After school activities for your ADHD child

ADHD is a condition that affect between 2 and 5 percent of school-aged children. ADHD refers to attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder. Most children who suffer from this disorder suffer from attention difficulties as well as hyperactivity. Parents of such children are well aware that inattention and hyperactivity continue throughout the day. Keeping such children busy after school hours can be as difficult as keeping them safe during the school day. The first step while choosing the right after school activity for your child is to understand how ADHD affects him or her. Is your child interested in sports? Is he/she put off by the fierce competitiveness, or does he find it hard to get along with team mates? Does your child vocalize his feelings, or is communicating with others a problem? For a child suffering from ADHD, physical exercise is always beneficial. Exercise takes up the extra energy and helps to stimulate the brain. Team activities teach social skills and discipline. But, if your child is not interested in sports, you may want to look at activities like dancing, cycling, swimming or gymnastics. Martial arts not only teach techniques of self-defence but also teach self-control and patience. Interestingly, studies have shown that yoga, because it helps people to learn how to relax and become aware of their body, is good for children with ADHD. But, it would be even better if you and your child go to yoga together and also practice at home everyday. If your child shows aversion to sport and shows inclination towards the fine arts, you may need to look at some other options. Acting classes are a wonderful form of creative exercise. It also provides the child with ample opportunity to develop his social skills. Music, art or dance can help the child to keep himself busy and entertained. In case the child is not interested in any of the above, you may want him to join a Boy Scouts club or other community oriented clubs that take up social work. Cleaning a park, putting on a show, helping out in an old age home are various activities that may pique your child's interest. Whatever form of activity you choose, make sure that you monitor your child's progress periodically. If you feel that there is no progress, you may need to change the activity. Anything that increases your child's self-esteem is good. You may seek the help of a child or school psychologist to assess your child's development. The debate about computer games still goes on. Some say that it is not good for ADHD children as it isolate them socially. Others say that research show that some type of video games can actually help improve inattention problems. For any activity you want to do with your child you can also consult some websites that give you parenting tips that can help you. Most of them are inspired from cognitive therapy which is an effective therapy for children with a range of problems. There are obviously limits to what type of activity an ADHD child can benefit from after school, but creative parents have been able to choose the right activity to contribute to their child growth and happiness.