Written by Gaillyn T. Hope
Cups and Balls, a technological treatment game for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is available free of charge on a web site dedicated to the topic of ADHD. The game was created specifically to reduce symptoms for people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorde. Cups and Balls is one of many types of treatments available to assist in reducing the symptoms of ADHD.
This particular web site also contains a video serie, posted under FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions) which covers a wide range of topics all focused on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The video series which is about ADHD only, was written and narrated by a professional clinician experienced in treating ADHD patients. He is highly knowledgeable on the topic and professional in his delivery. Among the most informative videos in this series are the two on ADHD treatments. Apparently, there are so many treatments for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder that it was necessary to address them in two separate videos. Part One covers: medications, neurofeedback, sensory integration dysfunction, and nutrition.
Regarding medications, the narrator first instructs the viewers to keep in mind that what works for one child may not work for another and also that the side effects may vary greatly from one person to another. Sometimes it is necessary to try several different medications as well as dosages on a person before the medication and its dosage selected can be included in the treatment plan. He goes on to emphasize that medications as well as other forms of treatments should be tailored and uniquely developed for each person.
The part of the video which addresses neurofeedback was perhaps the most technical portion. The narrator used some specialized jargon that I had heard before but did not clearly understand. I knew that to grasp his points about neurofeedback, I needed a clear layman’s definition. So-o-o, I visited my old friend, Webster, and his Webster’s New Reference Library. There was no entry for “neurofeedback;” therefore, I did a search on the Internet. While a definition was not forthcoming, I did learn that apparently the terms, “biofeedback,” and neurofeedback,” are interchangeable. I then went back to Webster and looked up, “biofeedback.” Bingo! There it was, “biofeedback,” and therefore “neurofeedback,” is “a technique by which one seeks to consciously regulate bodily function thought to be involuntary, as heartbeat, by using an instrument to monitor the function.” I combined this bit of information with what I gathered from the video, Treatment – Part One, which is posted on the web site, AttentionDeficitDisorderGame.com. Now I understand that neurofeedback uses a certain type of equipment to regulate brain waves.
The professional clinician explained that there are two kinds of brain waves involved with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, The Beta Waves and the Theta Waves. The narrator informs the viewer that the Beta waves are the brain waves used when concentrating and focusing on mental work. The Theta waves are the ones used when an individual is daydreaming. What has been learned about this in relationship to ADHD is that when children are concentrating on their schoolwork, Beta wave activity is significantly increased. However, when a child with ADHD attempts to concentrate, for instance on schoolwork, it is the daydreaming brain waves, the Theta waves, which increases. The clinician explains in the video, “Treatment- Part One,” that there are many neurofeedback exercises used for the purpose of training the brain to function normally.
Sensory Integration is also addressed in the first video on ADHD Treatments in this video series. The narrator informs the viewer that sensory input refers to what we see, hear, taste, smell and feel. A person with ADHD has difficulty processing and organizing sensory input in such a way that it can he can understand it. The clinician made a very interesting point about sensory integration and ADHD. He explained that neurologically, people with ADHD seem to have a deficit in sensory production. Behaviorally, the person with ADHD tends to overcompensate resulting in an inappropriate amount of physical activity which is the cause of the hyperactivity part of the disorder. Structured sensory input scheduled at consistent times, is used to provide the traditional sensory input needed to increase low sensory input up to appropriate levels.
The last aspect of ADHD Treatments addressed in Treatments- Part One in the video series on ADHD posted on Attention Deficit Disordergame.com is that of nutrition. The clinician states that nutrition now plays a large role in the treatment approach for people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. According to the narrator, many studies have suggested that some foods tend to promote ADHD symptoms and at least increase them. One interesting outcome of these studies is regarding sugar. It has been thought for a long time that sugar causes ADHD symptoms. However, research discounts this theory rather than support it! Other research focuses on food additives, such as MSG, food coloring, and preservatives.
These, then, are the topics addressed in Treatments – Part One in the video series on ADHD available at AttentionDeficitDisordergame.com. The video was informative enough to motivate me to view Part Two, in order to obtain more complete knowledge on the treatments available for
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
©2010 MegaTech, Inc.
Gaillyn Hope is a former public elementary school teacher who is now a web writer, as well as a writer of children’s stories and tells her stories on line as well as in person. Her connection with education sparked her interest in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and its concerns.
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