Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a diagnosis that can commonly be found among children. It is most likely diagnoses in early childhood, and children with this behavioral disorder often present with symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity (Grönlund, Renck, & Weibull, 2005). Children have difficulties with maintaining focus and struggle with self-regulation. They can have difficulty waiting their turn in school/social settings, struggle with controlling their temper, and have spatial boundaries (Morningstar, 2018a). Along with the more psychological symptoms, children can also present with difficulties organizing themselves on a movement level. It was found that 50% of children with ADHD also have some kind
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This is thought to be due to the disconnect between the mind and body and therefore, children have difficulty being able to label and express how they feel. An example of this would be they may present as showing aggressive behaviors but, on the inside, they may feel sad and suffer from low self-esteem (Morningstar, 2018a). The way a child behaves can cause stress in their development both socially and psychologically. When socializing with their peers, they may have difficulty being able to connect with other kids, invade personal space of others, and have trouble functioning in a group setting. Again, this is why DMT can be a great tool to help those with ADHD. Dance/movement therapists can focus on increasing self-esteem with children with ADHD, and present different coping strategies to help children instead of them resorting to feeling shameful for their behavior and give them the space to interact with their peers in a group setting. This can be done through introducing activities where their movement preferences are encouraged instead of resulting in them being in trouble. This gives the child a sense of mastery and start to provide a framework on when it is appropriate to move like …show more content…
The client must feel safe in the space and on both an emotional and physical level. Looking at the tension flow attributes is an effective method to pick up on how the child feels in terms of safety. The next component to be mindful of is emotional awareness. DMT can support this process by having children focus on their breath and engage in the movement wholeheartedly or multiple times. Internal emotional coping is the next phase to consider, which refers to the adaptive process of being able to regulate emotions based on the social environment of the individual. Using soothing rhythms such as rocking, swaying, or breathing can be a way to encourage a child to lower their intensity. Lastly, it is important to consider the external expression management which can be achieved through “adaptive expressions” (Betty, 2013, p. 51). This allows the child to find a balance between Bound and Free Flow, which gives them more control over their body movement. Often, attunement and the use of role-plays are used to help a child gain mastery of this
This is thought to be due to the disconnect between the mind and body and therefore, children have difficulty being able to label and express how they feel. An example of this would be they may present as showing aggressive behaviors but, on the inside, they may feel sad and suffer from low self-esteem (Morningstar, 2018a). The way a child behaves can cause stress in their development both socially and psychologically. When socializing with their peers, they may have difficulty being able to connect with other kids, invade personal space of others, and have trouble functioning in a group setting. Again, this is why DMT can be a great tool to help those with ADHD. Dance/movement therapists can focus on increasing self-esteem with children with ADHD, and present different coping strategies to help children instead of them resorting to feeling shameful for their behavior and give them the space to interact with their peers in a group setting. This can be done through introducing activities where their movement preferences are encouraged instead of resulting in them being in trouble. This gives the child a sense of mastery and start to provide a framework on when it is appropriate to move like …show more content…
The client must feel safe in the space and on both an emotional and physical level. Looking at the tension flow attributes is an effective method to pick up on how the child feels in terms of safety. The next component to be mindful of is emotional awareness. DMT can support this process by having children focus on their breath and engage in the movement wholeheartedly or multiple times. Internal emotional coping is the next phase to consider, which refers to the adaptive process of being able to regulate emotions based on the social environment of the individual. Using soothing rhythms such as rocking, swaying, or breathing can be a way to encourage a child to lower their intensity. Lastly, it is important to consider the external expression management which can be achieved through “adaptive expressions” (Betty, 2013, p. 51). This allows the child to find a balance between Bound and Free Flow, which gives them more control over their body movement. Often, attunement and the use of role-plays are used to help a child gain mastery of this