15 October 2006
TV Does Not Cause Autism
10/17/06 14:25 Filed in: Research
Note - This is a re-publication of an article from 2006 (there has not a three year-gap in postings). When we re-designed the site recently we did not re-post all of the previous entries, though we will be adding in those which seem especially relevant. This article is the first archived entry to be added, as it is referenced in a current posting - EJW
This morning (10/17/06) an article appeared on Slashdot referring to a study that ostensibly claimed that television watching causes autism.
As has become very common in our media-driven society, the concepts and information in the study were significantly simplified for the article, and conclusions were drawn that the study, nor its authors, could possibly support. Unfortunately, when it comes to our children, and particularly disorders as puzzling as autism, everyone dealing with it – parents, professionals, administrators – is desperately hungry for any advance in understanding. This being the case, information presented in this shorthand way quickly becomes accepted fact, despite it’s not being an accurate representation of the available information. Given this, I am very concerned that we will very soon be hearing it stated, as if it were established fact, that television causes autism.
In light of this, let me say up front that this entry probably should be more accurately titled “this article does not show that TV watching causes autism”. Read More...
This morning (10/17/06) an article appeared on Slashdot referring to a study that ostensibly claimed that television watching causes autism.
As has become very common in our media-driven society, the concepts and information in the study were significantly simplified for the article, and conclusions were drawn that the study, nor its authors, could possibly support. Unfortunately, when it comes to our children, and particularly disorders as puzzling as autism, everyone dealing with it – parents, professionals, administrators – is desperately hungry for any advance in understanding. This being the case, information presented in this shorthand way quickly becomes accepted fact, despite it’s not being an accurate representation of the available information. Given this, I am very concerned that we will very soon be hearing it stated, as if it were established fact, that television causes autism.
In light of this, let me say up front that this entry probably should be more accurately titled “this article does not show that TV watching causes autism”. Read More...
