Unlocking ADHD writer Shreshtha Jolly details neurofeedback as an emerging therapy for ADHD.
Standard treatments for children diagnosed with ADHD involve the use of medication, coupled with behavioural therapy. Behavioural therapy involves targeting unwanted behaviours and replacing them with more desirable ones. The child and their support system are taught strategies to help adapt to the condition, and to foster relationships. Children are also prescribed medication to better contain their symptoms.
But how effective are these standard treatments?
Although effective in the short-term, symptoms relapse over time. Medication also entails undesirable side effects including appetite and weight loss. Also, what about the time and cost factor of such treatments?
Given these issues, alternative therapies like neurofeedback are emerging and specifically target the brain.
How does Neurofeedback work?
Typically, our brain produces ‘waves.’ There are 5 types of brain waves – alpha, beta, gamma, delta and theta. People with ADHD have more theta and less beta waves than healthy counterparts. Such brain activity underlies hyperactivity and inattention. Most neurofeedback therapies correct these brain wave patterns and corresponding symptoms.
In a nutshell, data on brain activity is first acquired. This data is then processed, relevant data (like brain wave activity) extracted, and converted into a perceivable form. The client then regulates brain wave activity based on this feedback.
In ADHD, most neurofeedback therapies involve correcting the deviant activity of theta and beta waves. The client is provided with data of their theta and beta waves, informed about whether their levels are abnormal (or not) , and what the target level is. When the target for each wave is achieved, they are rewarded. If it is not achieved, then no reward is provided. This way the client learns to implicitly regulate their brain activity levels. They are also provided a questionnaire prior and after therapy to assess changes in attention and anxiety levels.
Is Neurofeedback available in Singapore?
In Singapore, several centres provide neurofeedback services tailored for ADHD. These include:
- Providing muscle and brain training sessions that target neurological disabilities, learning difficulties (including ADHD), ageing challenges, and chronic stress and pain.
- Providing cognitive development training to children of all ages suffering learning challenges including inattention.
- Providing neurofeedback services to understand the sensory profile of the child. This information is then used to tailor a program to meet the needs of the child.
Factors to Consider
Despite the availability of neurofeedback therapy, it is a less popular option among ADHD individuals in Singapore
- It is considered an emerging treatment, and thus awareness about neurofeedback is not as widespread, as with the more common methods of ADHD treatment.
- Neurofeedback can be costly as each session may cost anywhere from $70-$150 depending on the clinic.
- Neurofeedback therapy can be time-consuming and requires commitment to repeated and regular sessions for sustained results. Each session may last for 45 mins and ADHD individuals may take more than 20 sessions to see improvements, which can be a significant amount of time.
- There are mixed reviews on the effectiveness of neurofeedback. While some scientific journals and articles do report improvements to ADHD conditions like inattention, the results may not be sustained in the long run once neurofeedback therapy is stopped, or may plateau with time. Alternatively, some individuals report no significant or observable changes to their ADHD symptoms and find neurofeedback therapy to be largely ineffective.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of neurofeedback may vary with individuals and it is still a less accessible option to individuals with financial constraints. Hopefully, with time, as more research is published, and the cost of treatment becomes more affordable, ADHDers will be able to add neurofeedback therapy to the array of methods to manage their symptoms.
