As a practitioner working with children and adolescents with ADHD, you are always on the lookout for effective strategies to support your clients. Groundbreaking research titled Associations of meeting 24-h movement behavior guidelines with cognitive difficulty and social relationships in children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactive disorder provides valuable insights into how adhering to 24-hour movement behavior (24-HMB) guidelines can significantly reduce cognitive and social difficulties in children with ADHD.
According to the study, meeting the 24-HMB guidelines—which include limiting recreational screen time to a maximum of two hours, engaging in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and ensuring age-appropriate sleep duration—has shown to be highly beneficial. Here are the key findings:
- Meeting all three guidelines is associated with reduced odds of serious difficulties in concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
- Adhering to all three guidelines also reduces the odds of difficulties in making and keeping friends.
- Limiting screen time alone is associated with reduced odds of being bullied.
- Following individual guidelines for screen time or sleep, or a combination of both, is linked to lower odds of bullying others.
So, how can you implement these findings in your practice?
1. Educate Parents and Caregivers
Inform parents and caregivers about the 24-HMB guidelines and their benefits. Provide them with resources and strategies to help their children adhere to these guidelines. Encourage them to monitor screen time, incorporate daily physical activities, and ensure a consistent sleep schedule.
2. Integrate Physical Activity into Therapy
Incorporate physical activities into your therapy sessions. Activities such as exergaming, which combines exercise and gaming, can be particularly engaging for children with ADHD. These activities not only meet the physical activity guideline but also make therapy sessions more interactive and enjoyable.
3. Create a Balanced Routine
Work with the child and their family to develop a balanced daily routine that includes time for physical activity, limited screen time, and adequate sleep. Use visual schedules or apps to help children stick to this routine.
4. Encourage Consistency
Consistency is key. Encourage families to maintain these healthy behaviors even on weekends and holidays. Consistent adherence to the 24-HMB guidelines can lead to long-term benefits in cognitive and social functioning.
By implementing these strategies, you can help children with ADHD improve their cognitive and social skills, leading to better academic performance and overall well-being.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Associations of meeting 24-h movement behavior guidelines with cognitive difficulty and social relationships in children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactive disorder.
