Additionally, different types of activities “switch on” different parts of the brain. Being aware of the “recipe” of movements to be encouraged to get the results you are looking for is very beneficial when it comes to managing behaviors and getting organized before doing homework or learning something new.

As parents and teachers are the main players in a child’s life, I increase awareness in these players about the role of intensity and frequency of physical activity to achieve long lasting beneficial effects. It takes a village to ensure brain fitness through movement.

Both parents and teachers are motivated when they understand the impact of physical activity on these 2 brain parts –

  1. The  Prefrontal cortex ( Focus, attention, decision making, personality)
  2. The Hypothalamus ( form and retain long term memory).

Parent responsibility

Ensure that their child gets their heart rate up for 30 minutes/day with physical activities ( they collaborate with the therapist for ideas and tips to motivate, prompt and reward their child).

teacher

Embed therapist recommended activities that “switch on the brain” for learning during movement breaks. Therapists brainstorm with teachers on triggers and neurologically prepping activities best suited for their child.

This way the physical activity needs of the students with focus, attention and impulsive behavior challenges  is embedded in class movement breaks which ultimately benefits everyone in the class including the teacher.

therapist

Based on each student’s outcomes during individual sessions, identifies movements to be embedded in classroom movement breaks.

Facilitate motor skills required for social ( outdoor) play skills, recess and PE.

Physical exercise benefits for ADHD

Don’t Forget…

  • Movement plays a key role in programming the brain.
  • Repeating the stimulation (movement, visual, auditory etc) causes a neurological pathway to be firmly established.
  • When a child can perform a skill automatically, she/he has created a firm neurological pathway.

The latest news about exercise and ADHD is that it helps kids with the condition push through past failures and attack things they didn’t succeed at before. “The refrain of many kids with ADHD is, ‘No matter what I do, I’m going to fail,'” says Ratey. “Rat studies show that exercise reduces learned helplessness. In fact, if you’re aerobically fit, the less likely you are to learn helplessness.”

Exercise is associated with increased levels of dopamine and norepinephrine — two brain chemicals also stimulated by ADHD medications to induce improved focus, motivation, and mood.

Physical Exercise benefits for Autism : For kids with autism, studies show that vigorous activity for more than 20 minutes can help decrease stereotypical behaviors, hyperactivity, and aggression. Exercise not only helps children with autism better engage in the environment, but it also helps promote weight loss and leads to better overall health.

Drill Me Right

My spectrum is nascent but growing fast
Interventions are many, the sky is overcast.
While we wait our turn, keep me going
It’s tough I know, but keep the bond flowing.

My mind ticks a different tune
I feel within so silent and strewn.
So much to say, so much to do
Unleash me, understand my mute.

Not disobedient am I, nor slow or repetitive
All I ask for is a world that’s predictive.
Inhibitions that shackle you, I have none
Fearless running is so much fun.

You have embraced my mood swings
My unusual reactions to ordinary things.
Now grill me beyond communication skill
I am hungry for a physical drill.

It makes my heart beat faster, blood flows to brain
Breath gets deeper, endorphins, dopamine fill my vein.
With released serotonin, stress, anxiety sees reduction
Stronger gets my focus, motivation, thoughts, emotion.

Drill me precise with dosage, duration and frequency
Improve my coping skills from now to puberty.
Guide me through to exercise right
So you can include me in your society with pride.

Mithu Basu
www.dolna.in
May 25, 2020

Working with children on the spectrum made me want to learn about how the brain learns anything- let alone a motor skill. So I dived into the literature of other fields like neuroscience, psychology, education to understand how the brain learns.  I specifically researched the potential of physical activity or exercise on the brain. What I found was an exciting and growing literature on the effect of exercise on mood, focus, attention and energy. The more I researched the more I discovered the brain changing effects of movement the more I realized how physical therapists play a critical role in ASD teams

5 years ago, almost all literature on ASD teams did not include a physical therapist, the concept of including PTs is growing, however we are being included for addressing physical deficits when we have far more critical school readiness skills to address- like focus, attention and emotional regulation.

With a deeper understanding of the science why exercise is the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today, I did something very unusual for a pediatric physical therapist. I decided to change the focus of my PT services from a  purely physical perspective to a wholistic brain based focus.

It had the potential to improve the lives of so many students especially the students that teachers had the most challenges teaching. I went to the director of special services with results of my literature findings and they were supportive of me by granting me permission to conduct an informal pilot study ( when they click on pilot study it should take them to my pilot study) inviting me to provide workshops on “Movement based Learning Readiness Programs”. (movement based learning should be a hyper link- when clicked upon will take them to the workshops I have provided).

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