title: Elevated background TV exposure over time increases behavioural scores of 18-month-old toddlers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether trends of TV exposure from age six to 18 months and adult TV programmes were associated with behavioural concerns of 18-month-old Thai toddlers.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 194 healthy infants recruited at age six months and followed up until 18 months of age in this present cohort. TV exposure variables were assessed by interviewing in depth at both six- and 18-month-old visits. A mother of each participant rated the child's behaviours using the Child Behaviour Checklist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infants who were increasingly exposed to TV from age six to 18 months with adult programmes since six months of age had higher pervasive developmental problems and oppositional defiant behaviours scores. Exposure to adult TV programmes at age six months was also associated with emotionally reactive problems, aggression and externalising behaviours in the final regression models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To promote appropriate toddlers' behaviours at age 18 months, elevated background TV exposure over time should be discouraged. Furthermore, paediatricians should emphasise such effects of TV exposure on child behaviours with parents at health supervision visits. As such, parents will be aware of the detrimental effect of increased background TV exposure over time on their children's behaviours.
authors.affiliation: Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Weerasak
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chonchaiya
authors.affiliation: Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chalermpol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sirachairat
authors.affiliation: Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nakul
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vijakkhana
authors.affiliation: Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Tanaporn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilaisakditipakorn
authors.affiliation: Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chandhita
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pruksananonda
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D008297:Male; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Adult programme; Behaviours; Television; Toddlers