9yr/add/brain bio feedback results

[islander]

My good friend has a son that was dx'd with ADD last year when he was 7 yrs old. He struggles in school, forgets important hings (homework, notes from teachers, location of items). In the past he was deciplined harshly for these problems. I dont believe that is the case now that she has come to terms that he does have ADD and it is out of his control. He typically is a good child, very happy. He takes his free time to totally exhaust himself in outdoor play. I feel so not to upset the family while indoors.  He handles commen sense/life situations very well and is able to look at something and figure it out on his own very quickly. In my opinion he is very bright.
At time of original DX she chose no treatment and to use the wait and see approach. She is a kinder teacher and is with children everyday. (she admits causes short fuse at home as a result)
After struggling in school for over a year she started a private tudor and he began doing better but still struggling. She had decided to go back to the neuro to start the treatment but then heard about "brain biofeed back" from a child physchologist. She started the sessions and is in her 3rd appointment at this time. My question is what are the facts about this. Any proof it works? Any proof it harms the child in other ways?  The more I read about it the more I feel it is inappropriate for children. Most children are aware at this age of their problems. They are reminded of it every day at home and at school and this treatment just doesn't seem like it will help him emotionally.
This child physch ran many tests and talks about his alpha and beta readings not being correct etc.(one too high at the wrong time)  My concern is I wanted him to start the medication before school started so they could get through the kinks before he goes into 4th grade. This way he would not have to adjust in front an entire class room etc.. He is very aware of his  problem and wants help. Thanks

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Often parents seek non-pharmacological options to treat symptoms of ADHD, or treatments to supplement pharmacological treatments. One such option is neurotherapy or biofeedback. Such intervention is not commonly thought of as useful to treat ADHD, but it does appear to be helpful to some children. It is not a risky intervention - i.e., it will do no harm from a medical standpoint. Many children actually enjoy the process and can engage in it in a way they cannot with more verbally-based interventions. If you'd like to examine some relevant literature, take a look at the following internet site:

http://www.crossroadsinstitute.org/adhdpeer.html

Medication, particularly one of the psychostimulants, can be very effective in treating symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention and, to some extent, impulsivity. But alternative interventions shouldn't be dismissed out of hand - some are quite helpful. As usual, careful study and investigation of treatment options always makes sense.

[islander]

This boy is part of my family. His mother and I have been friends since we were 11 years old and she is godmother to my son. I am very involved in their lives and with her children. She and her husband are very loving parents. The boy is not known to be a talker. He keeps all his feelings inside yet he talks to me. That is why I am asking. He asked me about it and of course I wanted to know as well. He wants to make sure something can happen in time for school. He does not like not being able to work at the same pace as the other students.
One example was I asked him to write down his 10 spelling words in a column. Then write each word five times across. By the time he wrote the word three times he already forgot how to spell it. Instead of simply looking to the left at the original word spelt correctly he would just write the word two more times how he thinks it should be spelt. He did this on every word. I realized at that moment he had a memory problem or by the time he was writing the third word he was completely in the zone and just wanted it to end. Thanks again

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

It might be worthwhile investigating the possibility of a verbal learning disability. The sort of behavior you describe can be attributed to ADHD, but it is very typical of children with certain types of learning disability (and remember that most children who display learning disabilities are bright children - it is no reflection on their general intellectual capacity).

[islander]

EXCELLENT THANK YOU SO MUCH!