Children with ADHD move twice as much when learning, brain tests show

[Sunlei]

Source: CBC Canada

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may fidget, tap and swivel around in a chair much more than normally developing children because it helps them to learn complex material, psychologists have found.

ADHD is often perceived as a behavioural problem because it can result in symptoms such as inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity that can affect social interaction and learning. Scientists increasingly recognize ADHD as a brain disorder that affects about five per cent of the school-age population.

Now brain tests show children with ADHD tend to learn less when sitting still compared to when they're moving.

It is not for lack of motivation, says Prof. Mark Rapport, a child psychopathology researcher who focuses on ADHD at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/adhd-brain-1.4344754

[Aristus]

1. Children without ADHD do this, too.

It's called being a kid.

In my clinical opinion, ADHD is wildly overdiagnosed. The reason is simple: kids aren't getting enough recess. Instead, they're stuck inside, being forced to learn how to take a standardized written test. They need to be outside playing. That's where they really learn.

Finland has the best public school system in the world. When asked why Finnish kids learn so much better, without standardized tests and so on, a school principal said: "We value play". Finnish school kids gets lots of recess, lots of running around. And often, classes are conducted outside, with teachers setting tasks for the students such as collecting ten rocks, or a number of fallen leaves about which they will be asked about their similarities and differences.

Want to see the reported cases of ADHD decrease in this country? Ditch the standardized tests that teach nothing, and instead give the kids more recess.

[Doreen]

3. When the schools in the early 1970's told my mother to

put me on Ritalin she took me to many doctors and had many tests on me done before she just jumped on the band wagon to give it to me. In the 70's the doctors had not started to hand out ADHD diagnose's like candy. It was the schools that started to push it more than the doctors because they wanted a quick fix instead of learning how to deal with the ADHD children. By the time the mid 80's hit it was being handed out like candy from the doctors....sad.

[EllieBC]

7. I'm going to have to disagree with you.

This isn't about not enough time to play outside. My 7 year old daughter has autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, and ADHD. She also goes to a school that has very frequent "brain breaks" where the kids go outside.

She still moves constantly. She has a near impossible time staying on task for even 5 minutes. We started her on Ritalin this year after she came one crying because "her brain kept moving". It had already been suggested by both her pediatrician but we were trying to handle it without medication. Which was stupid because I would not try to handle diabetes or any other illness without medication.

The change is quite dramatic and amazing. Her meltdowns which were often triggered by frustration over her inability to do even the simplest of tasks has dropped dramatically. Dealing with sensory issues through occupational therapy and social/emotional issues that stem from the autism through ABA helped but the ADHD needed actual medication.

I have nothing nice to say to armchair child development specialists and armchair child psychologists so I'll leave it at this: until you've seen your child frustrated by an inability to control themselves, you know nothing.

[Aristus]

8. That's the second time today I've had someone with no medical training state that I 'know nothing'.

You people do know how whack you sound when you say things like that, right?

You must have missed the part where I wrote "ADHD is wildly over-diagnosed". If you had read it, you would have noticed I didn't say it didn't exist.

My least favorite kind of patient is the one who relies more on a Google search than a provider with medical training. They usually announce themselves with "My child is different" or the time-honored "I KNOW MY BODY!"

Sorry to sound testy, but when someone dismisses years of medical training, the rigors of licensure, and years of hands-on, successful clinical experience and recognition for positive clinical outcomes, it tends to annoy us.

[EllieBC]

9. My child has seen a flock of specialists. No Google needed.

She was born at 24w gestation so she's had a pediatrician (in BC kids only get a GP unless there's a problem) and developmental specialists since she came home. So no web search was necessary for her issues.

And I'm sorry if I sound testy but I hate hearing people say that kids just need more outdoor time. That's like telling someone who is depressed they just need to smile more.

[Raissa]

15. My son is in a similar boat.

I honestly feel bad about resisting mediciation as long as I did. The accepted idea that it is over prescribed pushed me to wait a year longer than he needed.

He has a wonderful 504 plan, brain breaks, 40 minutes of recess with extra gym time twice a week, and is the classroom runner to provide extra activity. He's allowed to stand at his desk, has fidget accessories, chew accessories, and optional fidget seating when he wants it. All his teachers and guidance counselor have been wonderful.

He would still come home crying because he couldn't control himself at all. Both ADHD and SPD make it hard for him to maintain much control over his body. When we started medication he stopped coming home hating himself. He still fidgets and wiggles and is always on the move. He still spends hours after school running and jumping on our trampoline. But he now he has some control over his body.

I now trust his doctor, therapists, neurologist, and teachers who have all been integral in helping him navigate a school environment with success and happiness and am thankful they have created a cooperative network of communication to treat him as an individual.

I hope your child is finding similar successes.

[Skittles]

13. the abuse / misuse of ritalin seemed to coincide with both parents having to work to make ends meet

[Doreen]

2. I do not know when this study came out but I have known this for

many many years. I have ADHD ( still ) and it was extremely obvious that this is what happens. I moved around a lot in my seat and looked around a lot and my attention to a teacher up in front of the class droning on about our lesson was impossible to focus on. A major misconception about ADHD is that it goes away with adults. No, it does not. They can handle it better but it still is with them and their attention can become limited when there is to much information at one time for them to take in. I will say that ADHD children need A LOT of calm, patient, and understanding one on one help. Two breaks and half an hour lunch is not enough time for ADHD children to get that energy brought down to a somewhat more manageable level. Having to sit for 45 minutes to an hour per subject does not work either. ADHD children need much shorter periods from start to finish of one subject at a time and it is also my opinion ( from experience ) that an entire six hour day is to long. It also does not help that some ADHD people also have a learning disability. Yes, there is a difference between ADHD and learning disability. I have both. I think that a four hour school day is better for ADHD. It would be much better if teachers had a lot more training to deal with children with ADHD as that would make teaching more pleasant for both teacher and student.

[BigmanPigman]

4. Try being an ADHD teacher to ADHD first graders for over 15 years!

I think that other teachers managed to give their students to me since I understood their needs (teachers would do that...send some students to certain teachers depending on their strengths). The Administrators would get angry with me often since I would take the kids out for a "bathroom break" every hour when the kids would have to skip or run around the playground for 5 min. I always had to explain that they performed better when they were allowed to do this. When they eventually made me stop this practice their grades weren't as good since they were not able to focus and stay interested. They NEVER would listen to teachers since the Admin always knew best about everything.

[Doreen]

5. Dang, I wish you had been my teacher....I might have learned something.

It is funny that a lot of the administration people are business people and never took classes at all about human psychology and teaching. I have noticed that teachers just hand of difficult children to particular teachers. I think a 4 hour day for ADHD children consisting of half an hour of lesson then 15 minute break then half an hour lesson then 15 minute break and so on. Breaks would consist of physical activity. I know it does not sound like much teaching time but I bet the kids would retain more. My boyfriend said he had a teacher who when she saw him fidget she told him to go run three laps around the play ground and come back in. It worked.

[BigmanPigman]

6. A fourth grade teacher who eventually became an administrator would have a

particular 4th grader in his after school homework group run around the school until he could sit still. It worked like a charm. We need more teachers and admin. like that.

[Doreen]

10. My teachers did not care if I fidgeted just as long as I did

not get up, talk, or ask for help. School sucked for me.

[gopiscrap]

11. wish the nuns would have known that

when I went to Catholic school...they would just smack you and tell you to sit down and be quiet...that was their cure for adhd

[Doreen]

14. My boyfriend says the same thing about his Catholic school experience.

[demigoddess]

12. also I have noticed that some kids diagnosed ADHD are actually showing signs

of being smart. I had two gifted kids and even the teachers in the gifted classes did not know how to teach gifted kids. Or how to recognize them when they saw them. One kid I met was just curious and asking questions about things he encountered that was new. The teachers thought he was ADHD.