for eMaxHealthNeurofeedback is probably the most interesting and promising treatment modality for ADHD in use today. The goal of the treatment is to teach a person to change the way his brain works, so that the person no longer functions like he has ADHD. That means that with neurofeedback your child could teach his brain not to have ADHD. Would such a thing interest you? We are now going to go into how it works.
What is Biofeedback?
Biofeedback is the use of instrumentation to mirror psychological and physiological processes of which the individual is not normally aware. These processes are usually considered involuntary. However, through biofeedback they may be brought under voluntary control. The person receives information about the status of his own biological state, and using this information, learns to gain control over involuntary biological functions.
Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that can be used to train ADHD children to change their brain wave patterns to be more like normal children. Using an electroencephalograph to monitor the brain waves and a system of positive reinforcement, the children learn how to make their brains become more attentive.
The result is that there is a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms and improvements in behavior, relative to how well the children learn to control their own brain function.
How Does Neurofeedback Work?
Every normal person has five major types of brain wave patterns. Multiple patterns are present in the brain at any given time, but each area of the brain has a predominate pattern that reflects the person's current mental state. These patterns can be measured and recorded by an electroencephalogram (EEG). The EEG can be used to make a map of the person's mental function.
The five types of brain wave patterns are:
Beta waves : These are fastest waves. When a person is attentive, his brain has a lot of beta waves.
SMR waves : These are a subcategory of beta waves. These are the waves that occur in the sensorimotor cortex when a person is quietly focused to prepare for a physical challenge.
Alpha waves : These waves are slower. These are the brain waves of relaxation.
Theta waves : These waves are even slower. This is the brain wave pattern that a person has when he is daydreaming or almost at the point of falling asleep.
Delta waves : These are the slowest brain waves. These are the brain waves of deep sleep.
When a normal child tries to read or concentrate, he increases the amount of beta waves in certain parts of his brain. ADHD children don't do this. Instead of increasing beta waves, they increase theta waves, the daydreaming brain wave. That means that where other children are concentrating harder to complete a certain task, ADHD children are drifting off.
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Anthony Kane, MD is a physician, an international lecturer, and director of special education. He is the author of a book, numerous articles, and a number of online programs dealing with ADHD treatment parenting issues ODD, and education. You may visit his website at http://addadhdadvances.com . To sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal send an email to: subscribe@addadhdadvances.com
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