You
might have known what Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
is, but did you know the distinction between Type 1 and Type 2 ADHD?
How Is ADHD Usually Diagnosed?
Most psychologists, psychiatrists, and pediatricians
diagnose ADHD based on a set of inattention and hyperactivity symptoms
along with other criteria outlined in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders- Fifth Edition (DSM-V).
For someone to be diagnosed with ADHD, the behaviors must have lasted
for at least six months, and symptoms must be present in school and in
other aspects of the individual's life.
Inattention symptoms of ADHD include:
- Not paying attention to detail
- Making careless mistakes
- Failing to pay attention and keep on task
- Not listening
- Being unable to follow or understand instructions
- Avoiding tasks that involve effort
- Being distracted or forgetful
- Losing things that are needed to complete tasks
Hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms of ADHD include:
- Fidgeting
- Squirming
- Getting up often when seated
- Running or climbing at inappropriate times
- Having trouble playing quietly
- Talking excessively or out of turn
- Interrupting
Based on the above symptoms listed in its Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual, the American Psychiatric Association has
identified three subtypes of ADHD:
1. ADHD, Combined Type: Both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms
2.ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive Type: Inattention, but not enough (at least 6 out of 9 for children less than 18 years old) hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms
3. ADHD, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: Hyperactivity-impulsivity, but not enough (at least 6 out of 9) inattention symptoms
How can newmindcentre.com help you?
Pills are not the only way to manage your child’s inappropriate or maladaptive behaviors. In November 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics approved biofeedback and neurotherapy as a Level 1 or “best support” treatment option for children suffering from ADHD. For parents looking for an effective, non-drug treatment of ADHD, neurotherapy is one worth serious consideration.
FYI, I am a certified neurotherapist too. Contact me for more information.
Neurotherapy for ADHD
Neurotherapy trains children to become more aware of their
physiological responses and how to gain control of the brain’s frontal
lobe, which is the executive functioning center. Electroencephalography
(EEG) neurotherapy is a specific technique under biofeedback therapy,
and it is the recording of electrical activity within the cells of the
scalp. Neurotherapy focuses on the central nervous system and the
brain’s activity in order to give moment-to-moment information.
Children with ADHD have higher rates of EEG abnormalities compared to
children without ADHD, such as higher theta wave rhythms (drowsiness),
lower sensorimotor rhythms (movement control), and lower beta waves
(attention and memory processes). Neurotherapy provides audio and
visual interpretations of these brain waves, and children learn how to
maintain the appropriate levels for functioning.
During a neurotherapy session, EEG sensors are situated on the
scalp. Specific brain wave activity is then detected, amplified, and
recorded. The information is instantaneously fed back to the therapist
and client on a screen. The therapist informs the client what they are
observing, and trains them on how to control the brain activity so that
it reaches the desired range. With the help of a video game program, the
child learns to maintain low activity of the delta waves and an
increase in beta waves, or the game will not continue to play. With
this, the child exercises the brain and increases his focus and
attention.
It also has been studied and reported that the brains of children
with ADHD are lacking the regulation from the frontal region, allowing
the mid-brain to quickly react without a type of checking system. Neurotherapy restores the strength of the frontal region of the brain,
and builds a better connection between the mid-brain and forebrain,
allowing focus, attention, impulses, and emotional reactions to become
manageable. Children build memory for how they were able to achieve the
desired results within the sessions and use it outside of the sessions
to produce lasting results.
Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is a psychostimulant drug commonly used for
the treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents. Research suggests
that neurotherapy is an equally effective treatment. Children are
typically given three doses of 10 mg Ritalin per day on school days.Neurotherapy training is shown to be a favorable option that provides
the same results as medication. For parents who prefer other options
aside from medication, neurotherapy is a
non-invasive, safe, effective,
and long-lasting treatment option. Typically, the child will
participate in 10 to 20 sessions or more depending on severity of
symptoms, and each session lasts 30 to 60 minutes.
All retrieved from:
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/types-of-adhd
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/06/10/neurofeedback-therapy-an-effective-non-drug-treatment-for-adhd/
