How Genetic Risks of Autism & ADHD Linked to Kid’s Screen Time?

Children with a genetic susceptibility to autism (ASD) spend more screen time and in children with ADHD, the screen time increases as they grow older.

Children with a genetic predisposition to autism (ASD) were more likely to use digital screens for 3-4+ hours and children with ADHD progressively increased their screen time as they grew older, even while their initial screen time was brief.

Additionally, kids with genetic risk of ASD were 1.5 times more likely to spend three hours, and 2.1 time more likely to spend four hours of screen time per day.

Quiz on ADHD
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD, generally abbreviated as ADHD) is considered a “neurobehavioral developmental disorder”. To know what this definition means and what the causes, symptoms and treatment for ADD are; give our ADHD quiz ...

‘Given that children with genetic risks of autism and ADHD typically have longer screen times, parents and caregivers should try regulating screen time before it becomes an issue. #autism #ADHD #screentime #geneticrisk #digitallink’

These findings were revealed by a research team led by Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan and published in the journal Psychiatry Research ().

Screen time refers to the amount of time a person spends on a device with a screen, such as a smartphone, computer, television, or video game system.

Genetic Predisposition of Autism & ADHD Associated with Screen Time in Children

People are increasingly spending their time looking at the screens of their digital devices. This is especially true for children with neurodevelopmental disorders who tend to use screens for longer periods.

Recognizing this issue, researchers from Nagoya University and Hamamatsu University examined 6.5 million polymorphisms in 437 children’s DNA to determine genetic susceptibility to ASD and ADHD.

Next, they calculated a genetic risk index that considers the number and size of the effects of changes in genes associated with ASD/ADHD. This is known as a "polygenic risk score”. The researchers then compared it with the amount of time spent using screen devices among a sample of children aged 18, 32, and 40 months.

They found that children with a higher genetic susceptibility to ASD used devices with screens longer (3 hours a day or 4+ hours a day) from early childhood. They also found that kids with a high genetic risk of ADHD gradually increased their screen time as they grew older.

Quiz on Autism
Autism spectrum disorder is a complex genetic disorder that impairs social, behavioral, and communication functions in humans. Autistic people may act, communicate, interact, and learn differently than most other people. ASD usually begins in childhood and can last for the rest of a person's life, though symptoms may improve over time

The lead researcher, Dr. Nagahide Takahashi of Nagoya University, explained: “Overall, those with a genetic risk of 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.”

“While long periods of screen time in childhood have been suggested to 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,” he said. “Screen time may be an early sign of ASD, rather than a cause, as children with ASD are often more attracted to objects than people. Physicians should know that it is not fair to conclude that prolonged screen time is a risk factor for the development of ASD.”

Autism
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder typically characterized by impaired social and communication skills combined with repetitive movements.

These results may also help parents devise better child-rearing strategies. “Parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders may feel guilty or be criticized by others for allowing their children screen time,” Takahashi said. “However, we would recommend offering help to caregivers including offering alternative behavioral management strategies.”

Reference:

The association between screen time and genetic risks for neurodevelopmental disorders in children - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178123003451?via%3Dihub)

Source-Eurekalert