Tips for Teaching Kids who have ADHD and ADD

Many parents have asked for my help and advise on teaching their children who unfortunately suffer from ADD and ADHD. I thought perhaps other instructors will face this situation, so if you read the following page perhaps it will help a little!

My 8 year old grandson Kyron who appears in the middle of the photo above has severe ADHD and dyslexia and who is part of my class, where I teach karate and kickboxing and is an inspiration for those parents wishing their children to take part in martial arts. They can see how he has achieved over the years, (from being totally disruptive in class to turning into a Champion), and wish me to help their children also. Personally, I don’t have all the answers but I thought I’d offer a couple of ideas.

One important thing to find out is whether the child really wants to study a martial art. I say this because some parents will put their ADD or ADHD child into martial arts classes in the hope that the “discipline” will help with their behavior issues. This is a good idea if the child is genuinely interested.

These kids often do MUCH BETTER in martial arts. It is far easier for them to stay focused as there is always something going on. They need to feel good about themselves, and what they are doing, so it is best to use positive reinforcement rather than put them in situations where they are bound to get out of control and “fail”. These children do better when moving from one activity to another rather than staying on any one drill, or exercise, for too long.

Children with ADHD and ADD are usually very bright but sometimes with low self esteem. They are good learners and are often talented but because they become over excited and act out, they tend to put themselves in the position of being reprimanded. This does them no good. You want this child to achieve but you also can’t have one person disrupting the entire class.

You can approach the situation in ways that will be good for everyone. I have several young children with ADHD in my class. When they make improvements I present them with a “Certificate of Improvement” and hand it to them in front of the class. They are always very pleased.

Their difficulty in staying focused is something to watch out for when you allow them to take part in sparring. The fact that they have difficulty staying focused, and the fact that their minds just fly from one thing to another can result in their injuring someone or in getting injured themselves. So vigilance is of the utmost importance. But once they grasp the ability to perform in class they achieve much higher than the other children. My grandson is now a black belt and has struggled through his disability to achieve the goal that he set for himself. But he hasn`t stopped there, he is continuing to excel in tournaments taking 1st and 2nd places continually. He has been praised by numerous parents for his achievements and I hope that this will be a stepping stone for parents who wish to involve their child in martial arts.

Talk to the child’s parents about any medication the child is on for his/her disorder. Encourage them to time the dosages, if possible, so that he/she will take the medication before class. Discuss their expectations and decide how you can best serve them and their child in order to provide the most positive experience.

Unfortunately, thats all I can offer you in ways of advise. But please contact me if I can be of any assistance to you, as I have had years of experience coaching children with this disability. Tel. No: 07903326568 and I will be more than happy to help and advise you!

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