Saudi Gazette report

DAMMAM — A number of specialists have refuted the claims by an oncology researcher that sitting in front of television and computer screens or playing electronic games on iPads and mobile phones for long durations would increase the possibility of developing autism among children.

Dr. Fahad Al-Khudairi made the claims in a Twitter post.

“None of these can be a reason for autism at all,” said Dr. Faisal Al-Aradi, assistant professor of special education and deputy dean of the Faculty of Education and Arts at Tabuk University, while speaking to Al-Watan Arabic daily. He asked Al-Khudairi to remove his misleading message from Twitter.

The researcher has since removed his controversial tweet but did not reply to a large number of experts who reacted on various social media platforms saying his claims are wrong and baseless.

But Al-Khudairi’s son reacted angrily and warned that he would take legal action against anyone who tried to defame his father.

Al-Khudairi refused to make any statement on the issue but said he reserved full rights to file lawsuits against those who tried to hurt him.

Al-Aradi, who is a specialist in autism, commended Al-Khudairi’s efforts to educate the public on potential reasons for children to develop autism. He said the reasons mentioned by the researcher could delay language learning and lead children to losing social skills.

“Yes, I agree with Dr. Al-Khudairi that we should not leave children with these electronic devices, which deprive them of opportunities for linguistic growth and learning social and other essential skills and which they acquire through interactions in family and environment,” said Al-Aradi.

He added: “In the past, some studies claimed that there was a relationship between vaccinations and autism. This made many families to refrain from vaccinating their children, and the result was the reappearance of diseases that had been eradicated after the discovery of vaccines.”

Al-Aradi said a number of later studies denied any relationship between vaccines and autism.”

Dr. Hussain Al-Shamrani of King Faisal Specialist Hospital who has specialized in hyperactivity among children, also refuted Dr. Al-Khudairi’s claim and said: “It has not been proven. A recent scientific study found that television and electronic devices and games do not cause autism.”

He was surprised by the threat to take legal action for refuting Al-Khudairi’s viewpoint. “I did not attack Dr. Al-Khudairi as a person but instead appreciated his efforts and I respect him. I wanted him to remove the Twitter message because it gives wrong information and this will not degrade his status because every one of us makes mistakes. It is something quite natural.”

Dr. Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, a physician and psychologist, stressed that the information circulated by Al-Khudairi was incorrect. “There is no scientific evidence to confirm that watching TV or using iPads causes autism,” he pointed out.

Urologist Dr. Badr Al-Musaieed, who supported the view of other doctors on the issue, said he had received a personal threat from the researcher’s son. He denounced the warning of Al-Khudairi’s son against prominent doctors like Dr. Al-Shamrani, saying it was unacceptable.