Education for students with neurodevelopmental disabilities-Resources and educational adjustments.

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders are more likely to face challenges of various kinds throughout their schooling due to their vulnerability factors. Although certain evidence-based practices have been recognized to be effective in supporting academic performance or social and personal adjustment, transferring these practices to school realities remains a challenge. Indeed, the educational trend favored for more than 20 years promotes the development of all students in the most natural context possible. The objective of this chapter is to shed light on how resources and EBPs can be organized in an inclusive education context. A tiered framework, commonly adopted as different models across the world, is presented and used to demonstrate how interventions can be prioritized for the difficulties and special needs of specific (e.g., ADHD, dyslexia, and developmental coordination disorder) and complex (e.g., autism spectrum disorder) neurodevelopmental disorders. The chapter ends with a discussion of the conditions and drivers of intervention fidelity and effectiveness in an inclusive context and, more specifically, support for teachers and parents.

The Impact of a Motor-Cognitive Remediation Program on Attentional Functions of Preschoolers With ADHD Symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of the motor-cognitive remediation program (MCRP) that uses sensorimotor and visual-motor imagery techniques on attentional functions in preschoolers with ADHD symptoms. METHOD: A total of 15 high-risk preschoolers were selected based on high ADHD symptoms. An experimental group participated in the MCRP and was compared with a control group. The MCRP consisted of 30 activities, 3 times a week, during 12 weeks. RESULTS: Children in the experimental group improved significantly for orienting (selective attention) and executive control (inhibition, stopping, and engaging mental operations) compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: These results are a first step to support the postulate that training specific attentional functions by sensorimotor activities and visual-motor imagery has an impact on the cognitive network of attention. This study suggests the potential value of MCRP addressed to preschoolers with ADHD symptoms.

A physical activity program improves behavior and cognitive functions in children with ADHD: an exploratory study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore the effects of a moderate- to high-intensity physical activity program on fitness, cognitive functions, and ADHD-related behavior in children with ADHD. METHOD: Fitness level, motor skills, behaviors, and cognitive functions are assessed by standardized tests before and after a 10-week training or control period. RESULTS: Findings show that participation in a physical activity program improves muscular capacities, motor skills, behavior reports by parents and teachers, and level of information processing. CONCLUSION: A structured physical activity program may have clinical relevance in the functional adaptation of children with ADHD. This supports the need for further research in the area of physical activity with this population.

Fitness level and gross motor performance of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The purpose of this study was to assess fitness and gross motor performance of children with ADHD, including users and nonusers of methylphenidate medication. Seventy boys took part in the study. Fitness level of children with ADHD using medication or not, including body composition, flexibility, and muscular endurance, was similar to that of a control group. The only difference was observed for body mass index, which was lower in children with ADHD using medication. Aerobic capacity was also similar when measured by a treadmill test. A lower performance was observed when aerobic capacity was estimated using a field shuttle test, however, suggesting that the methodology used is important. Finally, both groups of children with ADHD presented significantly lower scores for locomotion skills.