Non Med Options for ADD Treatment: Controversy

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Interesting how meds are so controversial, with real medical difficulties, while non-med ADD treatment options appear as almost uniformly condemned. Lets take some posts to review all these matters:

I already have two postings here on Neurofeedback [see both 1 & 2], and while it is still *controversial and unproven* here, many are helped with NFB, and in Toronto entire practices focus on using NFB as an intervention strategy. You can't make up or suggest actual brain changes demonstrable on EEG. Brain practice does not provide a "placebo" effect. With NFB medications can often be reduced, just take a look at these links.

NFB may be controversial, and while it does not, as I have indicated earlier, work perfectly with everyone, we have seen many make progress.

More later on real reasons NFB and/or drugs don't work. Hint: missed comorbid conditions that effect brain function.

A brief list of topics to be addressed:
Dore Program
Learning Breakthrough  Program
Irlen Syndrome
Near Infrared Hemoencephalography
Interactive Metronome

This will give you some links to review before we get started with each one. These are topics that will change the way we approach ADD in the future.

There are many more non-med interventions that don't come to mind at this early hour, – so if you personally have some to add to this list that I can review, please drop me a note on or off line, let's get some conversation going on these issues.

Let's get started talking more about reasonable alternatives.

And don't forget: a big community already is already talking about many of these issues at ADD Forums,
and Additudemag -another forum.

-Talk to you later this weekend.

6 Comments

  1. drcharlesparker says:
    April 21, 2011 at 9:53 AM

    Looks like a good resource – thanks for including…. NFB is another treatment almost completely ignored for years that I tried to introduce while Chief Psych at the Amen Clinic in DC – regrettably Amen didn’t want to loose his focus from just scans and scan evals – I have five certified NFB practitioners in my VB office now and find that practice/intervention remarkably helpful for seriously refractory and challenging presentations.
    cp

  2. CS says:
    April 20, 2011 at 12:37 PM

    There is a University of Montreal Study that was published in 2005, which demonstrated actual brain changes demonstratable on a fMRI. For a published copy of the study go to http://neurofeedbackdefined.com > click “Proven Science” from menu > click “Neurofeedback Studies” and it is the first study listed.

  3. Dr Charles Parker says:
    October 9, 2008 at 5:03 AM

    Earl,
    In our office we recommend exercise regularly, and continue to encourage ways to structure the exercise activities.

    You may be interested in my recent review of John Ratey’s book *Spark* which will be of interest to you:

    http://www.corepsychblog.com/2008/09/addadhd-book-re.html

    Good bouncing!
    cp

  4. Kari Lewis says:
    October 6, 2008 at 1:59 PM

    Are you doing any work with ADHD and exercise as a non-med treatment? I’m an ADHD coach and have some clients jump on the trampoline 10-15 minutes before we begin our sessions on organization, time managment , etc.

  5. Dr Charles Parker says:
    June 9, 2007 at 3:28 PM

    Hey Lyle,
    Yep, having been in many GP offices, and many psych offices for that matter, I can say with certainty that the new medical info is outstripping the daily practice. The science grows so exponentially fast, especially neuroscience, that the “experts” themselves haven’t decided what works and doesn’t.

    Best example of that conundrum: Still using tricyclics
    http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/tricyclic+antidepressant+drug

    for ADD control studies when they are useless and dangerous. The uniformed still use them because academics still use them as a standard. Come on!

    So the reason GPs are behind: agreement has not been reached on NFB as a process – they are simply following the rules.

    Thanks for your testimonial, it adds to the conversation that will ultimately encourage inevitable change.

    With you on this one-
    Chuck

  6. Lyle Lachmuth - The Unsticking Coach says:
    June 8, 2007 at 5:40 PM

    As I’ve mentioned before, here, NF was immensely helpful in ‘breaking the back’ of my Fibromyalgia.

    What grates me is that it was an ‘accidental’ discussion with a colleague on a forum we belong to that lead to my work with the local guru — Dr. Stuart Donaldson at http://www.myosymmetries.ca

    My regular GP somehow did not make the connection and it took a NF expert in Toronto (another expert, not your guy) to give me the referral.

    Crud. Why do GPs not know about stuff like this?

    Or, is it that there is just too much to know?

    All I know is that if one is not an informed and curious ‘patient’ one can miss out on stuff that fix your life.

    Nuff whining, LL