Published on 12, July, 2020
There is some contentious stuff out there about high levels of tv watching increasing the chances of a child becoming autistic. What if however children with autism/autism traits are more likely anyway to watch tv. I don't know if that is true, I'm just throwing it out there for debate.Possibly more time stuck in front of the box would mean less time engaged in imaginative play.I was a toddler in the late 50s/early 60s and apparently watched a lot of television. Nowadays a toddler watching lots of tv or videos would not be that unusual, but I'm not sure it was the case back in the late 50s/early 60s .
I learned a lot from watching television in my chilldhood.
It is easy to say that the quality of television in the early 1960s was better. It wasn't really.For every good programme there was one of rubbish to compensate, for every classic drama there was a 'Crossroads'.
But Blue Peter with its history tales, the Sunday teatime Classic Dramas such as Oliver Twist had a big effect on me. Programmes moved a lot slower then, yet they managed to pack a proper story into a half hour of Robin Hood or Sir Lancelot.
There were only two channels in those days so the on and off switch was utilised frequently and we actually sat down as a family and played games or listened to the wireless or played records if there wasn't anything on.I am still an 'Archers' addict!
Television has so much choice these days that little is watched properly. And although the technical quality of filmed drama is superb, often the stories are weak and there is no prooer conclusion.
And as for Mrs Browns Boys I just cannot watch it at all. I know I'm an an old fuddy-duddy!
As for causing autism, no.Too much television can cause a short term addiction to it, but within a day or two of not watching it is amazing how one can recover. And I don't think someone who is autistic is any more likely to watch television either.