Brain Tests show Children with ADHD move twice as much when learning.

Psychologists have found that Children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) may fidget, tap and swivel around in a chair much more than normally developing children because it helps them to learn complex material.

Now brain tests show children with ADHD tend to learn less when sitting still compared to when they're moving.

ADHD is often perceived as a behavioural problem because it can result in symptoms such as inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity that can affect social interaction and learning.

Scientists increasingly recognize ADHD as a brain disorder that affects about five per cent of the school-age population.

Prof. Mark Rapport, a child psychopathology researcher who focuses on ADHD at the University of Central Florida in Orlando with his colleagues set out to test an observation made by many parents — that children with ADHD can pay attention if they are doing an activity they enjoy.

Jennifer Crosbie, a psychologist in the psychiatry department at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto said that Rapport's latest study adds a scientific perspective to anecdotes from parents, teachers and researchers about how children with ADHD can pay attention. It also supports the benefits of movement for individuals with the disorder.

She added that other strategies for children with ADHD include frequent reminders and simple instructions.

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