A recent article published in the Sydney Morning Herald on the 13/03/2016, reported that drugs such as Ritalin made no difference to the long-term outcomes of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), also known as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute followed 178 children with ADHD and 212 children without ADHD/ADD for 3 years to examine factors which impact the development of children with the disorder. The study showed that at age 10, the children who were taking Ritalin to treat their ADHD/ADD were not doing any better or worse than their peers who were not medicated.
ADHD/ADD is a neurological disorder that affects children from the first months of their lives, through their school years, and into adolescence and adulthood. These children can face many struggles, especially in relation to mental and academic abilities, as they get older. When ADHD/ADD continues into adulthood it is often linked with secondary problems such anxiety, depression, gambling, and drug and alcohol abuse. Proper ADHD/ADD assessments, as well as management of the problem in childhood, decrease the risk of secondary problems occurring later in life. Learning Discoveries Psychological Services is one of the most experienced centres offering ADHD/ADD assessments and Neurofeedback in Sydney. We provide ADHD/ADD tests and Neurofeedback training for children and adults.
Neurofeedback is an integrated strategy in a complete ADHD/ADD learning program that works to improve the brain’s ability to produce certain brainwaves. The training helps an individual regulate their brainwave activity by informing them about their own brainwave characteristics. By identifying the kind of brainwaves the individual is producing, Neurofeedback training makes it possible for them to learn to change their brainwave patterns to improve their brain function.
Even though there is no evidence to show that Ritalin makes a difference to long-term outcomes for children with ADHD/ADD, there is evidence to show that Neurofeedback training is effective in delivering a drug-free, non-invasive and safe method of improving attention and mental control in those who exhibit symptoms of ADHD or ADD. There are now over 1500 scientific papers written on QEEG (quantitative encephalography) and Neurofeedback which have been published in peer-reviewed journals. Since working memory problems are common in individuals with ADHD/ADD, Learning Discoveries Psychological Services now offers the Cogmed Working Memory Training Program. It has been shown to significantly benefit those with memory deficits, and is evidence-based and widely respected.
At Learning Discoveries Psychological Services, we assist parents in generating a holistic approach for your child’s individual needs. The advantage of Neurofeedback training is that it can be done in conjunction with cognitive behaviour therapy, medication, diet, and physical therapy. Rather than solely using medication as a ‘band-aid’ to reduce symptoms, Neurofeedback training, at Learning Discoveries Psychological Services is one tool that is part of a comprehensive range of interventions to manage ADHD/ADD.
Daryl Efron, a paediatrician and a chief investigator of the project at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, claimed that “medication does not alter the long-term outcomes of kids [with ADHD/ADD]”. Contrastingly, in most cases, the improvement of brain function continues long after Neurofeedback training has stopped. Learning Discoveries Psychological Services offers many forms of Neurofeedback training and is a natural, drug-free solution for ADHD/ADD.
