As the ways to integrate technology into the treatment of psychological problems advance, the repertoire of tools with which to help all types of patients is expanding.

This is especially important when intervening in children with these problems, as the early years of life are an age group in which we are very vulnerable; complications in the maturing development of the brain can generate a domino effect with more serious consequences than those that would occur if the child began to develop these disorders in adulthood.

In fact, one of these tools based on the use of technological solutions, Neurofeedback, is widely used to intervene in ADHD , one of the disorders that cause most problems in school-aged children. Let’s see what it consists of and how it is applied in these cases.

What is Neurofeedback? What about ADHD?

Neurofeedback is a technique based on recording brain activity (in wave form) to give feedback that the patient can use to self-regulate the patterns of brain functioning. In other words, it allows the visualization of the brain’s activity level in real time in order to correct certain tendencies and readjust some mental processes.

On the other hand, Neurofeedback belongs to a group of techniques belonging to the category of Biofeedback, in which the person obtains information about what happens in his body: heart rate, neuronal activity, muscle tone, etc.

On the other hand, ADHD, OR Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, is a psychological disorder that is expressed from childhood and in which problems arise in concentrating and maintaining consistency in the performance of tasks. Children with ADHD feel that it is very difficult to stay focused on the lessons at school, for example, and even to remain still in the desk chair.

Thus, ADHD affects school performance very negatively and makes it difficult to take advantage of the years of formal education. In addition, people with ADHD show an increased risk of falling into addictions, anxiety disorders, and other complications.

Advantages of Neurofeedback in Children with ADHD

As we have seen, Neurofeedback emphasizes the need to learn to regulate ourselves by learning about what is happening in our bodies. This is the logic that it uses as a tool to help people with ADHD; let’s see what the benefits are as therapeutic support in these cases.

1. Enhances the patient’s autonomy level

The main objective of Neurofeedback is to “train” the patient in the task of recognizing the signals sent by their own body in order to understand their state of activation. This means that as the sessions progress, this non-verbal knowledge is consolidated in the patient’s memory, so that he cannot ignore it and uses it spontaneously to better manage the way in which distractions, anxiety, impulses, etc. affect him.

2. Does not require a great command of language

Child and youth therapy is characterized by the consideration of the verbal limitations of a class of patients who have not yet fully mastered abstract thinking and introspection. However, Neurofeedback overcomes these limitations because is not based on the use of words or reflection, but on implicit learning .

3. No side effects

Unlike what happens with other therapeutic resources, such as stimulant type psychopharmaceuticals that are sometimes prescribed to treat ADHD, Neurofeedback has no side effects, since it is only based on the behavior and the potential of each person to self-regulate their level of activation and attention management. Moreover, it is a painless technique, since despite the fact that it records the brain activity, it does not pierce the skin.

Are you looking for treatment for ADHD?

If you are looking for professional help to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and you live in the Madrid area, you may be interested to know that in IPSIA Psychology we specialize in psychotherapeutic intervention based on the most advanced methods , such as Neurofeedback. You can find us at Calle Gran Vía nº 59, or from our contact details, available by clicking here.

Bibliographic references:

  • Arns M, by Ridder S, Strehl U, Breteler M, Coenen A (July 2009). “Efficacy of neurofeedback treatment in ADHD: the effects on inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity: a meta-analysis”. Clinical EEG and Neuroscience. 40 (3): 180 – 189.
  • Skodzik T, Holling H, Pedersen A (February 2017). Long Term Memory Performance in Adult ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders. 21 (4): 267 – 283.
  • Weissenberger, Simon; Ptacek, Radek; Klicperova-Baker, Martina; Erman, Andreja; chonova, Katerina S.; Raboch, Jiri; Goetz, Michal (April 2017) “ADHD, Lifestyles and Comorbidities: A Call for an Holistic Perspective – from Medical to Societal Intervening Factors. Frontiers Psychology, 8: 454.