A new report shows that the more teenagers spend on social media, the more they could develop symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
The CDC says over 6 million kids have been diagnosed with ADHD and it’s more common in boys than girls.
Dr. Adam Leventhal, a psychology professor at USC and his team did a study that suggested there is a link between digital media and developing symptoms of ADHD for kids who didn’t have ADHD beforehand. The study shows teens who spend about nine hours a day on their phone could put them at a risk of developing symptoms of ADHD.
The results showed that kids who were addicted to social media were 53 percent more likely to develop
symptoms of ADHD.
Symptoms include:
- Hyperactivity
- Trouble paying attention
- Restlessness
Those who look at picture apps and use video streaming were 45 percent more likely and those who spend a lot of time texting were 21 percent more likely.
Leventhal said parents should be taking precautions as well.
“Well — don’t use digital media so much in front of them. A lot of us do it and we don’t realize that maybe at the dinner table or in other situations we’re on our device.”
