Keiki Success: Meet Kai - Say Goodbye to ADHD

Kai was diagnosed at 5 years old with moderate ADHD, displaying the usual suspects: inability to focus, being argumentative and unwilling to sing or learn anything at pre-school. He didn't take well to his teacher's corrections which only made problems worse. He was well behind in his progress compared to his peers, and he displayed some characteristics of an immature sensory processing system as he was extremely sensitive to loud noises and bright lights. 

His mother was hesitant to put him on medication because of his age – most doctors wait until the child is at least 7 years old before they prescribe anything. However, his parents knew that if he was 7 years old, his diagnosis would have been severe, rather than moderate, ADHD. Thankfully, they were not willing to wait until he turned 7. They wanted to be proactive for their child and refused to take the “wait and see” approach…good for them!

We started Interactive Metronome and primitive reflex integration in July 2015 and added Rhythmic Movement Training a few months after his start date. Kai and I worked together three times a week. It was a challenge, as he would become easily irritated and emotional during our sessions together, and required a great deal of hand over hand assistance. He was unable to manage a ball or execute many motor tasks, and wasn’t interested in trying new activities. He simply gave up with any sort of challenge.

But it only took 6 weeks of training for Kai to show significant improvement! He was able to take a 7-hour plane trip without disruptive behavior, and as any parent of a child with ADHD can attest, that is a huge milestone.

Kai began kindergarten in September and by December, his teacher told his parents that Kai had become the most improved student in class. This is a miracle, especially because he has to work 3 times as hard as his peers to be their academic equal. Over the holidays, he was able to memorize his lines for the Thanksgiving skit performance and speak clearly and loudly in front of the whole audience. He even participated and sang carols for Christmas. His handwriting has significantly improved and he’s now close to being able to read. 

We are still continuing our sessions, but I can see now that he can successfully finish the tasks assigned in our programs and he shows an interest and willingness to try something different. His coordination is now just as good as other 6 year olds and he readily accepts and looks forward to a challenge. At home, he has become less argumentative and more cooperative. He can go to restaurants with the family and actually enjoy these outings in public. Loud noises also do not bother him as much.

I am so proud of Kai and the improvement he’s made in just 6 months. Not only that, but his parents did an amazing job encouraging him and staying committed to helping him overcome his symptoms!

Go Kai!