2023-10-31 04:38:03
TUESDAY, Oct. 30, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Children with a genetic risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to spend hours a day glued to their screens, but researchers say that doesn’t mean that screen time “The researchers also found that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) gradually increased their screen time as they grew older, even if they started with low levels of screen time initially.” “Although it has been suggested that long periods of screen time in childhood may be a cause of ASD/ADHD, the results of this study suggest that some people may have a genetic disposition to use screens due to ASD,” said the researcher. principal, Dr. Nagahide Takahashi. He is an associate professor of medicine at Nagoya University in Japan. “Screen time may be an early sign of ASD, rather than a cause, as children with ASD are often more attracted to objects they by people,” he added in a university news release. “Clinicians should know that it is not fair to conclude that prolonged screen time is a risk factor for the development of ASD,” Takahashi explained. Most of people spend more time on digital devices, including smartphones, computers, televisions and video game systems. The researchers said this is especially true for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Collaborating with colleagues at Hamamatsu University, Takahashi’s team examined 6.5 million differences in the DNA of 437 children to determine genetic susceptibility to ASD and ADHD. The researchers then calculated a genetic risk index that considers the number and effect sizes of changes in genes associated with ASD/ADHD. That index was then compared to the amount of time a group of young children of 18, 32, and 40 months of age spent using screen devices. Researchers found that children with a higher genetic susceptibility to ASD used screen devices longer from early childhood, up to more than 4 hours a day. They also found that children with ADHD used more and more screens as they grew older. “Overall, those with a genetic risk for ASD were 1.5 times more likely to be in the group with regarding three hours of screen time per day, and 2.1 times more likely to be in the group with more than four hours of screen time,” Takahishi said. Takahashi cautioned once morest overexposing children with ADHD to screens. “Our results suggest that children in ADHD are at risk from too much screen time, especially since video game addiction is common,” he said. “Since screen time tends to be longer for children who are particularly susceptible to ADHD, parents and caregivers should be careful regarding this and engage before it becomes a problem.” Takahashi said the findings , recently published in the journal Psychiatry Research, can help parents manage children’s behavior. “Parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders may feel guilty or criticized by others for allowing their children to spend time in front of the screen. “, said. “However, we would recommend offering help to caregivers, including offering alternative behavior management strategies.” More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more information regarding autism spectrum disorder. SOURCE: University from Nagoya, press release, October 26, 2023.
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