Some experts think the therapy can reduce symptoms of ADD and cut down on the skyrocketing number of kids taking drugs such as Ritalin. That might be of particular interest in Hampton Roads, where a recent study found children are medicated at about three times the estimated rate for children nationwide. They worry it raises false hopes for families who might be wasting their time and money. Among ADD patients, the best candidates for EEG biofeedback are people whose primary problem is inattentiveness, experts say. Patients who are very hyperactive might not respond as well.
Patients can use the therapy as an alternative to medicine or in addition to it.
Before starting treatment, doctors map the brain activity of each patient, looking to see which types of waves are too active and which aren't active enough. Patients then come in for individualized therapy two to five days a week. Many patients play special video games with electrodes attached to their heads, measuring electrical impulses in the brain. How well people do in the games depends on what type of brain waves they generate. One game, for example, features a Pac-Man character that gobbles dots.