Will Yoga Help Improve My Child’s ADHD Symptoms?
19 June 2023
Parents who have children with ADHD, which is one of the most common childhood behavioural disorders, have been expressing their delight at the benefits that their children have gained from their yoga classes.
Looking at it from afar, it may seem like yoga doesn’t do much for your kids. It’s quiet and doesn’t seem intense at all, but those are actually the exact reasons why it’s so great for kids with ADHD. Let’s discuss a little further how your child with ADHD or tantrums can benefit from yoga.
Improvements in school performance
When it comes to children’s performances in school, there is overwhelming evidence that yoga helps them perform better. Children who do yoga tend to do better in various tasks and challenges they face. To cite one specific example, a significant piece of research was done in India relating to yoga and class performance. In this particular study, 69 children with ADHD were sent to yoga classes twice a week. Around half of the children performed better in class according to their teachers, and almost all of them performed better at home according to their parents. The effects were not also temporary but sustained over a long period of time as long as they continue with their yoga classes. The children were able to build healthy habits and attitudes through their yoga classes. This research paved the way for many schools to consider yoga as another sport option to be integrated into their school programme - as a means to help children with ADHD. It is highly effective, fun for the students, and yet cost-efficient. All you need is a soft surface and some enthusiasm!
Learning to stay calm
Tantrums and attention problems are some of the major obstacles encountered by children with ADHD. Research has shown that yoga is a more effective solution to these issues when compared to the usual sports and exercises done in our schools. Yoga promotes tranquillity and teaches children to calm down, relax and regulate their breathing - even if they might be in a stressful situation. Holding down a pose for a number of seconds with the utmost concentration is a great way to teach your little ones how to focus on the task at hand.
Science has also proven that children with ADHD who did yoga displayed an improvement in a number of areas within their brains. The prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus all exhibited improvements in children who took yoga classes. These parts of the brain are all involved in memory, processing emotions, learning, and language. It seems a natural consequence that along with these improvements, a child’s tantrums and behavioural problems will also be lessened.
Will yoga be too hard for my child?
A common worry among parents is that yoga might be too difficult or overly complicated to pull off. Don’t worry! Kids tend to start off with very doable beginner poses, even for the youngest and most inexperienced of children. Yoga instructors for these kinds of classes are highly trained to handle any possible special considerations that might be needed to handle children with ADHD. Although as always, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to the instructor and explain your child’s tendencies and preferences. This will help smooth out the process even more.
We would highly recommend that you consider yoga as one of the activities for your child. Research has proven that it’s an excellent way to help them with their ADHD and even reduce tantrums. Keep in mind - yoga isn’t a silver bullet that will solve everything, but it is a good way to help your child have fun and improve at the same time.