Experts have largely dismissed research that links screen time among babies to autism.

Scientists from Drexel University, Philadelphia, argued evidence has linked the time a youngster spends “viewing digital media” with impaired development.

Read more: What is the difference between autism and Asperger syndrome?

After looking at the television habits of more than 2,000 babies, they concluded screen time at 12 months old was significantly associated with autism-like symptoms at age two.

Other experts have rejected the study, calling it “absurd”, “fatally flawed” and “low quality”.

Autism can make it difficult for an individual to communicate. (Getty Images) More

More than one in 100 people in the UK are thought to be on the autism spectrum.

In the US, one in 54 children are said to have some form of the disorder.

Writing in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, the Drexel scientists claimed genetics are responsible for between 50% and 80% of an individual’s autism risk, adding the “non-genetic contribution is also significant but poorly understood”.

They argued “social media viewing” has rarely been studied for autism, despite interfering with “parent-child interactions” and offering “little opportunity for learning”.

Read more: MMR vaccine is effective and does not cause autism, study confirms

According to the NHS, “nobody knows for sure what causes autism”.

To learn more, the scientists analysed the TV habits of more than 2,000 babies who took part in the National Children’s Study.

Caregivers reported whether the 12-month-old viewed television or videos, answering yes or no.

They were also asked how many hours of TV the child watched at 18 months, the time they spent reading to the youngster at one year and how often they played with the child.

Results suggest the babies who “viewed” screens at one-year-old were 4.2% more likely to develop autism symptoms.

These can include struggling to communicate, a dislike of loud noise and repeatedly doing the same thing.

The scientists called the statistically-significant finding “modest” but “notable”.

They argued screens interfere with “social learning”, which could alter “brain processing”.

Alternatively, children who are “predisposed” to autism may have a “preference for screens” or parents may use them to “soothe” symptoms.

The results also suggest the infants whose parents played with them every day were 8.9% less likely to have autism symptoms at two.

“In typically developing children, parent-child interaction correlates with brain development”, wrote the scientists.

They added, however, “the association between parent-child play and autism-like symptoms could be driven by the behaviour of children who are beginning to develop [autism] symptoms because they may be more difficult to engage socially”.

“High screen viewing” at 18 months was not associated with the disorder.

The study found babies whose parents play with them every day were less likely to develop autism symptoms. (Getty Images) More

‘There is nothing more harmful than poor science’

The research has largely been met with criticism.

Dr James Cusack from the charity Autistica argued the apparent 4.2% increase in symptoms is small.

Assessing a two-year-old also carries little weight considering “children develop at different rates” and “it is hard to accurately diagnose autism” at such a young age, he added.

“It is absurd to claim, based on these results, that screen time has any association with autism or how autistic someone is,” said Dr Cusask.

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