(NaturalPath) According to a study out of the UC Davis MIND Institute at the University of California and published in Child Neuropsychology, the constant movement in the classroom that is often distracting may be actually helping the children with ADHD learn and perform better in school.
The study compared 26 children with validated ADHD diagnoses with 18 children who were developing normally. Each of the children was between the ages of 10 and 17 years old when the study was conducted. The researchers utilized the “flanker test” to measure the children’s focus in relation to their movement.
The study noted, “A trial-by-trial analysis reveals more intense physical activity is associated with better cognitive control performance in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.” One researcher added, “It turns out that physical movement during cognitive tasks may be a good thing for them. Parents and teachers shouldn’t try to keep them still. Let them move while they are doing their work or other challenging cognitive tasks. It may be that the hyperactivity we see in ADHD may actually be beneficial at times. Perhaps the movement increases their arousal level, which leads to better attention.”
The accuracy of the participants with ADHD Was significantly improved when they were moving, the study found, In other words, correct answers were associated with more motion than incorrect answers.
Another researcher suggests, “Maybe teachers shouldn’t punish kids for movement, and should allow them to fidget as long as it doesn’t disturb the rest of the class. Instead, they should seek activities that are not disruptive that allow their students with ADHD to use movement, because it assists them with thinking.”
Something to think about and maybe tell your kids’ teachers if you child has some form of ADHD or a similar disorder.
Razi Berry, Founder and Publisher of Naturopathic Doctor News & Review (ndnr.com) and NaturalPath (thenatpath.com), has spent the last decade as a natural medicine advocate and marketing whiz. She has galvanized and supported the naturopathic community, bringing a higher quality of healthcare to millions of North Americans through her publications. A self-proclaimed health-food junkie and mother of two; she loves all things nature, is obsessed with organic gardening, growing fruit trees (not easy in Phoenix), laughing until she snorts, and homeschooling. She is a little bit crunchy and yes, that is her real name.
