They Say: Autism is Linked to Watching TV

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:15:00 GMT

If you ever suspected it was no coincidence that the rise in childhood autism began around the same time as the advent of cable TV, a Cornell study shows you were on to something.

Researchers at Cornell University claim to have established a definite link between autism rates and TV watching among toddlers in California, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Oregon. Beginning in 1980, when cable TV brought Nickelodeon and other children’s programs into people’s homes, autism rates rose most sharply in counties with a high percentage of homes with cable. Specifically, the Cornell study found that “roughly 17 percent of the growth in autism in California and Pennsylvania during the 1970s and 1980s was due to the growth in cable television.”

And studying the amount of time children watched television based upon particularly rainy and snowy years in the Western states (bad weather is known to increase child TV watching), the researchers concluded that “just under 40 percent of autism diagnoses in the three states studied is the result of television watching.” Although it’s possible that these numbers reflect a relationship between autism and staying indoors (not watching TV), these numbers are much more conclusive than any of the numerous studies looking to establish a link between autism and vaccines.

The Cornell researchers are advancing no theories as to why increased television watching among toddlers causes an increased likelihood of an autism diagnosis, but it’s possible the link is related to the fact that the ability to process visual data develops in the first three years of life; children with autism exhibit abnormal activity in these areas of the brain.

It may be time that researchers turned their attention away from chemicals and genetic links in the search for a cure for autism. If something as simple as avoiding TeleTubbies and Baby Einstein could help lower autism rates, this is something every parent needs to know.

Photo: Cleveland Leader

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Mom Fights Church on Behalf of Autistic Son

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:32:00 GMT

Autistic kids have faced a lot of discrimination lately - from the classroom to the church -- and one mother isn't taking it any longer.

Carol Race's Minneapolis church filed a restraining order against her son, barring him from attending Mass and now she's fighting back.

Ms. Race and her son attended Mass in violation of the order and will attend a hearing this week to defend their actions. Several parishoners are supportive of Ms. Race and her son and sit with her to show their disapproval of the church's actions.

Given the number of children who are autistic in this country, institutions are going to have to learn to be more accomodating and informed. Ms. Race rightly points out that parishoners feared rather than understood her son. Rather than file a restraining order, perhaps the church should have made more of an effort to understand one of their own.

Strollerderby : autistic children

They Say: Autism is Linked to Watching TV

Interview: Larry Martinek of Mathnasium

Mom Fights Church on Behalf of Autistic Son