Too Much Screen Time Can Threaten Attention Span

By Kathleen DohenyHealthDay Reporter

Too much time spent watching television and playing video games can double the risk of attention problems in children and young adults, new research finds.

The study is the latest of many to point out the ill effects of excessive screen time, whether at the computer or the television.

So I guess that means I should stop watching TV while working on the computer and listening to my MP3 player, huh?

Another thing I've observed that I think we do too much of is use DVDs or Nintendo DS as babysitters. I've seen kids on the train and in waiting rooms, etc. with a Nintendo DS to keep them quiet or placed in front of a TV with a movie they've seen 1,000 times to keep them occupied at home or while visiting someone. I know that an easy end to the "just-sit-still-and-be-quiet" battle makes life easier at the moment for the caregiver, but over the long term does that mean we're training our kids to always require some form of entertainment? Real life is not like that. Sometimes you have to just ... sit still, be quiet, and wait or be actively engaged in what's going on around you.

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