Neurofeedback

In spite of the June 24, 2013 Poughkeepsie Journal article’s claims, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder continues to be over-diagnosed and over-medicated (“Under-diagnosis of ADHD begins early among minorities”). Children and adults who experience trouble concentrating, remaining focused or carrying through on assignments may or may not be suffering from an underaroused brain. These problems may be caused by a hyperaroused brain, anxiety, subclinical brain injuries due to head-to-head contact in football or soccer, and other sources.

The routine treatment with medication does not solve the ADHD issue. Remove the medication, the problem is still there. Stay on medication and in a fairly short period of time the medication begins to fail. New medications are then tried and the resulting outcome is the same. The best long-term study looking at the effectiveness of ADHD medications found no differences in performance with ADHD children not on medication after three years. In addition, children who are placed on ADHD medication do not fare any better than non-medicated ADHD children with regard to: automobile incidents, drug experimentation or criminal activity.

Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) offers an objective assessment opportunity and neurofeedback provides a non-invasive, medication-free treatment approach. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recognizes neurofeedback as having best support for the treatment of ADHD. It is time to stop overmedicating our young people and adults.

Dan Meyer, PhD, BCB-N

Clinical Director, Hudson Valley Center for Neurofeedback

Past president of the Northeast Regional Biofeedback Society

Poughkeepsie