Does your child really have ADHD?
Could there also be learning or processing issues?
You might be surprised to learn that as many as 50 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD either don’t have ADHD or have co-occurring learning disabilities that are causing much of your child’s fidgeting and acting-out behavior.
At Center for Brain we have a way to help answer the question and put an end to the guessing game: Does my child really have ADHD – or is there something else going on?
Many attention problems are a byproduct of learning issues that frustrate the child and cause them to act out or have trouble staying focused.
But what if your child responds really well to stimulant medications? Wouldn’t that indicate that they really do have ADHD?
Not necessarily.
Just because your child responds positively to stimulant medications doesn’t mean an ADHD diagnosis is correct or is the only issue. Stimulant medications improve focus for just about anyone – even people without ADHD. However, medications can’t overcome processing and learning issues – and they don’t teach your child how to pay better attention.
But what if your child responds really well to stimulant medications? Wouldn’t that indicate that they really do have ADHD?
New technology at Center for Brain helps zero in on whether it’s attention or some type of processing or learning issue. It helps more clearly identify which brain issues, if any, are at play so they can be treated: Is the problem an inability to pay attention or is it a processing issue that affects language, reading, math or processing speed? Why do some kids have attention issues with one or two subjects – but not others? Is that really ADHD?
Remember that academic and attention problems are brain issues, not a lack of desire or ability in the child to do well.
Step One: The Brain Map
We start by conducting a brain map, called a Connectivity Map, at our Jupiter, Florida office, created from a specialized EEG. The raw data are processed for a report which we review in depth with the parents.
The map helps target what areas may be impacting the problem:
- Are the brain issues more in the part that controls attention or impulse control or more in areas that deal with processing, language or reading?
- Are other brain areas playing a role?
- Is the situation mixed, or is the problem something else having nothing to do with connectivity?
The map allows us to clarify these questions and to target treatment, if indicated. In addition, the map identifies specific areas of the brain that are poorly connected or poorly organized and are likely to be impacting the child’s ability to process information.
(Parents of our clients frequently exclaim that this report describes their child’s behaviors and struggles perfectly).
Step Two: A customized neurofeedback training program
If the map shows us a likely cause of the attention, behavior or learning problem, we customize an advanced neurofeedback brain training program.
A new type of neurofeedback called MCT (multivariate coherence training) is even more effective than traditional neurofeedback. MCT was co-developed by Dr. Robert Coben, a noted neuropsychologist*. It hyper-targets and gently encourages those connections to improve, often doing so surprisingly fast.
A new type of neurofeedback called MCT (multivariate coherence training) is even more effective than traditional neurofeedback. MCT was co-developed by Dr. Robert Coben, a noted neuropsychologist*. It hyper-targets and gently encourages those connections to improve, often doing so surprisingly fast.
How do you train mood and depression?
Step 2 involves 15 sessions of MCT neurofeedback training, typically two or three sessions per week, targeted to the specific brain connectivity issues identified from analysis of the brain map.
Why are we doing MCT neurofeedback?
Based on a study by Dr. Coben, children with ADHD and learning and processing issues saw changes of 1 grade level in 15 sessions with individually-tailored MCT neurofeedback based on a Connectivity Map. Most education professionals as well as parents consider that level of change to be significant.
Neurofeedback helps improve:
- Attention
- Behavior
- Academic achievement
- Sleep
- Hyperactivity
- Self-control
What’s involved in the training?
Doing neurofeedback is similar to playing a video game, which is one reason kids generally enjoy doing it. The difference is that they move the game forward with their mind instead of a joystick. It’s that simple!
Step Three: Re-evaluate changes, assess progress
After 15 neurofeedback sessions, we conduct a second brain map to see where physical changes have occurred and to summarize parent feedback. We identify areas, if any, that may need additional training.
Why this System Works
Research shows that there must be functional connections between key areas of the brain in order for attention and learning to take place easily. Neurofeedback technology is used to promote changes in the way neurons in the brain fire.
Malfunctioning connections can result in issues with attention, dyslexia and other reading problems, dyscalculia (difficulty with math) and/or processing problems. Furthermore, the resulting frustration can often look like ADHD.
Based on Dr. Coben’s research, neurofeedback helps children with ADHD and learning issues improve the efficiency of the brain’s communication patterns. The second map after 15 sessions reveals the actual percentage improvement in connectivity. Better connectivity correlates with improved attention and school performance.
What if we discover that your child does have ADHD? What about medication?
Dealing with attention problems the “easy” way
In the past several decades the “easy” solution has been to put children on a stimulant medication if they are acting out or having trouble paying attention.
Sometimes there’s remarkable and rapid improvement, but when the medication wears off, the original issues remain. Some children may even need an additional medication for sleep. It can become a vicious merry-go-round that leaves children and their family members in a constant state of turmoil.
Furthermore parents worry – should I be exposing my child’s developing brain to powerful drugs with unwanted side effects?
“Attention and behavioral problems are not due to a deficiency of Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, Vyvance, Adderall or any other stimulant drug. They don’t help the child learn to pay better attention or to behave better.” – Mike Cohen, Director
Adults and children with ADHD show a pattern of slow brain wave activity. Neurofeedback helps speed up and stabilize this activity, resulting in reduced symptoms and enhanced calmness. With repetition, changes to the brain remain without medication.
Behavioral and learning changes occur because there’s been an actual change in the brain (not just a temporary change in behavior brought on by what occurs with taking medication). These changes tend to hold once the new patterns are firmly established. Just like riding a bike, once a person learns a new pattern, they’re unlikely to forget it.
Even if your child is already on medication, he or she may be able to reduce or eliminate it over time with a doctor’s help.
“Attention and behavioral problems are not due to a deficiency of Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, Vyvance, Adderall or any other stimulant drug. They don’t help the child learn to pay better attention or to behave better.” – Mike Cohen, Director
Adults and children with ADHD show a pattern of slow brain wave activity. Neurofeedback helps speed up and stabilize this activity, resulting in reduced symptoms and enhanced calmness. With repetition, changes to the brain remain without medication.
Behavioral and learning changes occur because there’s been an actual change in the brain (not just a temporary change in behavior brought on by what occurs with taking medication). These changes tend to hold once the new patterns are firmly established. Just like riding a bike, once a person learns a new pattern, they’re unlikely to forget it.
Even if your child is already on medication, he or she may be able to reduce or eliminate it over time with a doctor’s help.
Neurofeedback (a type of biofeedback) can help dramatically. In a publication sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics, biofeedback was identified as a first-line, evidence-based treatment for ADHD.
Client Stories
A 13-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with ADHD began doing his homework by himself – and without reminders – after undergoing 15 sessions of MCT neurofeedback. He had required one-on-one homework assistance for years from his mother.
A 12-year-old girl who had never been able to do math, struggled with writing, and who suffered from chronic headaches, began thinking up ideas more easily for writing assignments after five sessions. Two sessions later she earned the highest math grade in her academic history. Her headaches significantly decreased and her energy increased.
One 8-year-old girl with attention problems and severe learning disabilities had an extreme dislike for math and reading. After seven sessions she started doing math for fun. After 10 sessions she began reading for pleasure. Her mother even discovered her in bed one night with a flashlight reading under the covers!
Neurofeedback is not a “Quick Fix”
Our approach is definitely not like popping a pill. It takes a while to see significant results – 15-25 sessions.
Initial changes are common within 5-10 sessions. Since this is a form of learning, repetition is a significant component of how it works. Much like going to the gym, the time it takes to succeed varies from individual to individual. Results will occur if you stick with it.
Why Consider Neurofeedback?
You are making an investment in something that can change your child’s life and provide a chance to learn skills and to succeed in a way that might not be possible otherwise without medication.
Here are some of the advantages and lifelong benefits of learning to regulate your brain:
- Greater confidence, comfort, and success in the school environment
- Reduced time with school/homework issues
- Improved social relationships
- More comfortable household/family events
- Improved sleep
- More stable mood and increased cooperation
- Reduced need for tutoring and therapist/doctor visits to manage the problem
- Greater sense of responsibility, improved decision-making skills
- Reduced time spent worrying about how to support the issues around your child.
EVERY CHILD can learn to do better. But it’s often impossible for parents or schools to provide the level of positive reinforcement a child with ADHD or learning disabilities needs in order to overcome their issues.
– Mike Cohen, Director
We know you have a lot of questions. That’s why we recommend you schedule a consultation.
Once we meet you and your child and understand your situation better, we can discuss if this new technology is a good treatment option. At the very least, with a Connectivity Map you’ll have a much clearer idea of what’s really happening with your child.
The Role of Nutrition
Nutrition can play a role in treating ADHD. We at Center for Brain have spent years looking at the research and observing what works. We can help point you to information about food and supplements that are known to enhance brain function and impact ADHD and other problems.
Click here for ADHD diet resources.
Good nutrition combined with our other tools creates a synergy that helps everything work together better.
We know you have a lot of questions. That’s why we recommend a consultation.
Once we meet you and your child and understand your situation better, we can discuss if this new technology is a good treatment option. At the very least, with a Connectivity Map you’ll have a much clearer idea of what’s really happening with your child.
Are your Services Covered by Insurance?
There are insurance codes that are commonly used in providing neurofeedback and self-regulation training for certain kinds of issues. We are an out-of-network insurance provider. We can generate an insurance bill with reimbursable insurance codes which you can submit for reimbursement if you have out-of-network coverage, a health savings account or a flexible spending account.
To Contact Us or Get More Information
To learn more about the many exciting options available for your child, call (561)744-7616 or fill out the contact form below. We’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible.
About Center for Brain
Center for Brain is staffed by a team of compassionate professionals whose mission is to enhance the lives of people suffering from a variety of conditions that can be significantly improved with the help of neurofeedback and other brain technologies.
550 Heritage Drive, Suite 140
Jupiter, FL 33458
Michael Cohen has specialized in applied psychophysiology and EEG biofeedback since 1996 and in qEEG brain mapping since 2001. Throughout his career Mike has created and taught both beginner and advanced neurofeedback courses to more than 2,500 physicians, psychologists and therapists in North America and around the world.
Read more about Mike.
