Many parents and teachers try to get children with ADHD to stop fidgeting and stay focused. In fact, fidgeting and moving may help children with ADHD to focus. Sitting on an exercise ball facilitates movement, and being allowed to move may help children with ADHD to stay on task.
Significance
ADHD is a common disorder diagnosed in childhood. It's characterized by trouble focusing, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Children with ADHD are more likely to have problems with executive functions or the ability to maintain an appropriate problem set for attainment of future goals, according to a 2004 study published by Joseph Biederman and colleagues in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Children with ADHD and problems with executive function may be at increased risk for grade retention and a decrease in academic achievement.
History
Elementary school teachers in Morris, Minnesota found an innovative way of helping their students to focus. They replaced classroom chairs with stability balls in third- and sixth-grade classrooms and found that students stayed in their seats more and were less likely to ask to go to the bathroom as an excuse to move around, according to Additude.
Effects
Using exercise balls in the classroom may encourage children with ADHD to stay in their seats and stay on task, according to a 2003 study published by Denise Lynn Schilling and colleagues in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. The researchers also found that children with ADHD wrote more legibly when sitting on exercise balls. The children also reported preferring balls to chairs for comfort, writing and productivity.
Cause
Stability balls may work because they allow children to fidget and wiggle while in class. Fidgeting may help children with ADHD concentrate, according to a 2009 study published by M.D. Rapport in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. In the study, 23 boys ages 8 to 12 participated; 12 had an ADHD diagnosis. Researchers measured the participants' kinectic activity while performing tasks of short-term memory. Children with ADHD moved significantly more when their short-term memory was taxed.
Theory
Rapport suggested that fidgeting may help children with ADHD focus by stimulating cortical arousal. People with ADHD may have a need for higher levels of cortical activation to maintain sustained attention, according to a 2009 study published by S.K. Loo and colleagues in Neuropsychologia.
References
- PubMed.gov: Hyperactivity in Boys with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Ubiquitous Core Symptom or Manifestation of Working Memory Deficits?
- Additude: ADHD Students: Get on the Ball
- PubMed.gov: Cortical Activity Patterns in ADHD During Arousal, Activation and Sustained Attention.
- ATeachAbout.com: Classroom Seating for Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Therapy Balls Versus Chairs
- HelpForLD.com: Impact of Executive Function Deficits and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on Academic Outcomes in Children
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