit disorder Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD). The occurrence of many families where ADD and ADHD disorders exist is convincing evidence. ADD is inattentive type of disorder while ADHD is a disorder with hyperactivity, but both can cause difficulty in completing school work and assignments in a timely manner. Either can affect a child's ability to keep track of their homework, belongings, and responsibilities. Yet this is probably not the whole story. If, as seems possible, the incidence of ADD or ADHD is increasing, then factors other than the genetic must be related and deeply studied. The US National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey reports that "the estimated number of office-based visits documenting a diagnosis of ADHD among children increased from 947,208 in 1990 to 3,234,180 in 1998" (Robson). From many parts of the United States, this highly reflects significant health problems among children. Furthermore, it may be of interest and relevance to understand that other research has shown that the brains of people with ADD have several regions, which are constantly smaller than those brain regions of individuals without the disability (Trusso). In this case, is ADD found on the "nature" side of the "'nature vs. nurture"? The article Inattention, Impulsivity, Hyperactivity states that even if there is physical brain-based difference, there is simply no reliable test to prove this. Although there is no solid scientific evidence that genetics causes ADHD or ADD, also there is no solid evidence that Television may be the problem. Dr. Robert A. Wascher acknowledges "as with most survey-based studies, there is a great deal of room for subjectivity in the responses of those being surveyed" (Wascher). The argument yet creates another question. Whether television may increase a children's chance of developing an Attention Deficit Diorder,or are the children with attention deficit are more likely to watch television? The research which can possible answer this question and suggests that television might be a cause of ADD/ADHD, was performed by Dimitri Christakis of Children's Hospital Regional Medical Center in Seattle. He carefully elaborated a longitudinal research and carefully controlled any possible variables affecting children between ages one and three. At age seven, the parents of these children were interviewed about their child, and using this interview, Christakis was able to find behavior problems among the children. Christakis linked for each one hour of television a ten percent increase in risk for attention problems (Christakis).

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