Children On Ritalin Is That the Answer?

Do you have a preschool-aged (or older) child who has ADHD or ADD? Many times, parents are encouraged to medicate their children to help alleviate the symptoms that can be causing them to have problems both at school and at home. If this is something you’ve been dealing with for a while, you may be at your wits end and willing to try just about anything to help your child handle his or her symptoms and to relieve stress from their lives.

One of the most prescribed drugs is Ritalin. Doctors are even now prescribing it for preschoolers even though it has not been approved for children under the age of six. Studies have shown that the side effects of Ritalin are sometimes so great that parents stop treating their children with the drug. These symptoms include a slowing of growth and weight gain as well as insomnia.

The thing is, without the drug, many parents are at a loss as to what to do to help their children. There are alternatives however. Some of the most common are changing the child’s diet to eliminate additives such as artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners. Another alternative is to go through behavior training to give the parents and children tips and tools to help them all function better together.

A third option is to enroll your child in martial arts. Many people overlook this option because they automatically think that the last thing they want to teach a child with ADHD is “fighting skills” but that is a myth about martial arts training.

Children who suffer from ADHD often exhibit symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Martial arts training actually focuses more on respect, concentration and focus and control through mastering the movements than on fighting. When children train a martial art, they learn that they need to have high levels of physical control which come from a lot of practice and a lot of self-discipline – achieved through mind and body control. Once children are able to control their body during training, they’ll soon figure out how to control their impulses. Additionally, the concentration used during training will eventually carry over to the rest of their lives to alleviate the inattention symptoms of ADHD as well.

To your health,

Robert Jones
Master Instructor
The Academy of Kempo Martial Arts
Bellevue, WA.
800-508-6141n