Introducing Relaxation to Children with ADHD
You might think that Relaxation and ADHD don’t really go together, as children with the condition can find it difficult to sit still for more than a few minutes. However, Relax Kids products and exercises have had a remarkable impact on many children with ADHD.
Symptoms of ADHD can appear in very young children, and most doctors agree that early intervention techniques (not including the use of prescribed medication like Ritalin) can be extremely beneficial for children with the condition.
Studies have shown relaxation techniques to be a highly effective treatment for children with ADHD. These techniques can include breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation and visualisation.
Introducing children with ADHD to meditation may seem like a difficult task, but the long term benefits are worth it! Children can learn simple but effective relaxation techniques that they will be able to use at times when you are not able to be with them, like at school or sports clubs.
It is never too early to introduce children to relaxation. One study has found evidence that children as young as five, with or without ADHD, can learn, use and benefit from relaxation techniques.
Relax Kids creates simple resources that teach children breathing exercises, affirmation exercises, progressive muscle relaxation and simple calming visualisations. Over time, children with ADHD will be able to use these techniques when they need to be still or when they need a moment of peace and calm.
One of our trained Relax Kids coaches, Angela, has been working one-to-one with a boy who is in the process of being diagnosed with ADHD. She has seen amazing improvement in him after using the Relax Kids exercises and relaxation techniques for a few months. This is what she had to say:
Over the months I have watched Oliver grow in confidence within himself, he loves to lay on the floor and make-up stories. We always start by imagining we are walking up different coloured steps, each step has a positive word on, and we take in turns to say a colour and emotion (yellow- amazing, blue -super, green- incredible, red- happy, etc.) Then we take a few sentences each to create a magical story. He will be happy to do that for 20 minutes! When I first met him he would never have spent that time laying or even making up a story.
Olivers mum can barely believe the positive difference in him! This is what she had to say:
Oliver has been attending Relax kids with Angela for nearly 9 months. From the first session he loved the concept and we feel it was just what he needed: calm, positive, gorgeous energy! Angela has reinforced what we believe at home, that he can succeed and fly given the right tools. Oliver is now having one-to-one sessions with Angela as we are in the process of a diagnosis for ADHD for Oliver. I can honestly say that I love the concept of Relax Kids and that in all my years of doing kids clubs with my 3 children I have never experienced anything like Relax Kids. To teach our children that they are all beautiful, perfect and that they all have the ability to find their inner peace and calm is such a life skill!’
If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, or is in the process of a diagnosis, why not send them to a Relax Kids class? Relax Kids classes take children from a high energy to a low energy, using movement, fun and games, breathing exercises, peer massage, affirmation activities, and finally relaxing visualisations.
Our coaches are trained to work with children to help reduce hyperactivity and aid concentration skills. And like Angela, many of our coaches are available to work one-on-one with children who have additional needs.
If you would like to work with children and you think you have the potential to help children like Oliver, find out more about our training course and becoming a Relax Kids Coach: https://relaxkids.com/training/
