A few minutes of exercise a day can help children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do better at school, according to a small new study.

The findings suggest that exercise could provide an alternative to drug treatment. While drugs have proven largely effective in treating children with ADHD, many parents and doctors are concerned about the medications’ side effects and costs.

The study included 20 children with ADHD and 20 children without the disorder, ages 8 to 10, who for 20 minutes either walked briskly on a treadmill or sat and read. The children then completed a short reading comprehension and math test, and also played a computer game that assessed their ability to ignore distractions and focus on their goal.

All of the children performed better on both tests after exercising, according to the study published Oct. 16 in the Journal of Pediatrics.

This study shows that a single session of exercise can help children with ADHD ignore distractions and focus on a task. This type of “inhibitory control” is one of the main challenges faced by people with ADHD.

via Exercise Boosts School Performance for Kids With ADHD: Study –Doctors Lounge.