“Impulsivity” In Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD)

There are three sub-types of ADHD;  Primarily Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, and Combined.  While most people have a pretty clear understanding of inattention and hyperactivity, the terms “impulsive” or ”impulsivity” can be somewhat confusing.  These terms are often confused with “compulsive”, which is quite different.  Compulsion can be defined as a repetitive stereotyped act performed to relieve fear connected with an obsession. 

In regard to ADHD, there are two forms of impulsivity: Behavioral Impulsivity and Cognitive Impulsivity.

Behavioral Impulsivity –Actions.  People with ADHD who have symptoms of behavioral impulsivity do not stop and think before they act.  No matter how many times they are told to “stop and think first” they are unable, in most cases, to exercise this type of forethought, or judgment.  They usually are not able to learn from their past mistakes.  They act on the first impulse that occurs to them.  This can be quite exasperating to their parents, teachers, and other caregivers (which may in itself further add to the problem).

 These ADHD children often:

     ·       cut in line

     ·        can’t wait their turn

·        blurt out answers in class

·        speak when they’re supposed to be quiet

·        may show aggressive behaviors

·        are often too loud

·        sometimes fight

They can start a friendship or relationship, but it often fails as they blurt out the wrong thing at the wrong time.  This can also lead to isolation, as others don’t “get” them, which in turn inhibits the learning of other important social skills.

Cognitive Impulsivity –Thinking and Choices.  People with ADHD who have symptoms of cognitive impulsivity do a lot of guesswork.  Often, rather than thinking about an answer, these individuals will make a multiple number of guesses in a short period of time.  If you give them multiple choices orally, to a question, they will guess for the right answer very quickly…first one, then another, often back and forth…until you finally step in when and say, “That’s it” when they guess right.  This pattern only reinforces their guessing.

These individuals have a very limited problem solving strategy.  They are impaired in their ability to think the problem through.  They will usually just guess and let trial and error carry them through.  This not only tends to have a negative effect on how others perceive them, it also interferes with their ability to learn new material, and further develop more effective problem solving strategies.  If this disorder is not corrected, no amount of direction, encouragement, or discipline will change this inability.

Fortunately, both these problems, as well of the other sub-types of ADHD, can usually be corrected without medication.  Neurofeeback is a highly effective, drug-free, painless procedure, with no side effects, in which the individual learns to retrain the impulsive, hyperactive, and/or attention mechanisms of the brain.  Once treatment is complete, no further training is necessary.

Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari

Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback

1075 Yorba Place

Suite 105

Placentia, CA 92870

714.990.6536

Website: www.ocbiofeedback.com

 

Return of School Problems for ADHD Children?

I was speaking with the mother of several school age children recently (one with ADHD), and she gave voice to a feeling I suspect many mothers have. “The kids are back in school, Thank God; I love my kids-but I need a little time at home alone to regroup…….. The kids are back in school. Oh my God! We’re going to start having all those school struggles with Alex again!” Does this sound familiar?

Many parents may have felt optimistic that with summer school, some tutoring, or because it’s a new year and the child is older, that this year would be an entirely new experience. Unfortunately, for most kids with ADHD, this is not the case. Individuals with ADHD have a unique handicap. It is a neurological disorder that, if untreated, will usually persist throughout life, typically creating significant difficulties in school, the workplace, and in relationships.

The classroom environment- with its particular emphasis on organization, schedules, and assignments, long periods of desk work, and emphasis on writing and math- are usually places where children with ADHD have significant difficulty. Furthermore, they take longer to complete in-class and homework assignments. They can quickly become overwhelmed, rebellious, and discouraged, and can “turn off” to the idea of learning.

Some children with ADHD also have behavior difficulties and/or may become isolated, or have difficulty forming friendships. These problems, combined with the aforementioned performance difficulties, often add up to the child developing a self-image of being “not to smart” (tragically incorrect, most people with ADHD have a higher than average intelligence), and/or being a “trouble-maker”. Unfortunately, as we all tend to live out our self-images, the longer this is allowed to exist, the stronger and greater the problems become. It is therefore critical to correct this situation immediately.

Solution:

The solution to this problem is to correct the disorder.Many parents, unfortunately, deny the existence of the disorder, or choose to not get help for their child because they fear the side effects, and rigors of medication (life-long treatment).There is, however, an alternative to this scenario.Neurofeedback is a highly effective, drug free, safe, non-invasive and painless procedure in which the student learns to correct the problem.Once training is complete, no further treatment is necessary.

Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari

Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback

1075 Yorba Place

Suite 105

Placentia, CA 92870

714.990.6536

Website: www.ocbiofeedback.com

“Next Year Will Be Better”- Using Summertime to make that come true for children with ADD/ADHD

If you have a child (or an adult) in your family who has, or you suspect may have this disorder, the conflict, chaos, and frustration that it generates can be so disrupting to family harmony that you may sometimes wonder if it will ever get any better! Helping the individual with this disorder not only can turn the world around for them, but can work wonders for the whole family.

Children have a natural sense of optimism and innocence about them that allows them to genuinely feel that problems will naturally get better (even when there is no real reason to believe so) on their own. This optimism can be heard when they say “Things will be better next year”, or “I’ll get off to a good start next school year”.

There are few things more magical for a child’s self confidence than when something actually does happen to change the circumstances and bring that about. An actual increase in their abilities to concentrate and/or improve their behavior, combined with the then evident validation of their optimism, “Look, see I was right, I am doing better, I am smart!”, brings about a surge of confidence that is wonderful to see. A child in this situation can really take off and soar!

Not only is summertime the pause between the old and the (better?) New Year, it is a relatively less hectic time of the year. Schedules (vacations notwithstanding) are more flexible, the pressures of school and homework are loosened, and it is a time to more easily accomplish a special project.

The way to actually change the ADD child’s circumstances or abilities is to take this time to correct the disorder. This can be done in this space of time through Neurofeedback Training. Neurofeedback is a safe, effective, non-drug procedure that corrects the underlying imbalances which bring about ADD. Once the training is complete, no further treatment is necessary, and you know what?….your child actually was right to believe in themselves, next year actually is better.

Neurofeedback is an effective, drug-free, painless procedure in which the child learns to re-train the attention mechanisms of the brain, alleviating the condition. Once training is completed, no further treatment is necessary.

Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari

Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback

1075 Yorba Place

Suite 105

Placentia, CA 92870

714.990.6536

Website: www.ocbiofeedback.com

Medication or Neurofeedback- Comparing the two most common forms of treatment for ADD/ADHD

Medication and Neurofeedback (EEG-biofeedback) are the two most common forms of treatment for ADD/ADHD. Both are successful in treating these disorders in a large majority of cases. There are, however, significant differences in the ways these treatments work, the potential side effects of their use, and the length of treatment necessary.

Some of the most commonly prescribed medications for ADD/ADHD are derived from some form of stimulant or antidepressant. Most of these medications carry the FDA’S “Black Box Warning” Labels, and should be used with caution. These warnings refer to the possibility of serious cardiovascular side effects, as well as the possible suppression of children’s growth, and heightened risk for psychosis, bi-polar illness, and aggression.

In addition to these problems, this class of medications is also associated with potential side effects as weight loss in children, over-stimulation of the central nervous system, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, tremors, headaches, and tics or Tourettes Syndrome.

Now, let’s take a look at how these different treatments work. The medications contain artificial chemicals which increase neurotransmitter levels in the brain. This allows the brain to function better, thus treating the condition. As these chemicals are artificial, they may cause unfavorable reactions in the brain, and therefore, bring about the aforementioned negative side effects.

Neurofeedback trains the brain to function faster through a highly specialized type of exercise. As the brain learns to function faster, it naturally increases its production of neurotransmitters and the brain functions better, thus treating the condition. The end result is the same in both forms of treatment… with one very big difference. Neurofeedback does not introduce anything unnatural into the brain, but rather trains the brain to function better through its own natural mechanisms, so it produces no side effects. As vulnerable as children are, the last thing we want to do is expose them to these unnecessary dangers.

Finally, length of treatment is another big difference. Medication is only effective while it’s in the bloodstream. Therefore, no amount of medication will ever produce a lasting effect. The medication must be continually taken to treat the condition, and this is often a lifelong process, with the continuing potential for these side effects.

Once neurofeedback treatment is completed, no further treatment is necessary. With neurofeedback, there are no side effects, and the treatment is a one-time process. Neurofeedback is an effective, drug free, painless procedure in which the child learns to retrain the attention mechanisms of their brain, alleviating the condition.

Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari

Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback

1075 Yorba Place

Suite 105

Placentia, CA 92870

714.990.6536

Website: www.ocbiofeedback.com

AD/HD and Serious Behavior Problems

There are three types of AD/HD (ADD), primarily Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, and Combined. In individuals with Hyperactive-Impulsive and the Combined forms, anti-social behavior is, unfortunately, common. Approximately 60% of these individuals maybe oppositional or defiant, many end up in trouble with the law.

These difficulties are rooted in the neurological imbalances, which cause AD/HD (which in most cases can be corrected through neurological retraining, without the use of drugs). The results of these imbalances are that these individuals tend to typically be less content and peaceful, impulsively act-out, and crave the stimulation of anti-social behaviors. Furthermore, the impulsivity causes these activities to be less carefully planned, and they are more easily caught.

Teenagers with these forms of the disorder average two arrests by the age of 18. Approximately 20% of these teenagers will be arrested for a felony, compared to only 3% of teens without the disorder. Recent data shows that as many as 50% of all teens in juvenile facilities have AD/HD, but were untreated for it, and a full 70% of men in prisons in California have AD/HD and were untreated for it as children.

Teens with these types of the disorder have 400% more traffic tickets related to speeding, than teenagers without it. Twice as many of these teenagers will run away from home (with the added increased likelihood of further bad choices, once away from home) than teens without the disorder. Arson is also often associated with AD/HD, teenagers with untreated AD/HD are three times more likely to be arrested for arson than those without the disorder.

Teenagers untreated as children for AD/HD are ten times more likely to get pregnant, or to cause a pregnancy, than those without AD/HD. Teens untreated for this disorder are
also 400% more likely to contract a sexually transmitted than teens without AD/HD.
Often AD/HD students will have difficulty with certain interactions on a regular basis: difficulty in taking turns, misinterpreting others’ remarks as overly hostile, personalizing others’ remarks actions excessively, and misreading social cues.

Correcting the Disorder

In addition to the above-mentioned problems, there are a host of other difficulties associated with AD/HD. Tragically this disorder often goes undetected, or when detected, untreated, due to parents’ fear of the unwanted significant side effects of medication, which they may think are their only treatment option.

As we mentioned earlier, the neurological imbalances, which cause all forms of this disorder, can be retrained, alleviating the condition. Neurofeedback is a drug free, safe, non-invasive and painless procedure in which the patient learns to retrain these processes. Once training is completed, no further treatment is necessary.

Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari

Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback

1075 Yorba Place

Suite 105

Placentia, CA 92870

714.990.6536

Website: www.ocbiofeedback.com

“Running Out of Gas” in School

About this time of year (if it hasn’t happened already), children with ADHD (ADD) begin to “run out of gas” at school. They are past the high point of Christmas, summer seems a long way off, and they’ve been working at school for over six months. After all, they’re kids. Often, they start to struggle and misbehave, and grades can decline.

This dilemma can become catastrophic for students with ADHD. They have been “running” much harder to keep up than their classmates have, and consequently are much more worn out than they are. An additional problem is the “foundation problem”, which refers to the tiered or sequential nature of education. As children move throughout the course of the school year, and progress from year to year, new concepts and understandings are built on the foundations of the previous ones. ADD often causes children to miss some of the key concepts of subjects. Then, when the teacher moves on to the next concept or set of facts, the child struggles with comprehening the new ideas because they are based on the previous ones, which they didn’t fully understand in the first place. This problem is of cumulative nature, and as school progresses, the lack of understanding increases and becomes overwhelming. Also increasing are the frustration, loss of confidence, and motivation… equally powerful in sabotaging the child’s success at school.

What makes matters worse are that these school programs may influence other areas of life, such as friendships and family life. Furthermore, the parents working with the child becomes exhausted too. This causes further “snow-balling” problems for the child and other members of the family!

The final piece of this dilemma is that at certain times in the education process, the teaching style, responsibility required of the student, or level of thinking required, take a big step up in difficulty. This may occur at fairly standard intervals, such as first, third, and sixth grade, middle school, high school, and college. But, with the increasing diversity in school programs and curriculum, it’s hard to know when these transitions will occur. This is often “the straw that breaks the camel’s back” for children with ADD.

Solution:
The solution is to correct the disorder. Unfortunately, many parents deny the existence of the disorder, or choose to not get help for their child because they fear the side effects and/or rigors of medication. There is, however, an alternative. Neurofeedback is a highly effective, drug-free, safe, non-invasive, and painless procedure in which the student learns to correct the problem. Once training is complete, no further treatment is necessary.

Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari

Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback

1075 Yorba Place

Suite 105

Placentia, CA 92870

714.990.6536

Website: www.ocbiofeedback.com

Children With ADD Often Suffer Rejection – Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari

The development and maintenance of healthy peer relationships is critical for the normal development of a child. The nature of peer relationships in children has been shown to be a critical element of a child’s psychological health, and an important predictor of positive adult adjustment and behavior. Difficulty in finding friends leads to feelings of low self-esteem and these feelings usually continue into adulthood. Children with poor socials skills are at risk for delinquency, poor academic achievement, and school drop out.

Approximately 70% of children with ADD (AD/HD) suffer from peer rejection; they are less likely to be chosen as best friends, activity and sports partners, or seat mates. What’s worse is that as these children grow older, the social problems seem to get worse. Their inappropriate behavior leads to further social rejection and heightens their inability to relate to others appropriately. Long term these children are more likely to have difficulty finding and maintaining successful careers. As social aptitude can make or break careers and relationships in the adult world, this is not surprising.

Causes of Rejection

There are several types of ADD symptoms (the symptoms of ADD vary between children), let’s take a look at how these can cause rejection.

Inattention Children who have difficulty sustaining attention become bored more easily than other children. As a result, they are more likely to become disruptive in the classroom, which can generate negative responses from the teacher and their peers. ADD children have difficulty in modulating their behavior as social situations change. Their inattention makes it likely that they will miss subtle interpersonal cues, such as tone of voice and facial expression, and therefore react inappropriately. Furthermore, they have apparent social-cognitive deficits that limit their ability to encode and recall rules of social conduct. Many children with ADD are aware that they are socially inept, are therefore anxious or fearful about peer relations, and withdraw from peer interactions. This only worsens the problem.

Hyperactivity-Impulsivity Children who are hyperactive, impulsive and/or aggressive are involved in more interrupting and fighting. They are more intense than others, and are more likely to yell, run around, and talk excessively or inappropriately (hyperactivity-impulsivity tends to be verbal in girls). They also tend to dominate play, engage in off-task behaviors, and in more teasing and physical jostling of peers. These behaviors set up a process of rejection. As other children with similar difficulties often find themselves rejected too, they often associate with each other, and this leads to further problems.

Conclusion

Helping children with ADD build close beneficial peer relationships is an important goal that is often overlooked. You as a parent have the ability to help your child accomplish this important social goal. However, many parents, often as a result of a fear of the unwanted side-effects and dependencies of drugs, choose to do nothing. There is, fortunately, an alternative to this scenario. Neurofeedback is a non-drug, painless, side-effect free procedure in which the child learns to retrain the attention mechanisms of the brain, alleviating the condition. Once treatment is complete, no further training is necessary.

To request information on the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD, ADHD), Mild to Moderate Autism Spectrum Disorders, Sleep Disorders, Chronic Depression, Chronic Anxiety, and Peak Performance Training contact:

Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari

Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback

1075 Yorba Place

Suite 105

Placentia, CA 92870

714.990.6536

Website: www.ocbiofeedback.com