There continues to be research emerging that shows time spent outdoors in a green, natural environment benefits our mental and physical health. For young people with ADHD this time can help decrease some ADHD symptoms, especially when combined with physical exercise. Specifically, research by Frances E. Kuo, PhD, and Andrea Faber Taylor, PhD, show children who spent time in the outdoors, especially wooded and park setting with lots of natural green space, had a measurable reduction in their ADHD symptoms. They theorized that a regular amount of time spent outdoors in natural settings could help some of the children in their study reduce or eliminate medication as part of their treatment plans.
Their findings indicate that exposure to ordinary natural settings during common after-school and weekend activities may be widely effective in reducing attention deficit symptoms in children. Also, analysis of the sample as a whole indicated that green outdoor activities resulted in reduced children’s symptoms and had more positive after effects on symptoms than did activities conducted in other settings.
These findings are also supported by additional research showing that being in green space benefits children affected by ADHD by helping to improve behavior and cognitive abilities and decrease ADHD symptoms. In addition, the time spent outdoors in wooded areas and parks even showed an association with higher standardized test scores.
When deciding on a camp, however, it is important to consider the child’s or parents’ own ADHD symptoms. Camping usually includes hiking, building and maintaining fires, using knives, hatches, and other sharp blades, and can include activities that could be dangerous if one has trouble paying attention. ADHD symptoms must be taken into account when planning–inattention, hyperactivity, forgetfulness, to ensure a safe and pleasant camping trip for the family.
Category(s):Adult ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Source material from The Natural Resource on ADHD
