Findings have revealed that there is a significant correlation between the times toddlers spend watching television, and their risk of developing hyperactivity problems. This paper examines whether TV watching causes hyperactivity problems among toddlers as well as determine whether there are other possible explanations for this finding.
Impact of TV Watching on Toddlers
Hyperactive disorder is one of the common psychiatric disorders affecting children. Evidence reveal that hyperactivity problem is a multifactorial disorder contributed by both environmental and genetic factors. Television viewing is one of the environmental factor that has received in the contemporary society during early childhood. In the United States, TV watching is high, and has adverse impacts children on their health, behavior, and achievement among other developmental aspects. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 5% of all children in America suffer from hyperactivity problems. Television is a universal part of life for various families and most children spend significant amount of time viewing TV. The increased rate of hyperactivity problems among children has become a significant public health concern. Evidence shows that exposure of children between age 1 and 3 years projected development of hyperactivity problems at the age of 7 years. After controlling certain risk factors such as demographic factors including SES, sex, and age, TV watching has accounted for a huge percentage of hyperactive behaviors ( Kostyrka-Allchorne, Cooper & Simpson, 2017).
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According to Suchert, Hanewinkel and Isensee (2015) , too much exposure to TV causes attention problems in a child. Paying attention on TV than anywhere else is a trait of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The complex neurological and behavioral connections associate screens with attention. Various medical experts have indicated that children with hyperactivity disorder have a tendency of spending more time viewing television and playing video games compared to their peers. The kind of attentiveness children bring to screens is not the same one they require to have to perform better in school or in life. Children with hyperactivity disorder may find watching TV and playing video games more gratifying than their peers do due to deficiency in dopamine activity in the brain. Too much TV watching has been correlated with consequent attention problems among children both college undergraduates and schoolchildren, which may negatively affect their academic performance. In addition, these children may experience social difficulties due to lack of social skills, which pushes more to TV watching and playing video games.
A study by Kostyrka-Allchorne, Cooper and Simpson (2017) indicate that too much TV watching during early childhood have a significant impact on a toddler in future. Evidence has linked hyperactivity problems with substance use disorders in adulthood as well as engaging in criminal justice system. The person affected experiences symptoms that are distressing thus affecting their quality of life. If parents and all persons in society can identify with the potential risk factor for development of hyperactivity disorder, it is crucial that they take precautions especially the digital media use such as TV watching and video games. More research on digital media has made parents feel more confident in the evidence on how to manage media usage by children in their households. Parents, teachers, and caregivers are recommended to prioritize activities that foster effective functioning and well-being among children such as positive interactions with friends and family, distraction-free homework, physical activity, and sleep.
Conclusion
It is evident that too much exposure to TV watching contributes to development of hyperactivity problems. It causes a child to have attention problems in other areas of life. For instance, they can only concentrate on screens because they feel it is rewarding but cannot use the same attention elsewhere. This contributes to poor performance in various areas of life including school, their social life due to lack of social skills, and are prone to engage in criminal activity and substance abuse as adults. Therefore, it is important for parents to control and manage use of digital media in their household in order to minimize development of hyperactivity disorder.
References
Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Cooper, N. R., & Simpson, A. (2017). The relationship between television exposure and children’s cognition and behaviour: A systematic review. Developmental Review , 44 , 19-58.
Suchert, V., Hanewinkel, R., & Isensee, B. (2015). Sedentary behavior and indicators of mental health in school-aged children and adolescents: A systematic review. Preventive medicine , 76 , 48-57.
