ADHD: Non-Medication Treatments & Skills For Children And Teens

BACKGROUND: As discussed in Tool 2-5 ADHD Neurobiology and Brain Imaging, ADHD is a brain based disorder. A number of treatment modalities have been developed that address whole brain integration. This tool describes Brain Gym® which is committed to the principle that moving with intention leads to optimal learning. Brain Gym movements, exercises, or activities refer to 26 movements that recall the movements naturally done during the first years of life when learning to coordinate the eyes, ears, hands, and whole body. The 26 activities, along with a program for “learning through movement” were developed by educator and reading specialist Paul E. Dennison.

Brain Gym is being used in 87 countries with significant anecdotal and some clinical evidence of effectiveness. These movements often bring about dramatic improvements (Brain Gym International, 2003) in areas such as:

SKILL BUILDING: Brain Gym consists of 26 movements that can be easily taught to children and teens. They are designed to address the physical skills associated with learning, performing, and productivity (posture, fine and gross motor coordination, balance, etc.). By synchronizing all three midlines of the body, Brain Gym activities facilitate increased memory, organization and concentration. See Handout 13-1 Sample Brain Gym Exercises for an example of 4 of these movements.

RESOURCES: Visit the Brain Gym website for more information including workshops and courses that teach the 26 movements, the processes, techniques, and the educational theory behind the work as well as how to become a licensed Brain Gym Instructor/Consultant. http://www.braingym.org/

Brown, Kathy, 2012. Educate Your Brain: Use Mind-Body Balance to Learn Faster, Work Smarter and Move More Easily Through Life, Balance Point Publishing, LLC, Phoenix, AZ.

INTEGRATION: Are you interested in learning more about the full Brain Gym program? How do you think it might help your client? Are there any courses or workshops nearby? Would you like to become a licensed Brain Gym practitioner?

HANDOUT 13-1

SAMPLE BRAIN GYM EXERCISES

The Thinking Cap:Helps to focus on the important sounds while ignoring distracting sounds. It will help with listening skills, silent speech and thinking.

• Gently massage and unroll your ears

• Begin at the top and gently massage down and around the curve to the ear lobes

• Repeat 3 or more times

The Cross Crawl:Synchronizes both sides of the body. May improve concentration and comprehension.

• You can do this either sitting or standing

• Touch your left elbow to you right knee

• Then touch your right elbow to your left knee

• Continue to shift rhythmically back and forth between the two positions for approximately one minute

Lazy 8s:Good warm-up for creativity and writing

• Draw a figure 8 lying on its side moving up and to the left first, either in the air with your thumb or on a piece of paper

• Draw the figure 8s slowly so your eyes are tracking the movement

• Use one hand, then the other, and then both together (about three 8s per hand)

Brain Buttons:Help to reduce stress and relax eye muscles

• Put one hand in the shape of a “U.” Place your index and thumb into the slight indentations below the collar bone on each side of the sternum

• Gently rub for 30 seconds while moving your eyes slowly to the left and right

• At the same time put the other hand over the navel

• Switch hands and repeat

Reprinted with permission (Educational Kinesiology Foundation /Brain Gym® International, 2015)

Tool 13-2: Interactive Metronome®

BACKGROUND: Timing in the brain is critical to successful functioning and has been shown to be impaired in some clients with ADHD. See Tool 2-5 ADHD Neurobiology and Brain Imaging for more information. Timing impacts attention, working memory, and processing speed. This tool describes the Interactive Metronome® (IM) program which uses a game-like auditory-visual platform to engage the client and provide constant feedback at the millisecond level to promote synchronized timing in the brain. IM works to improve the synchronicity of the internal clock and efficiency of neural communication in the brain. It increases the speed and efficiency of communication in the brain, impacts cognitive speed and efficiency and results in a wide variety of skill areas including: visual, motor, cognitive, linguistic, social and behavioral abilities.

One study of the effectiveness of IM for ADHD (Schaffer et al, 2001) showed statistically significant improvements in the following symptoms that clients with ADHD typically need help with:

SKILL BUILDING: Explain to clients and parents that the Interactive Metronome program uses button triggers, in-motion triggers and/or a tap mat that the client activates by clapping, stepping or tapping when they hear a reference beat (cow bell sound) on their headphones. The system then gives them feedback about how accurate their timing is in the form of guide sounds that indicate if their timing is right on (high pitch sound), too early (rubber band sound or buzzer for way early – in left ear), or too late or very late (rubber band sound or buzzer in right ear). Then they can adjust their timing until they are getting the high pitch sound consistently indicating accurate timing and neural synchronization.

Use Handout 13-2 Interactive Metronome Fact Sheet to explain the benefits of the IM program to clients and parents.

RESOURCES: For more information about IM and to find or become a certified IM practitioner visit www.interactivemetronome.com.

There are a number of videos about IM posted on YouTube. Simply go to www.YouTube.com and search for Interactive Metronome ADHD.

INTEGRATION: Could the client benefit from the Interactive Metronome program? Is there an IM practitioner nearby? Are you interested in adding this treatment modality to your practice? Has the client already used the IM program and what results did they obtain?

HANDOUT 13-2

INTERACTIVE METRONOME FACT SHEET

The goal of IM is to:

• Drive functional neuroplasticity

• Improve mental (doing)/interval (planning) timing

• Improve the brain’s efficiency and performance

Neural synchronization is critical for:

• Attention

• Executive Function

• Working Memory

• Processing Speed

• Speech & Language

• Social Skills

• Reading & Other Academic Skills

• Motor Control & Coordination

• Sensory Processing & Integration

Study showed improved:

• Attention

• Impulsive Behavior

• Processing Speed

• Language Processing

• Reading

• Motor Control and Coordination

Resources: For more information about IM and to find a certified IM practitioner visit www.interactivemetronome.com. There are a number of videos about IM posted on YouTube®. Simply go to www.YouTube.com and search for “Interactive Metronome ADHD”.

Chapter 13

Frontal Lobe/Working Memory Training

Tool 13-1: Brain Gym

Tool 13-2: Interactive Metronome®