Abstract

Effectiveness of Physical and Manual Therapy and Communication in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder which mainly affects children. It affects their physical, mental, social, occupational and academic well-being. They show lack of attention and demonstrate hyperactivity, which affects their learning capability. They also have impaired language articulation which affects their communication capability. Material and methods: In the present study the sample consisted of two groups with a total of 5 children, as research participants. It was composed of the 1st control group: Three male children, aged between 4-12 years and the second, therapeutic group consisting of 2 male children, aged between 6-8 years. In the test (therapeutic group) the children were given a combination treatment consisting of verbal communication and physical therapy under the guidance of a practitioner. The children who belonged to the control group were given treatment consisting of only plain physical therapy as performed by the practitioner. In both the groups the sessions were performed 2 times a week for one hour extending up to 2 months. Results: After the treatment, better outcome was seen in the test group. Their attention span increased to 2-3 times. They started making eye contact when the physical therapy was performed. Additionally, when the therapist was communicating with them they started obeying his commands and also improved cooperating with their parents. On the other hand, in the control group, there were not much behavioral changes noticed. Conclusion: The study shows that verbal communication plays an important role to bring out a positive behavior and increase attention span in children with ADHD.

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