Effect of Regular Aerobic Exercises on Children with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder

Background and purpose: Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common and disabling disorder and is characterized by decrease dopamine level in the brain. Symptoms involved in this disorder are hyperactivity, inattentiveness, conductivity disorders, anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to find out the relationship between aerobic exercises and symptoms of ADHD in children. Methods and materials: This study included 98 children students diagnosed as having ADHD. Their age ranged from 6 and 13 years. The children were randomly divided into two equal groups. The exercise group received ten weeks aerobic exercises program included upper limb, lower limb, and trunk and neck aerobic exercises as well as jogging and running two sessions per week( In the first four weeks the session lasted for about 40 minutes and in the last six weeks the session extended to be 50 minutes). Vanderbilt teacher assessment scale was used to assess the children before starting and after the end of ten weeks of the exercise program. Results: Results for the exercise group indicated a significant improvement in three of the six items involved in the scale(inattentiveness, oppositional, and academic and classroom behavior) with p < 0.05 while there was no improvement in the children of the control group (p> 0.05). Conclusion: It could be concluded that regular aerobic exercises have a positive effect in improving symptoms of ADHD in children