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Abstract
Mentally retarded children face many behavioural, intellectual, physical, social and health problems. Children with ADHD have a host of impairments in social, school and family domains, which place considerable economic burden on school systems, families, and medical professionals. There is converging evidence that children with ADHD demonstrate poor motor skills, have lower levels of physical fitness, and are at increased risk for obesity in comparison to children without ADHD. For the treatment of Mentally Retarded Children with ADHD physical activity would be a better intervention. The purpose of study was to determine the effect of physical activity programme on ADHD symptoms of moderate mentally retarded children. The subjects for the study were 30 moderate mentally retarded children within the age group of 13 to 18. The subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental group (N=15) and a control group (N=15). The experimental group participated in the physical activity programme thrice a week for a period of 8 weeks and the control group did not participate in any sort of physical activity programme for the same period. Inattentive symptoms, hyperactive symptoms and combined symptoms were the variables selected for the study. The symptoms of ADHD were assessed through DSM IV Disruptive Behaviour Rating Scale. The 8 weeks physical activity programme resulted in significant reduction of inattentive symptoms, hyperactive symptoms and combined symptoms of hyperactivity in moderate mentally retarded children.