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 screen time causes ASD.
Researchers also found that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) gradually increased their screen time as they got older, even if they started out 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 because of ASD,” said lead researcher 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 than to 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 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.
In collaboration 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 size of the effects of gene changes associated with ASD/ADHD.
That index was then compared to the amount of time a group of young children aged 18, 32 and 40 months spent using devices with screens.
The researchers found that children with a higher genetic susceptibility to ASD used devices with screens 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 got older.
“Overall, those with a genetic risk for ASD were 1.5 times more likely to be in the group with about 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 against overexposure of children with ADHD to screens.
“Our results suggest that children at risk for ADHD are at risk for too much screen time, especially since video game addiction is common,” he said.
“Given that screen time tends to be longer for children who are particularly susceptible to ADHD, parents and caregivers should be wary of this and engage before it becomes a problem. “Takahashi said the findings, published recently in the journal Psychiatry Research, can help parents manage children’s behavior. “Parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders may feel guilty or be criticized by others for allowing their children to spend time in front of the screen,” he said.
“However, we would recommend offering help to caregivers, including offering alternative behavior management strategies. “More informationThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on autism spectrum disorder.SOURCE:Nagoya University, news release, Oct. 26, 2023.