How Can I Balance Medication Side Effects With the Need to Move? 

Parenting Perspective 

When a child is taking medication that causes side effects like drowsiness, restlessness, or muscle tension, managing their physical energy can become a daily balancing act. They may appear ‘lazy’ one moment and ‘wired’ the next, but much of this is simply their body adjusting to the chemical shifts. Restricting their movement can often worsen their mood and focus, while over-stimulating them can cause crashes or irritability. The goal is to find structured windows for movement that can keep their body and brain regulated, without overwhelming them or compromising the benefits of their treatment. 

Track the Medication’s Rhythm 

Observe how your child’s energy changes throughout the day. Many medications have clear peaks, where the child is more alert or restless, and dips, where they are more sluggish or tired. Keep a brief daily log for one week to identify these patterns. Once you have this information, you can schedule movement just before the sluggish periods begin in order to awaken the body safely, or right after a restless peak to release any built-up tension in a calm way. 

Prioritise Predictable, Gentle Movement 

When the medication is causing fatigue, it is best to avoid explosive play or demanding exercise. Instead, you can choose activities that awaken the body without causing any strain. 

• Stretching or doing some yoga poses together after waking up. 

• Taking short walks outdoors after meals. 

• Doing some gentle wall push-ups or squats between other tasks. 

• Carrying lightweight items, such as books or cushions, around the house. 

Predictable movement at steady intervals helps the body to find its rhythm again. 

Channel Restlessness With Purpose 

If the side effects are causing jitteriness or restlessness, you can plan for some constructive outlets. 

• Involve them in household chores that engage the big muscles, such as sweeping, watering the plants, or setting the table. 

• Take short ‘energy breaks’ every hour for some wall presses or for balancing on one foot. 

• Provide quiet fidget tools, resistance bands, or a small exercise ball for seated movement. 

These activities help to transform their restlessness into a sense of responsibility, which can reduce the frustration for both of you. 

Watch for Signs of Over-Exertion 

Medication can sometimes affect a child’s heart rate, hydration levels, or their ability to control their temperature. It is important to teach your child a sense of body awareness: ‘If you start to feel dizzy, thirsty, or if your chest feels tight, it is time to stop and take a breath.’ Keep water close by and encourage them to take breaks every 10 to 15 minutes during physical play. Their safety must always come before any sense of achievement. 

Pair Movement With Calm, Not Pressure 

Avoid framing exercise as something that is meant to “fix” the side effects of their medication. Instead, you can present it as a tool for their own comfort: ‘This movement will help your body to feel steady again.’ Let your child choose between two or three options each day. Giving them this autonomy can help to restore their confidence, especially when the medication is making them feel less in control of their own body. 

Communicate With Healthcare Providers 

Share your new movement plan with your child’s doctor or therapist. You can ask them if certain exercises or particular times of day might be better for supporting the medication’s effects. When your medical and physical plans are aligned, your child is likely to experience fewer emotional swings and a greater sense of stability. 

Link Physical Movement to Emotional Grounding 

After any period of movement, you can encourage a short breathing exercise or the saying of a du’a. This helps to anchor the physical with the emotional, teaching your child that a sense of peace is both body-made and heart-chosen. 

Spiritual Insight 

In Islam, the body and the soul are seen as partners in worship. Maintaining our health is an act of obedience, and balancing medical treatment with our overall well-being is a part of tawakkul, which is the act of trusting in Allah Almighty while also using the means that He has provided for us. When you help your child to move wisely within their medical limits, you are guiding them towards gratitude, not rebellion, against their circumstances. 

Caring for the Body as a Trust 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Baqarah (2), Verses 195: 

‘…And do not let your actions place you in a (state of) destruction (by being miserly); and be benevolent, indeed, Allah (Almighty) loves those who are benevolent.’ 

This reminds us that protecting our health, by neither neglecting nor overstraining it, is an act of goodness. Teaching your child a sense of moderation in their movement, their rest, and their medication is a way of following this divine command to care for the body as a sacred trust. 

Patience and Self-Care as Worship 

It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 79, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘The believer who is strong is better and more beloved to Allah than the believer who is weak, though there is goodness in both. Strive for that which benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not give up.’ 

This teaches us that physical strength is valuable when it is directed toward what is beneficial. It should not be forced or neglected, but rather used with clear intention. Helping your child to find a form of movement that fits their body’s needs is a way of transforming their care into an act of worship. 

You can end your day with a quiet affirmation: ‘O Allah, please bless our medicine and our movement. Make both of them a means of healing, not of harm.’ Over time, your child will learn that faith is not just about having patience through a struggle, but about having the wisdom to find a sense of balance. They will learn to move enough to feel alive, to rest enough to heal, and to trust in Allah Almighty with every step.