Spongebob Squarepants Could Be the Culprit of ADD

I have learned in the last 4 1/2 years to never use the term, "my child will never do that."  What i have found is my child will do that,  so it is safer not to say those words.   On one occasion in his early years I did say, "my child will never watch SpongeBob," then a few days with his uncle that was blown out of the water and my child was hooked on that little yellow sponge.  So we became a Spongebob Squarepants family.  Ethan loves the cartoon!  However, a new study is out and now I am cringing thinking why did I ever let him watch Spongebob.

According to My Way News:

The cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants is in hot water from a study suggesting that watching just nine minutes of that program can cause short-term attention and learning problems in 4-year-olds.

The problems were seen in a study of 60 children randomly assigned to either watch "SpongeBob," or the slower-paced PBS cartoon "Caillou" or assigned to draw pictures. Immediately after these nine-minute assignments, the kids took mental function tests; those who had watched "SpongeBob" did measurably worse than the others.

Nickelodeon spokesman David Bittler disputed the findings and said "SpongeBob SquarePants" is aimed at kids aged 6-11, not 4-year-olds.

Lillard said 4-year-olds were chosen because that age "is the heart of the period during which you see the most development" in certain self-control abilities. Whether children of other ages would be similarly affected can't be determined from this study.

So I wonder if there is a correlation between SpongeBob and the fact my almost 5 year old cannot sit still for a minute?  OK so he's a toddler and most toddlers do not sit still.  He's a smart kid, he's got a photographic memory so he does have a good mind, but he will not sit still.

Ethan watches SpongeBob, but I make sure he watches learning shows as well.  That is why I fell in love with Team Umizoomi and we watch it every afternoon.  That is a cartoon that teaches as it entertains.  I love to hear Ethan interacting with the Team.

How is SpongeBob any different that a coyote getting an anvil dropped on his head or blown up every time he turns around? It's a cartoon, it is supposed to be fun.  I watched mindless cartoons as a child, and I think I turned out OK.

Do you let your kids watch SpongeBob Squarepants?  Do you think that this cartoon messes with their little brains.