Anyone Tried Biofeedback for ADD

Biofeedback is wonderful for many kids with ADD. The diet changes can work wonders as well - certain food dyes should be avoided as well (certain red and yellow dyes like are found in goldfish crackers can really wreak havok on kids with attention issues)

Hi J. -

Bio and Neurofeedback can be very successful in treating the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. If you'd like, I have a couple of referrals I can give you -- feel free to contact me at ____@____.com luck!

J.

Hi J.! Yes, we did the biofeedback with my moderately diagnosed son with ADD, and IT WAS AWESOME! We saw improvement over time (about one year, once per week), we had a fabulous doctor (In Southern California), and although my son has what we call "spells", it was the training that he "re-learned" with the biofeedback that helps IMMENSELY with my sons impulsvity (not sure if I spelled that right). He also had some anger issues that were really socially holding him back with friendships, and again with the biofeedback, it helped him to "stay focused" and remember to "keep the circle green" (this was the type of biofeedback that Cody used....a computer monitor with an oval in the middle of the screen, two "monitors" on the top of his left ear, and the top of his head, and the color that he had to "tell (not verbally but with his thoughts) it to stay" was green, and when he would get distracted or tense up, the oval would turn red...a visual reminder to stay focused and keep it green.) Like I said, it was so spectacular, and my husband and I were also of the same mindset that we DID NOT want to go the medication route....too scary in my opinion, and pushed upon parents of children with ADD FAR too often. I say give it a try and see if your daughters ADD improves....it definitely worked for our son! Good Luck and God Bless! Parents of ADD kids get extra jewels in our crowns in heaven... :>

C. B

My 21 year old son has ADHD. He tried biofeedback the summer he was 19 and had a very positive experience. It helped him become familiar with what it feels like to be in "the zone" where he is both relaxed and focused. It also helped him to develop confidence in believing that he could summon that state of mind when he needs it. It is not a panacea, he still needs his medication occasionally (especially when he gets run down physically, like during finals, etc.) but it was helpful. The downside is that it is time-consuming. You have to do it at least three times a week for the therapy to become ingrained in one's consciousness. It is also imperitive that the patient be absolutely committed to the process. You will not have a good result if you try to force your daughter to do it. She must buy into it and participate willingly. Good luck!

Hi J.

We tried biofeedback for our son. Like you we found medications did not work for our son. We went to a neuropsychologist. Our son went through all the testing first. The doctor suggested he would be a good candidate for biofeedback. He went through many sessions and then we went back to the doctor for re evaluating to see how well it had worked for him. The doctor saw some improvement but not as much as he had hoped. It really all depends on the patient. It can work well for some and not for others. It is not a guarantee. Since then we have been working with a coach who works on teaching the child to ground themselves and be more in control of themselves (our son took to this like a fish to water). It is very much like Yoga. He also takes two natural products from Native Remedies called Bright Spark and Focus Factor. All this combined it is working very well for him.
Hope this gives you some help/guidance.

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N. :o)

The best system for ADD is from the Institute of Heartmath. I am licensed to teach their system, and good results are gained by adults and young people as well. A biofeedback like device is used as well as a teaching coaching model. I is different from the regular bio feedback devices, as it measures heart rate variabilety. I work with people all over the country, and would be happy to give you more information.
Marilyn Asplund ###-###-####

Hi J.,

I tried Biofeedback when I was a teenager for back pain related to stress, and I can say that not only was it good for back pain relief and relaxation, but by learning to control some of my physical symptoms I gained some early mastery of my emotional and mental state (I didn't become a young Jedi knight but it certainly helped a great deal!) I learned how to lower my blood pressure and heart rate with my mind, which immensely helps a person to calm down. I think it would be a great supplementary treatment with your dietary changes, I bet you'll get terrific results. Can I also add that martial arts, including Tai Chi, and yoga as well could be really great adjuncts to the other stuff you're doing? These are all wonderful ways of mastering our inner states, whether we be kids, teens, or adults. I think your daughter is very fortunate that her parents are open to non-medical solutions to her challenges. I think you're on the right path and I salute you.

-K.

Hi,

I don't know anything about biofeedback. I would strongly recommend that you go to wwww.neurorelief.com and find someone who can test your daughter and then purchase the supplements. Our son is ODD and has SID - related to ADD - and they have been miraculous. The supplement program is designed to optimize your neurotransmitters which mitigates the ADD symptoms.

Best,

P.

Have you tried a daily dose of omega 3 rich fish oil? Many I have met in the past swear by it and I have a great article on Essential Fatty Acids and the brain, and how it can affect children with add and adhd. There was a study in 2002 where children from 12 Durham schools took part in this study to test the impact of a daily does of omega 3 rich fish oil. Get a brand that is high in omega 3 fatty acids over 80 percent. There are a lot of brands on the market but very few that have that purity. Try that for a few months and see how it helps!
Best of luck

J. , I do not have any information for you,but I am interested in your replies. My 12 yr old son was recently diagnosed and I am not yet convinced meds are the way to go. I do not have any info on Interactive Metronome OR biofeedback. Thank you for your question. T.

J., it's amazing what the diet in one's life can do to them and allow them to feel like. I do not have ADD; however, before I found out that I was hypoglycemic....was very moody, irritable, tired all of the time, gaining weight and unhappy for the most part. After going to see my regular doctor about getting tests done and seeing if I had any physical ailment/sickness that was possibly causing this....finally went to a Naturopathic doctor. That was when I finally got the answer I was looking for. I found out that I had hypoglycemia, and allergies to certain foods. I was able to change all of my habits and foods that I was able to eat and it was amazing of how different I felt within days! I also lost the weight that I just couldn't seem to get off no matter what.

This is only my opinion, but I guess I'm just trying to say that before any medication is prescribed or given to your daughter....try seeing if the food and activity is the problem. I believe you mentioned that you have cut out the wheat/dairy/sugar from her diet and have seen improvement. Funny thing is, those are the things that I have cut out as well. I do have sugar from time to time; but it can't be too much. I'm just a strong believer in how foods and activity can have so much bearing on why we as people feel and act the way we do. So many people just think they need drugs/medication to solve their ailments when all they need to do is see what they may or may not eat. What they should be doing activity wise. It just becomes a vicious cycle when you really don't find out what the problem is and just try to band aid it....it's still there. Good luck. :0)

Is she involved in any sports that require self-control and discipline? Often times in kids with ADD they need an activity that helps them direct their focus. My sons attend Richard Lee's East West in Alamo and my youngest had a real problem with attention and self-control, but was not diagnosed with ADD (although he couldn't sit still and was constantly moving, jumping from one thing to another). Through the kung fu instruction he really learned to focus and learned a great deal of self-control. I've see other kids there that have also benefited from this. I don't know if they have ADD, but when they started they too had a hard time paying attention and focusing, but the activities at the school really get the kids interested if you stick with it. If not this school, maybe another. I think most martial arts teach kids self-control. There are lots of young girls at the school, and quite a number of teen girls she could look up to for inspiration. Give it a try.

J.,

I have only heard about positive results with Biofeedback, but not experienced it myself. I can say that I've had incredible results with Acupuncture for my own children.

I don't know too much about it, but I have two patients
(I'm a child psychiatrist) whose parents think it has been very helpful for their children. Send me an email and I'll send
you the referral (it's at my office). The psychologist is in
Palo Alto.

T. Hartman ____@____.com

We tried Neurofeedback and it helped a lot. There's no magical solution for ADD. You'll have to try a variety of things and see what works best. It's something to work on and teach the child strategies for working with. This is not going to go away. It's a learning difference. Thom Hartmann has some excellent books on ADD which I found helpful. You can look at them at ThomHartmann.com and on the left is an ADD reference link.