Kids with ADHD love to run around. With the exception of kids diagnosed with ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type or those displaying signs of a sluggish cognitive tempo, most kids with ADHD wake up in the morning and are ready to go all day long, and sometimes all night long! While active, they quickly lose interest in formal athletic activity, meaning that their movement is better explained by fidgeting, than vigorous movement. In addition, because so many of these children are drawn to the stimulation from video games and might choose to sit in front of a screen, exercise is crucial for kids with ADHD. Unfortunately, many of these same kids with ADHD cannot sit still for hours of remote learning, and do much better when they have exercise breaks.
While some data suggests that a sedentary lifestyle is correlated with ADHD symptoms or a lack of academic progress, there is little data that suggests that ADHD is caused by a lack of movement. However, there is strong evidence that vigorous exercise can reduce the symptoms of ADHD. If you are a parent of a child with ADHD or have ADHD yourself, I strongly encourage you to read the book, “Spark”, by John Ratey, MD. Dr. Ratey, also the author of the ADHD bible, “Driven to Distraction,” describes how exercise increases the brain protein brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that enhances attention, learning, and stress management. Exercise serves as a medication for our brains and is particularly powerful for kids with ADHD.
My recommendation is a minimum of 45 to 60 minutes a day (and preferably up to 90 minutes) of vigorous physical exercise for kids with ADHD. If possible, the child should do some of the exercises before school, as it will help their focus for the morning session. If that’s not possible, have them do it after school but before they do their homework. Shortly after exercise, a child’s learning and attention are at their peak.
Many kids with ADHD do not love being on formal sports teams, so you may need to find individualized ways to get them to exercise. Using technologies may help. For example, tools such as virtual reality exercise games, Fitbit’s to encourage them to keep track of their exercise, or listening to music that goes along with their exercise may keep them at it.
To learn more about why exercise is crucial for kids with ADHD, check out these links.
Treating ADHD with video games and exercise
This article, published on the LearningWorks for Kids website, shares four great suggestions on how to incorporate exercise into your child’s life.
MSU Study: Exercise Helps ADHD
A study conducted by Alan Smith, a kinesiologist from MSU, only further supported the current research that suggests that exercise can be particularly beneficial to the ADHD brain.
Can Exercise Improve Processing Speed?
This article, published on our LearningWorks for Kids website, shares a lot of great information on just how exercise can work to help improve a child’s processing speed.
This video provides a short yoga demonstration for children to follow along to. The best times for children to engage in some form of exercise, more specifically yoga, could be before school, after school, before homework, before bed.
This article explores the potential non-medical treatment of exercise for individuals with ADHD and how exercise is suggested for all kids as it can help with so many issues beyond ADHD such as obesity, anxiety, and stress.
You can learn more about why exercise is crucial for kids with ADHD by contacting Dr. Randy Kulman at South County Child and Family Consultants in Wakefield, RI at 401`-789-1553 or at evals@sccfc.net.
