BrainAdvantage #1 Choice for ADHD We all have difficulty at one time or other in our lives when we can’t sit still, pay attention, or control impulsive behavior. However, for some children and adults this problem can be so overwhelming that it interferes with their daily lives at home, at school, at work, and in social settings. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is characterized by developmentally inappropriate impulsivity, inattention, and in some cases, hyperactivity. It is most often diagnosed just on observed behavior. Parents with AD/HD children can find their behaviors difficult to endure. At the same time those who are suffering with AD/HD symptoms can find it is a huge blow to self-esteem. Until recently, it was believed that children outgrew AD/HD in adolescence. However, it is now known that AD/HD symptoms can continue into adulthood. In fact, AD/HD does not develop spontaneously in adults. If you have AD/HD as an adult then you had AD/HD symptoms as a child even if they went undiagnosed. It is common that children and adults who are affected by AD/HD are quite bright. Children with AD/HD become bored quickly, can't sit still, and are always moving. They often act first without thinking. These actions are commonly diagnosed as AD/HD. However, the same actions and behaviors can be seen with those extremely bright children who are not being challenged enough by school or their environment. In some instances children are both AD/HD and gifted. In these cases they are referred to as “Twice-Gifted” or “Twice-Exceptional.” These children have unique problems. High intellect can cause AD/HD to go undiagnosed. The AD/HD too can cause giftedness to go unnoticed. Our Integrated Neurotherapy For years the BrainAdvantage non drug program with integrated neurotherapy has replaced EEG-based programs neurofeedback as the premier method to help ADHD. The reason we prefer our system over EEG is that we can work directly on the frontal lobes where most ADHD issues lie. No worry about eye blinks, muscle movement, etc. that can create "noise" in the signal. Our system works directly on the area affected providing results in roughly half the time of EEG without messy gels and sticky electrodes. We have over 40 years of research, knowledge and clinical expertise. Our clinicians and trainers are licensed and certified in every technique in the BrainAdvantage program. What about medication? We are committed to helping ADHD patients with our non drug ADHD treatment. In our medical program we work with highly qualified medical professionals. They could prescribe medication for ADHD children, but for clinical effectiveness and safety, choose our non drug ADHD treatment for their own families as well as their patients. Unlike drugs when used for ADHD treatment, our integrated therapies do not cause negative side effects. In addition, they can produce long term improvements which drugs cannot. The drugs can only produce a short-lived improvement. Furthermore, our program is very empowering to the ADHD child, and helps restore their self esteem by enabling them to develop the neurological resources and skills necessary to succeed. Our clinical staff of therapists provides much needed support throughout the ADHD Treatment for the parents to facilitate the ADHD child's improvements integrating into their everyday lives. What is ADHD? ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurologic developmental disorder. Core symptoms of ADHD ADHD (Inattentive type) Inattention Easily Distracted Difficulty finishing tasks such as homework without supervision Poor short term memory ( i.e. difficultly following a series of instructions) ADHD (combined type including hyperactivity and impulsivity) Inattentive symptoms (as listed above) Impulsive (acting without thinking of the consequences) Hyperactive (fidgety and/or difficulty sitting still) ADD was renamed ADHD in 1994. The name ADHD can be misleading because many children diagnosed with ADHD are not hyperactive, have no behavioral problems, but have significant problems with staying focused, being easily distracted, and completing tasks without being monitored. The disorder is diagnosed more frequently in boys than in girls. Children with ADHD may continue to struggle with the "inattentive" symptoms into adulthood and are at increased risk for academic underachievement, resultant low self esteem, car accidents, alcohol/substance abuse, and relationship problems. What can we do? Historically, the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is based on a cluster of behavioral symptoms without looking at brain functioning, though the symptoms are neurologically based. ADHD includes a large range of symptoms and can be different for each individual. Although someone may be diagnosed as ADHD, the diagnosis itself tells you nothing about the root of the problem. Only studying brain function and looking at other issues that mask as brain-based issues can an accurate picture of the true issues be revealed. Non Drug ADHD Treatment using BrainAdvantage is individualized based on our extensive assessment. "One size does not fit all". Although a QEEG or "brain map" can be very helpful for those with traumatic brain injuries or degenerative disease, we rarely use it for ADHD clients. A brain map, after all, is a snapshot of activity this moment. For some of our ADHD clients, their brain map will look different this morning than this afternoon. We get more reliable information using a combination of other testing at a lower cost. In addition to training the client, the sucessful Attention Deficit Disorder Treatment also includes providing support for the family. Why Can't My Child Stay Focused? The frontal region of the brain generates energy/neural activity so you can concentrate for as long as you need to in order to complete a task. In ADHD the frontal region of the brain is typically underactivated (thus underfunctioning). As a result the child is not able to generate enough energy in the frontal area of the brain to sustain concentration on routine, mundane tasks which include academic tasks. This under activation also causes the child to act on their impulses spontaneously (interrupting, blurting out) without thinking of the consequences. They are behaving normally for their brain, but their brain is not inhibiting their impulses. This is the only way their brain has ever worked, so they may not understand why they are being criticized. Thus, they may feel they are being criticized unfairly which can eventually lead to argumentative behavior. If you or a family member need help, please fill out our Contact form or call 602 481-2388 (Arizona) or 714 269-7990 (California). BrainAdvantage will contact you promptly to arrange a free 15-minute consultation with a member of our clinical staff to determine if we can help you with your ADHD. Articles/Case Studies/Video Here is one of our ADHD patient's mother talking about their experience. Click on the picture to see the video.   BrainAdvantage Case Report 1 on ADHD   BrainAdvantage Case Report 2 on ADHD   BrainAdvantage Case Report 3 on ADHD ADHD Articles:   The Impact of Working Memory Training on ADHD   Rethinking ADHD from a Cognitive Perspective.   Study Shows Possible Link Between Deaths and ADHD Drugs   ADHD Drugs May Slow Growth   Social information processing not helped by ADHD medication   To Drug, or Not to Drug … Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Revisited   Adult ADHD costly in lost work time Associated press 05/08   ADHD and drug therapy: is it still a valid treatment? By A. MARK DOGGETT, PhD School of Education, Colorado State University, USA   Brain Waves Are Window into Autism Language Woes By Lindsey Tanner, AP Medical Writer   Asperger’s and ADD Differences and Similarities- Preliminary Observations By Lynda Thompson, PhD and Michael Thompson, MD ADD Centres, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada For more information see our Research Page