semmelweis university - Faculty of Physical Education and Sport ...

Melina Alexandrou
Semmelweis University, Faculty of P.E. and Sport Sciences (TF), Budapest, Hungary
Supervisor: Dr. Judit Farkas, quality assurance and accreditation adviser
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Physical Activity and the Case Study of
Michael Phelps
Introduction The purpose of the study was to examine through a famous athlete‘s personal
life experience how the methods of treatment of ADHD worked in reality.ADHD influences
millions of children‘s and adults life in today‘s society.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, as it will be proven in this presentation is with the
same importance it also influences the top athletes of the 21 st century. Sometimes this disorder
is the reason why successful athletes begun any sport activity.
The treatment includes physical activity as the first and in highest importance advise given by
psychologists, medication that should be given only after a certain, sure and secure medical
research with results that show no other choice but those, and last but not least, medical diet.
There are more and more findings, which emphasize the importance of physical activity for
people diagnosed with ADHD.
Research methods A qualitative method was chosen with categories of document analysis of
the related scientific literature as well as reviews and revealing interviews.
Like many children with ADHD, Michael Phelps's treatment was medication and behaviour
modification. His mother quickly realized that tightly scheduling Michael's time proved
effective in calming his behaviour, as did one of his favourite sports: swimming.
By 11, Michael was managing his ADHD without medication. Now, more than a decade after
learning of her son's problem, the mother is sharing her insight with other mother through a
website called ADHD Moms.
Case study Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is still sometimes called ADD (Attention
Deficit Disorder). The term ADD was changed to ADHD in the late 1980‘. During the 1960‘s
and 1970‘ Children with ADHD were often referred to as Hyperkinetic. It can have serious
effects if it is not adequately treated. It was early labeled as Minimal brain Dysfunction. This
disorder is specifically a problem with persistence towards the feature. The ability to sustain
behavior over time toward a task what people call sustained attention. ADHD in Michael
Phelps‘ life was an important issue that played an important role in his today career and
leaded to a wider view of childhood disorders in sports.
At age 9, his doctor diagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which affects more
than four million children in the U.S. ADHD children don‘t respond to social skill training or
very unimpressive it does not generalize outside the training environment. The case study of
Michael Phelps explains how well scientists understand, consider as important and treat this
disorder improving gradually with the years. The diagnosis that were made and the
treatments, became so advanced and studied in medicine today, that made sport and Physical
activity in general, a highly recommended issue in our society.
Conclusions and recommendations It is concluded that every physical education teacher
should be informed and interested about the basics of this disorder in order to be able to work
with those people that are advised to be involved and gradually treated through physical
activity. It is a medical and scientific proof that physical activity is a successful treatment for
ADHD.
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