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Neurofeedback- Train your Brain!

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Neuro-feedback for ADHD 

ADHD is a brain-based disorder, meaning that those who experience symptoms of ADHD are experiencing a level of dysregulation in their brain circuitry. When a child has trouble concentrating in history class or a co-worker at work cannot seem to remember to get things in on time, this is not an act of carelessness or a choice.

In people with ADHD, their brains are wired differently and they may not have the ability to attend or concentrate when there is no immediate gratification present. People with ADHD utilize medication, exercise, therapy and many other self-help techniques to manage their symptoms so they can effectively succeed in all areas of their life.

It is also becoming quite popular for people with ADHD to “train their brain”. Neurofeedback is a treatment which works to increase appropriate brain functioning. Science has proven that our brains are malleable and we can teach our brain to focus and attend.

Brainwave Patterns 

Neurofeedback is performed using an EEG machine which measure’s electrical activity in the brain. Our brains emit electrical activity in the form of “brain waves” and the four waves include alpha, beta, delta, and theta.

Beta waves are fast and are present in high frequency when we are attended, concentrated and focused. Theta waves are very slow and occur when a person is very drowsy, tired and out of it. In individuals with ADHD, their EEG patterns show a higher frequency of theta waves and a lower frequency of beta waves. 

Session one of Neurofeedback

In the first session of neurofeedback, an individual’s brain wave activity needs to be mapped out. A person wears a helmet and has electrodes attached to his or her scalp while performing simple cognitive tasks (reading out loud etc.).  The brain wave activity occurring in this cognitive task is recorded and processed by a computer. 

The clinician administering the neurofeedback has the first look at the brain wave activity occurring and compares this picture with a picture of what a “focused and attended” brain wave pattern would look like. 

After the initial session, clinicians can see the brain wave frequencies being emitted and can target which frequencies need to be increased and which need to be decreased.

Neurofeedback is personalized as each person’s individual brainwave pattern is being compared to what a focused attended EEG would look like. The goal of neurofeedback is to modify a patient’s brain wave activity to promote a focused and aroused mental state. 

Principles of Learning

Neurofeedback can best be explained through the principle of operant conditioning. One way people and animals learn is through operant conditioning- when certain actions are rewarded, these actions will be increased. For example, if you give your child a candy every time she makes her bed, she will begin to increase her behavior of making her bed.

Also, if certain actions are punished, these actions will decrease. For example, if you take away your child’s cell phone every time she talks back to you, she will start to talk back less because of these consequences.

Neurofeedback sessions going forward 

During the neuro-feedback session, the goal is to promote beta waves and decrease theta waves. Individuals either watch a video or play a video game and through their focused or unfocused state, they control the stimuli via the electrodes they are attached too.  When the person is not focused in the neurofeedback session, the video may freeze or he or she will lose points in the video game.  

The brain is being rewarded for focusing and punished for not focusing. Neurofeedback work to self-regulates rather than deal with symptoms after the fact. This is how the brain learns to focus- after many sessions, the brain learns that in order to gain points or to watch the video, it must concentrate.

Neurofeedback can be the right choice for you!

Neurofeedback has been researched in comparison to medication and has been found to be successful. More and more studies are showing that children can increase their attentive state and decrease hyperactivity with neurofeedback sessions.

Neurofeedback should be supplemented with medication and or therapy depending on the severity of the symptoms. Neurofeedback training varies from place to place, so speak to your physician or mental health clinical if you feel this is right for you and your child.

Play Therapy for ADHD

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Therapy for Children vs Adults

Childen and adults process events and experience emotions differently. Adults who go through traumatic events or struggle with mental health disorders would benefit from therapy sessions such as CBT or psychodynamic therapy.

Sitting in a chair and having a whole forty-five minutes to delve into your innermost thoughts and worries can be a treat for some people while extremely difficult and uncomfortable for others. Children with mental health disorders, especially children with ADHD, may require a unique kind of therapy: play therapy.

Instead of sitting in a char, where the urge to fidget and dance around the room remains a challenge, in play therapy, the room is the child’s canvas. Most play therapists have a room filled with different action figures, dolls, art projects, cars, dress-up, and putty. In this room, the child is free to play, make believe and set the rules.

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Goals of Play Therapy

Play therapy provides a safe outlet for a child to process negative emotions such as anger, shame, and guilt. Many times, children are unaware of the anger they feel and do not have the language to express certain concerns. In a play session, the therapist works with the child to recognize feelings of anger, stress or conflict. The goal is to have the child be aware of the negative emotion so anger or guilt does not control the child.

Through play, such as playing with toy hammers or putty, a child can act out this anger and express it in a constructive space rather than at school and at home. For children with ADHD especially, a big goal of therapy is to help reduce distractions so these children can better focus and concentrate,

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Therapist and Child relationship

For effective therapy, a clinician needs to focus on gaining a child’s trust and learning who this child is. The therapist wants the child to leave play therapy feeling confident and understood.

The playroom can help a child build up his or her confidence as the child leads the sessions at first. Often times the therapist will validate a decision a child made when playing with toys or make-believe games.  Some therapists use tracking where they describe out loud each action and decision the child makes during play. This helps the child feel validated and understand that he or she is capable of making decisions.

People with ADHD struggle with decision making as it can be hard to focus on all aspects of a decision (when distracters are always present). Leaving each session with the feeling that he or she solved the problem or structured a game, can build up a child’s feeling of self-worth and confidence.

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Play Therapy in Action

Play therapy should be a fun and positive experience for a child. The playroom is a room of possibility and discovery. At first, play time is open-ended with the child freely choosing toys and art and building a relationship with a therapist.

As the therapist learns the child’s personality and background better, the therapist can slowly start directing the session.  For example, if a child’s parents are fighting a lot at home, a therapist may opt to act this out with puppets.

These acts of symbolic play can help a child reduce conflict in his or her daily life or learn to cope with a traumatic experience. During play therapy, toys and games become tools which allow a child to express subconscious feelings and manage intense emotions. 

Play Therapy in the Home

Play therapy can also be transferred to the home and school environment. Some therapists, in the sessions, help the child practice deep breathing and mindfulness techniques.

Therapists also model appropriate ways to play with toys which the child can incorporate when playing with peers and siblings.  It is important for the parents to communicate with the clinician to help make play therapy an active and enriching part of a child’s life.

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Nature Therapy for ADHD

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Restorative Effects of Nature 

Being out in the fresh open air is known to be beneficial for the mind, body, and soul. After being inside all day or even for a few hours, stepping out when the weather is warm can be a magical feeling.

Sometimes you need to take that run or sit in the park to recharge your brain before completing an assignment or continuing on the day. Research studies and anecdotal tales have time and again proven the powerful effect nature and greenery can have on attention and mental well being. 

ADHD and Nature

These effects of increased attention are only magnified in children with ADHD: who are constantly experiencing inattention and struggling to focus on school work.  Children who experience ADHD symptoms should spend time outside after school and play in the park or playground. Instead of just throwing your child the Ipad or having them play with toys inside, take the extra step to get them outside.

Children with ADHD between the ages of 5-18 are said to experience a significant reduction of ADHD symptoms when they spend time in nature settings after school. It is not just spending time outside that produce these positive effects. Spending time in green open spaces or fields increase attention and so, taking a walk around a busy area of Manhattan will not leave your child feeling attentive.

Children with ADHD who take walks in parks were found to have an increase in concentration after the walks. However, children with ADHD who took walks in the city or suburbs did not experience an increase in concentrative ability.

Attentional Fatigue

Green outdoor surroundings can help people (regardless of if they have ADHD) sustain their attention, concentration and restore their cognitive resources. The Attentional Restoration Theory describes two types of attention: direct attention and soft fascination. Direct attention is what we use at work and at the school where we must focus and ignore all else. Direct attention gets depleted in general when we focus too hard for too long with no breaks. Now imagine this in children with ADHD who are struggling with a brain-based disorder where they have shorter attentional spans than the average child.

Soft fascination is the free flow of attention which requires no effort and is our mind with no inhibitions.  According to the Attentional Restoration Theory, nature is able to restore our direct attention after we exert mental energy and experience attentional fatigue. When we are in nature, we do not need the direct attention and we are using the “soft fascination” part of our mind. When you are outside you are able to restore your mind so you can have the ability to directly focus on a task later on. 

Nature vs Medication.

Nature is a natural treatment which is accessible and inexpensive. Not all children respond to medication and medication also produces side effects. Especially for children with mild symptoms, nature can really produce profound effects in their functioning at school and at home.

As we experience greater strides in technology, the temptations to only spend time on our screens increase. Spending time outside is good for mental health and for physical health for all children (especially those who struggle with disorders). 

Nature Therapy for ADHD 🙂

For children with ADHD, nature can help their mood, their ability to succeed at school and to follow the rules at home. Outside, they can get their energy out, and experience the freeness of the outdoors. Spending too much time on the T.V or computer does not allow a child’s mind to relax and can actually increase attentional problems.

It can be effortful after a long day of work to ensure your child plays outside but in the long run, it will be worth it. Early intervention is key for children in helping them mitigate symptoms and succeed in academic environments. A daily dose of nature has the ability to go a long way.

Raising a Child with ADHD

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Parents of Children with ADHD

Parents of children with ADHD are said to experience more stress related to parenting than parents of children without this disorder. In general, having children (especially multiple little ones) can be challenging for parents trying to work, keep the household together and find time for themselves.

Parents of children with ADHD face an extra challenge of parenting children who are likely to act out in school, at home and not listen to rules or directions. For these children with ADHD, many times, the acting out and not listening is not due to a desire to be “bad” or to be defiant. However, their ADHD symptoms make them feel restless, impulsive and exhibit a greater need to obtain gratification as soon as possible.

ADHD can affect the entire family system as children with ADHD tend to be disorganized and messy. It is common for a child with ADHD to not clean up after themselves and to act up in front of company. It can also be hard for siblings of children with ADHD who may feel they are always helping out and never receiving the attention they need. 

There are many tips and techniques out there that parents use to help them raise their children who have ADHD. With the right tools and support, you could help control your child’s’ symptoms and create a calming and peaceful environment.

Parenting Tips

1. Rule system- Organization and clearly defined rules are key for children with ADHD. Writing down a list of rules to follow can be extremely helpful for a young child. The rules can be: clean up my toys after playing, throw my garbage away after eating, use a quiet voice in the house etc.  Some families also utilize a point system where with each rule followed, a child can earn a token or a point. A certain amount of points allows the child to earn a reward such as playing a favorite game or earning a snack.  write them down, points and tokens

2. Positive Reinforcement:  Children with ADHD are not always misbehaving (as with any children) and it is important to praise positive behavior. As a parent with a million and one responsibilities, it can be hard to find that second to complement your child for not screaming loudly in the house.

However, it can hurt a child’s self-esteem to be punished for acting out when he or she is struggling with impulses that are hard to control. Instead of focusing on always being there for the spilling the paint and leaving the door open moments, be there to paise the moments your child is listening. 

 3. Consistent routines:  Children with ADHD have difficulties with executive functioning meaning school work and completing assignments on time will be more challenging.

Create a routine where every day after school for a certain amount of time it is homework time. Soon, this routine of getting home from school and completing homework in a specific spot will become a natural transition.

Bedtime can also be difficult for any child and even more so with children with ADHD who are constantly fidgeting and running around. Setting a routine of the bathroom, story time and in bed, every night can help with this as well.

4.  Spending time outside: Studies have shown that when children with ADHD spend time in nature, their symptoms tend to be less severe. Being outside, in the fresh open air can help with ADHD symptoms such as hyperactivity.

When the weather is nice, instead of having your child play inside on the i-pad, try to promote going for walks, playing in the park or bike riding.

5. Parents take care of yourselves: At the end of the day, the most important thing you can do to help your child with ADHD is to help yourself. 

Raising a child with ADHD can be extremely stressful and parents need to take time to exercise, sleep and relax. Some parents attend support groups where they speak with other parents going through the same challenges.

When you are feeling better and have more energy, you are better able to implement the above strategies and create a peaceful environment for a child with ADHD.

Take it easy 🙂

Children with ADHD are also the most creative, sensitive and fun loving children.  Children with ADHD learn differently and also require more structure and organization than children without ADHD. Understanding how these children think and relate to the world can help foster positive parent-child relationships.

Teenagers with ADHD

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Myth: ADHD only exists in childhood… 

There is a common misperception that ADHD is only a “childhood” disorder.  ADHD can be diagnosed in children as young as four years old and is typically diagnosed in childhood. A person usually develops ADHD in this younger age and parents and teachers look out for children who exhibit the core three symptoms: inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.

The six-year-old who cannot sit still and constantly fidgets, or the little girl who stares out the window for hours on end or the child who cannot help but knock down the toy towers even when told not to. In kindergarten and elementary school, if children are suspected of having ADHD, they are evaluated by a pediatrician so they can receive the proper therapy and medication.

As the child gets older, he or she is likely to outgrow ADHD, but this is not always the case. Many teenagers struggle with ADHD as they go through life changes: going to high school, peer pressure and learning to drive. Also, children who were never diagnosed with ADHD can start to experience debilitating symptoms as life stressors begin to increase.

ADHD in Teenagers

When a teenager experiences ADHD, it presents differently than it did in childhood. In children, the core symptom to look out for is hyperactivity, but as children mature, they are less likely to be fidgeting and jumping out of their chairs.

Teenagers with ADHD struggle with:

  1. School performance: As assignments become more demanding, challenges with executive functioning become more apparent. The inability to focus and stay on task can cause a teenager to perform poorly on tests and fall behind in work. 
  2.  Long-term consequences: Understanding to prioritize working on a school project rather than watching T.V is more difficult for teenagers with ADHD, who are wired to seek out immediate gratification.
  3. Social Challenges: Teenagers with ADHD are likely to be victims of bullying or be the bully themselves. They are more likely to be impulsive and act on anger and emotion, rather than process the feelings before speaking.
  4. Risky behavior: Teenagers with ADHD, struggling with impulsivity, are more likely to be tempted by drugs, smoking, and alcohol.

Tips for Parents of Teenagers with ADHD 

  1. Academic Support: ADHD is co-morbid with learning disabilities and with extra help in school, a teenager can succeed academically. By providing extra time, tutoring or studying tips, a teenager with ADHD can improve test scores and confidence in their academic abilities. It is not someone with ADHD’s fault when he or she finds focusing and concentrating more difficult than other people without ADHD. ADHD is a brain-based disorder but cognitive strategies and extra support can help mitigate symptoms.
  2.  Independence:  During teenage years, it is normal for an individual to want to have his or her privacy and freedom to make decisions. It is also normal for parents to want to be involved in their teenager’s life (especially if he or she has ADHD). Parents need to find a balance between providing the structure and support a teenager needs while also allowing for independence. Many teenagers with ADHD report having conflicts with their parents and this can be due to the parents’ desire to help their teenager with school and other experiences. Providing help is one thing but treating your teenager like a child is another thing.
  3. Extracurricular Activites: Encouraging a teenager with ADHD to sign up for after-school clubs or teams can be extremely beneficial. Extracurriculars provide structure and organization to schedules and also provide a way to meet and interact with other peers.
  4. Driving Lesson: Teenagers with ADHD are more likely to struggle with driving due to their inattention and impulsivity. Having extra driving lessons can help a teenager with ADHD feel more confident behind the wheel.

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The Sachs Center ADD/ADHD Treatment Center specializes in the testing and treatment of ADD/ADHD and High Functioning Autism in children, teens and adults. We go beyond labels to see the whole person. Our proven holistic methods will help you and your loved ones reach your highest goals. Call Today. 646-807-8900

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