ADHD and Active Kids

Although experts find it hard to agree on specific diagnosis criteria for attention defecit hyperactivity disorder, a recently published study has claimed that about one in twenty children suffer from some form of this difficult condition. Treatments vary, but more and more children in North America and beyond are being prescribed prescription drugs for “developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that cause significant impairment in daily functioning.”

In response to the growing  apprehension surrounding children on psychiatric medications, the Journal of Physical and Active Health published a study this year examining the connection between rates of physical activity among children and symptoms of ADHD, and the results are certain to please parents, children and physical education advocates alike.

To cut straight to the chase, the “Conclusions” section of the study states: “Using a community-based, nationally representative sample of children aged 5 to 7 years old from the United States, the results of the current study suggest that physical education, as a structured form of physical activity, may be considered as associated with lower levels of symptoms of ADHD across time.”

According to the authors of the study, physical exercise bolsters the brain’s ability to generate brain tissue and can also work therapeutically to reduce the “mental fatigue” associated with ADHD. Noting that children afflicted with ADHD tend to have impaired social skills, the study’s authors suggest that structured, group-based physical activity - in addition to providing benefits “similar… to those of pharmacological interventions,” - can help children improve their social skills while alleviating their symptoms and receiving the physical benefits of exercise.

The element of structure seems key here – while afflicted students showed markedly reduced tendencies toward disruptive behaviors in the classroom on days when a ten-minute recess was provided, the study notes that unstructured physical activity increase the likelihood of aggressive and violent behaviors on the part of children with ADHD, meaning more structured forms such as physical education would likely be of the most benefit, with the additional advantage of being curriculum-based and therefore more “school-friendly.”

This is all great news, but it bears mentioning that the mechanism by which this principle operates is still unclear. The study notes that physical activity is known to stimulate activity in the cathecholamine system (a collection of brain cells associated with dopamine and norepinephrine), the dysfunction of which has been connected to symptoms of ADHD, which is about as user-friendly an explanation as it looks. It’s also suggested that physical activity has a calming effect on children with ADHD simply because being tired mellows them out, an explanation that seems rather elegant in its simplicity. Either way, while acknowledging that the discontinuation of routine physical activity can lead to a persistent reemergence of symptoms, the study points out that there are few if any negative consequences to pursuing this course of treatment, and the potential benefits to children are impressive, including addressing the childhood obesity epidemic.

Click here to see the study, which is refreshingly brief and readable.