Many exercises need not include expensive equipment, instead a good eye for simply applying common everyday activities with a view to looking for inherent resistive exercise is what is needed. What seems to be key however, is the use of regularly scheduled periods of exercise 10-20 minutes twice daily depending upon the age of the child.
Researchers continue to show caretakers that children with Sensory Processing Dysfunction have more difficulty regulating themselves than most other children. Research also points to benefits of using regularly scheduled periods of exercise to help raise production of key brain neurotransmitters such as Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Serotonin.
When levels of these key brain chemicals are improved, mood, attention to task, and social engagement also improve. Sustained resistive exercises can be used to increase production of these key brain chemicals and as a result, outcomes include improved behavior and performance. Sustained exercise coupled with healthy eating is one way to heighten production of these key ingredients needed for self-regulation.
If you don’t already have a home program in place, you can expect your child to give a bit of resistance to the plan because sustained effort is not generally built into the scheme of things for the child with SPD. However, when the exercise periods are built into fun, “game” like activities, you can expect better levels of cooperation.
Another feature that will eventually provide greater cooperation is setting up a consistent time frame for the exercise routines during each day. Building routine and consistently keeping to the schedule generally tends to result in improved compliance.
Reference articles
GA DeGangi – 2017 Problems of Self-Regulation in Children https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9317/c76d215c96c991253e506f381a548f373199.pd
Ratey, J. Spark. The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 0316113506. January 2008
Ratey, J. Spark https://www.additudemag.com/exercise-and-the-adhd-brain/
Melillo, Robert. Reconnected Kids: Help Your Child Achieve Physical, Mental, and Emotional Balance
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