Home
>
Parenting
>
EEG Biofeedback Training as a Treatment Option for ADHD

EEG Biofeedback Training as a Treatment Option for ADHD

The popularity of EEG Biofeedback Training continues to grow both in the USA and around the world. Many parents are searching for treatment options for ADHD other than medications, and as a results are exploring this high tech approach to treatment. Here are some things that I think you should know about Neurofeedback or EEG Biofeedback training if you are considering it for your ADDer:

First, I believe it to be a good option for treatment. This is based on my ten years of personal experience as a provider of this option in my practice. I have treated over 300 ADHD kids and adults using excellent equipment from EEG Spectrum in Encino, CA. I have found that about 70% of my clients have received either "good" or "excellent" results from the training.

I am often surprised by the results, and sometimes disappointed by the results. For example, I am just completing treatment with a 20 year old college student with ADD (space-cadet type) who is very bright and highly motivated. His brother had been through treatment in the past and had done remarkably well, as had his step-sister. Yet he has had only fair improvement at best. He has received most of his benefit from taking the nutraceutical Attend on a regular basis, and at much less cost.

Yet I am also treating a 13 year old girl with ADHD, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and HUGE temper tantrums. This young person has been on several medications with little or no benefit. We have done only three sessions and there have been zero tantrums (used to be one per day on average) and the parents are so excited they can hardly contain themselves. I cannot explain why some do so well, and sometimes quickly, while others barely benefit. But I also cannot explain why some benefit from medications, diet, Attend, therapy, essential fatty acids, pycnogenol, or whatever, and others do not.

Treatment: Following diagnosis and baseline testing. Typically the subject wears one or two electrodes on the scalp to monitor the EEG activity of the brain. The brainwaves are amplified and displayed on the therapist*s computer screen, both in raw wave-form and broken into various frequency bands. The subject sees a representation of this electrical activity in the form of animation on his computer monitor. The training involves learning to increase the activity in specific frequency bands and decreasing the activity in other specific frequency bands. Various computer animation and games are used for the feedback to the subject. Yes, subjects can learn to change and control their brainwave activity.

Realistic Expectations for treatment: If your child has never been on medication, you might be able to get good enough results to never have to use meds. If your child is currently using medications, you might be able to discontinue meds altogether. Maybe. Mostly what we see, however, is that kids will use both the training and a small dose of medication. I am usually happy if we can cut the dosage of the medication by half or more and still get the same level of performance from the child.

Controversy: The mainline ADDers tend to be opposed to EEG training on the grounds that there are only clinical studies, no -double-blind- studies on the effectiveness of the treatment. Yes, this is true. And there will not be any either.

Why? Because a double-blind study means that the subject does not know whether he is using the experimental treatment or just a placebo treatment which is assumed to have no effect on the subject. Double-blind studies are great when you are talking about pills, but they are not useful for much of anything else. For example think of weight-lifting.

Could you prove that weight- lifting made subject stronger with a double-blind study? Never.

Could you prove that reading a book increased the reader's knowledge with a double-blind study. Never.

Most things cannot be tested with double-blind studies because the subject has to participate in the treatment actively. So the criticism about biofeedback lacking double-blind studies is a hallow argument, and they know it, but the press always prints it without question and many people assume it is a valid criticism.

Are there clinical studies? Yes, dozens, maybe hundreds at this point. EEG Spectrum has collected data on over 2,000 subject to date. That is just one provider. There are about 800 providers in the USA at this time. However, choose only providers who know what they are doing. There is no substitute for experience or for good equipment. Slow feedback from the equipment is not helpful. Typically the more expensive the equipment the better, because the software is able to deliver the feedback to the subject very very quickly. Ask around for a good provider. And avoid people who treat this like a religion. It is a very good tool, but there are several good tools available. For more information visit the ADHD Information Library at newideas.net.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

house cleaning company Bannockburn ...

In The News:

Facebook crypto scams trick users with fake celebrity endorsements and legitimate-looking cryptocurrency exchange ads that install malware on victims' devices.

Create private chat rooms using the iPhone Notes app collaboration feature with instant messaging capabilities and full control over conversation privacy.

Lyft rolled out safety upgrades with a new Safety Hub, driver blocking capability and a favorite driver option to give riders more control over their experience.

New research shows Americans increasingly trust AI for wellness guidance over social media, with 63% finding artificial intelligence reliable for health.

Luxury fashion brand Dior experienced a January 2025 data breach affecting customer personal information, and notifications were sent months after the discovery.

The commercial Unitree H1 humanoid robot weighs 104 pounds with 365 pound-feet torque per joint and demonstrates dangerous potential when software glitches occur.

Americans average 10-plus hours online daily, according to recent survey, splitting time between streaming shows on TV and browsing websites on multiple devices.

Boost your smartphone privacy instantly with these security tweaks for iPhone and Android that limit ad tracking, hide notifications and prevent unauthorized access.

Platforms like Hoax Tech and JS Click Cloaker help cybercriminals bypass detection systems using machine learning to selectively display scam content to victims.

A new battery recycling technique transforms old lithium-ion batteries into high-performance components that retain 88% capacity after 500 cycles with minimal waste.

Google's Android operating system can warn users about earthquakes before the shaking even begins – and there are ways to do it on your iPhone, too.

Meta's new gesture control wristband might just be the most seamless way to control a computer yet. And no, it doesn't require surgery, a camera, or even a touchscreen. All it needs is your wrist.

Long-haul trucks are now being upgraded with a surprising twist, thanks to California-based startup Revoy. Their electric boost doesn't replace diesel but works alongside it to cut emissions and fuel costs without major disruption.

PayPal and Venmo just rolled out something big: AI-powered scam alerts for Friends and Family payments.

As data centers multiply across the United States, energy demand is increasing at a rapid pace. This has not escaped the notice of large investment firms from Wall Street.

The Unicode Consortium, the nonprofit organization that maintains the Unicode Standard to ensure emojis work across devices, has announced Unicode 17.0, which includes nine new emojis slated for release this fall, in September 2025.

OpenAI is one of the world's leading AI research labs. Founded in 2015, it's behind some of today's most talked-about tools, including GPT, DALL·E, and ChatGPT.

Ever catch your dog staring at the screen during movie night and wonder if they're actually watching? Turns out, they might be. A new scientific study from Auburn University found that many dogs really do engage with television, and not all pups react the same way.

Stop the scammers from making contact in the first place. They're getting your parents' contact information and much more personal data besides, from somewhere.

The Walker S2 robot from UBTech autonomously exchanges its batteries in just three minutes, allowing continuous operation in car factories operated by BYD, Nio and Zeekr.

The FX Super One electric MPV from Faraday Future offers flexible seating, zero-gravity recliners and an AI system that creates a personal connection between driver and vehicle.

Practical solutions for reducing unwanted charity mail, political texts and email spam by opting out of shared lists, replying "STOP" and using data removal services.

Delta's new AI pricing system eliminates static airfares for personalized rates based on individual data, raising questions about fairness while promising optimized revenue.

AI data centers are straining the power grid across 13 states, contributing to a $9 billion increase in electricity costs, and PJM customers face monthly bill increases of $25 or more.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the music industry as AI-generated bands like The Velvet Sundown earn substantial streaming revenue, prompting lawsuits from major record labels.

EEG Biofeedback Training as a Treatment Option for ADHD

Parenting