by Chris Tregenza, via Creative-Reporter

TV is often blamed for causing ADHD but that bright glowing box with flickering, fast moving, hypnotic images might be innocent after all. Texas based researcher Dr Stevens said "It was clear that the relationship [of ADHD] with TV viewing was close to zero". However she did not say TV viewing has no effects only that "I think these findings take a little bit of the pressure off parents. It's very likely that you did not do something wrong to make your child develop ADHD."

The findings were based on data from 22,000 who attended kindergarden in 1998. This contradicts previous findings that did link TV and ADHD. However Dr Stevens is not giving the television a clean bill of health noting that that the previous work had included younger pre-school children who may be more susceptible to television's effects. Dr Stevens also noted the limitation of her statistical study that relied on reports of symptoms in children rather than first hand studies and called for further research.

Chris Tregenza was once dyslexic but no longer is. Having overcome his own problems Chris now uses his blog Myomancy to give parents and sufferers indepedent news and reviews of treatments for dyslexia, ADHD and autism.