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Effect of a sensory diet smartphone application on the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity
Soraya Khanahmadi1, Hossein Sourtiji2, Zohreh Khanahmadi3
1Department of Health Information Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Mothers using a sensory diet app improved their children's attention deficit symptoms. This study shows potential for digital tools in managing attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Occupational Therapy
- Digital Health Interventions
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Background:
- Sensory integration and sensory diet strategies can effectively manage symptoms in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Existing interventions often require direct therapist involvement, presenting accessibility challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a sensory diet smartphone application used by mothers for managing ADHD symptoms in children.
- To evaluate the impact on hyperactivity, attention deficit, and impulsivity.
Main Methods:
- A needs assessment was conducted with 15 occupational therapists.
- An Android-based application prototype was developed and usability tested with 12 mothers of children with ADHD.
- A feasibility study involved 12 children with ADHD, divided into experimental (app users) and control groups, assessed over two months using the Pediatric Symptoms Questionnaire.
Main Results:
- The application demonstrated high usability, with mothers rating it 8.35/9.
- Children in the experimental group showed significant improvements in attention deficit compared to pre-intervention and the control group (P<0.0001).
- Significant pre-intervention improvements were noted for impulsivity (P=0.025) and hyperactivity (P=0.034) in the experimental group, though not significantly different from the control group post-intervention.
Conclusions:
- Sensory diet smartphone applications show promise as a tool to help alleviate attention deficit symptoms in children with ADHD.
- The findings support the potential of digital health solutions to enhance the management of ADHD symptoms through parental engagement.
Introduction:
Sensory integration and sensory diet can improve the symptoms of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This feasibility study aimed to evaluate the effect of using a sensory diet smartphone application by mothers on the main symptoms of their children with ADHD, including hyperactivity, attention deficit, and impulsivity.
Methods:
We conducted a need assessment study with the collaboration of 15 occupational therapists, developed an Android-based prototype, and evaluated it in terms of usability with the participation of 12 available mothers of children with ADHD. 12 other selected children were divided into control and experimental groups. At first, these children were evaluated using the hyperactivity subscale of the fourth version of the Pediatric Symptoms Questionnaire, and after two months of using the application by the mothers of the children in the experimental group, both groups were re-evaluated using the same questionnaire. We compared the mean score of this questionnaire before and after the mothers' use of the application.
Results:
The application included 105 sensory diet exercises presented in animated format with accompanying text explanations. According to mothers' feedback, the usability of the application was rated at a high level with an average score of 8.35 out of 9. In the experimental group, attention deficit significantly improved compared to the pre-intervention stage (Mean ± SD = 13.67 ± 6.86 vs. 22 ± 6.13, P-value<0.0001) and compared to the control group after the intervention (P-value = 0.048). Additionally, after the intervention, the experimental group showed significant improvements in impulsivity (mean difference = -1.33) and hyperactivity (mean difference = -4.67) compared to the pre-intervention (P-value = 0.025 and 0.034, respectively). However, these improvements were not statistically significant when compared to the control group (P-value = 0.937 and 0.58, respectively).
Conclusion:
The findings suggest that sensory diet smartphone applications have the potential to help alleviate symptoms related to attention deficit in children with ADHD.
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