O USO DE MÍDIAS DIGITAIS E O DESENVOLVIMENTO DE SINTOMAS DE AUTISMO NA INFÂNCIA: Uma revisão integrativa

The increase in screen use by children has raised concerns among experts due to its potential impacts on cognitive and social development. Concurrently, there has been a significant rise in the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this context, this review aimed to explore the relationship between excessive screen use in childhood and the emergence of autism-like symptoms, which could lead to misdiagnosis. Through an integrative review, 5 databases were accessed, and 36 studies were selected for initial analysis. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and their results were described. Excessive screen use in childhood appears to be associated with deficits in social communication, impaired eye contact, sensory-motor delays, behavioral and learning problems, lack of self-control and emotional intelligence, as well as sleep disturbances. These symptoms may be exacerbated in children with ASD. Parents often use screens to calm, distract, or educate their children. Interventions that reduce screen time have shown improvements in autism symptoms in both children with and without ASD. Excessive screen use in childhood may cause or exacerbate symptoms similar to those of ASD. These findings highlight the need for careful evaluations in ASD diagnoses to prevent excessive screen use from being a confounding factor. It is crucial to acknowledge the current limitations of research due to methodological variations, which necessitates more comprehensive and long-term studies for a clearer understanding of these relationships.