Aug 4, 2008

Rich Taylor

Children that have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD ) face an uphill battle in life, whether it be in the classroom or on the playing field. While sometimes they are perceived as different, they just want to be treated like any other kid.
Unfortunately, too often that doesn't happen.

Unable to sustain attention, focus and possess self control, players with ADD are commonly scolded or yelled at by coaches, and teased unmercifully by teammates. What started out as fun soon becomes an overbearing problem for the child and his or her family. Quitting becomes an option, but it shouldn't have to be.

Parents need to identify what particular youth sports are beneficial for their ADD child and weed out others that may present too many challenges.

As with any ADD child, the prominent foe on the field is the child itself. Distractions during a game or practice means they won't be able to comprehend instructions or rules because they've become sidetracked. Their inability to follow structure and order in the classroom only becomes magnified on the athletic side.

For any ADD child, strenuous exercise and activity in organized sports is a good thing. It reduces stress and promotes well being. Social and emotional skills are developed and enhanced.

To avoid embarrassment on the playing field for the child, parents should inform the coach that their youngster has ADD. The coach is not a mind reader, and although he or she is probably not trained to specifically address that learning disability, they'll at least know the situation.

Giving the coach guidelines on how to treat certain problems that arise can be very helpful and will help the child avoid any undue ridicule. Don't wait for things to unfold. Be proactive.

Read on...