36. TV Viewing in Early Childhood
Michael Waldman
Michael Waldman, Johnson Graduate School of Management, and Sean Nicholson, Policy Analysis and Management, analyzed data that suggested a connection between early childhood television viewing and the onset of autism. Members of the medical community increasingly believe that some factor in the environment triggers an underlying biological or genetic predisposition to autism. The researchers explored the connection between autism and two factors that increase the amount of television watched by younger children—how much it rains or snows in a region and access to cable television. One finding was that current school-aged children who live in California, Oregon, and Washington counties receiving large amounts of rain and snow when the children were young are more likely to be diagnosed with autism. Although this study is not definitive, it supports the need to look closely at early childhood television viewing.