- Do you keep children in during break so that they can finish their work?
- Do you keep children indoors as punishment for misbehaviour
- Do you tell your children they cannot play sport until their school marks improve?
The next question is - does this really help? Does it make life any easier for them or for yourself? Before answering, please read on ...
Recent Research
The Journal of Paediatrics recently published the findings of a team of experts in the Michigan State University (MSU) which demonstrated that children with ADHD can focus better and become less distracted after a quick session of exercise (walking on a treadmill for 20 minutes). Results showed that participants with ADHD were able to focus better and slow down after making a mistake. This helps to avoid future errors.
Matthew Pontifex, the assistant professor of kinesiology, and lead researcher in the team explained:
"This provides some very early evidence that exercise might be a tool in our non-pharmaceutical treatment of ADHD. Maybe our first course of action that we would recommend to developmental psychologists would be to increase children's physical activity". He added that school children need more physical activity incorporated in their daily schedule.
Because of the time needed to teach all the other subjects, many schools no longer offer physical education. Some don't even have sporting facilities. Maybe this should be reconsidered.
Exercise helps in different ways
In his book Spar, Dr John Ratey explains the many different ways in which exercise can help the learner:
Exercise improves the learner with
- heightened senses
- improved focus and mood
- they become less fidgety and less tense
- they become more motivated and invigorated.
Exercise increases learning at the cellular level and
- improves the brain's ability to log in and process new information
- creates the environment for brain cells to wire together and create better links
- increases Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BNDF) which Dr Ratey refers to as 'fertilizer' for the brain.
Exercise is the best way to make new neurons in the brain (neurogenesis) which happens every day, but is far greater after we exercise.
Exercise and neurotransmitters
Dr Ratey points out that dopamine, serotonin and nonadrenalin all increase with exercise and suggests that exercise should be five times daily. He adds that dopamine works on the pleasure center of the brain and anyone short of dopamine is more likely to be looking for extra excitement and greater thrills. Most mothers of children with ADHD will tell you about their kids (and even husbands) winding them up until they totally lose their cool and explode. It makes life far more interesting for people with ADHD - but definitely not for the victim who is regularly stretched to the end of their tether.
Lifestyle is important
If you think about it ... medication helps to make dopamine (Ritalin, Concerta) and nonadrenalin (Strattera) more available in the brain, and so does exercise. Please don't for a moment think that we're suggesting that you suddenly take your children off medication ... definitely not, especially just before exams. However we are suggesting that you have a careful look at lifestyle: exercise, diet, supplementation, reducing stress levels, family time etc and improve where possible. It could mean a much happier and more peaceful holiday season, especially with a whole lot more family togetherness with playing sport/games, walking or even family hiking.
Sport
Sport can help children channel their excess energy. Michael Phelps was a skinny ADHD child whose mum was told he would never be able to focus on anything. At least he could burn off his excess energy in the swimming pool. This paid off handsomely as he now holds the world record with 22 Olympic medals, 18 of which are gold. Not all children will want to do the same thing and so we need to find what interests them, and how they can best achieve it. Don't push them into something they can't do or don't enjoy. Also be aware that some prefer to play in a team sport while others prefer to compete against themselves. Football, swimming, horse-riding, running, walking, swimming, judo, karate are just some of the many sports available however, there are many other forms of exercise that could help equally well.
Taken from the ADHASA newsletter of Sep/Oct 2012
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