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Trouble at the Start of the School Year?
Dr. Ferrari • Nov 05, 2014

For most parents, the new school year brings the pride and feeling of accomplishment of seeing their children grow and mature in aptitude, knowledge, and social skills.  For others, however, it only brings long nights of homework, calls from the teacher, frustrated and discouraged children, and parenting fights about whose fault “all of this” is.  There is also the pain of watching your child sink into believing that they are not smart, are a “bad boy/girl”, or are not worth much.  No parent or child should ever have to experience this.

A typical school year requires sustained attention, sitting quietly, and refined social skills.  Some children are not quite capable of this.  A mother recently told me, “I’m worried… Sammy is having such an awful time in school this year.  He is being held back from recess because he is behind in his work.  We are constantly doing homework and he is still behind.  To add to his academic problems, Sammy is spending most of his time at school in social isolation, even when he is free from being “grounded” in the classroom.  He is the last one picked for teams and is the first one to be teased.”

A very significant possibility exists that the conditions described above (some or all) are being caused by a disorder called ADD or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder).  This disorder is caused by a minor neurological imbalance (not parenting style!), and for the vast majority of those with ADHD, it can be corrected relatively easily.  What makes the aforementioned tragic self-image even more unacceptable is the fact that the opposite is usually true.  Individuals with ADHD (ADD) typically have a higher than average IQ and, although sometimes hidden behind this disorder, a very pleasant disposition.

When such problems are occurring, it is extremely important to determine if ADHD is behind them, as soon as it is possible.  Don’t wait until your child’s first report card to initiate testing or treatment because, by then, your child is already significantly behind.  If there’s one thing harder for a child with ADHD than school, it is the “snowballing” downward struggle to catch up.

Unfortunately, many parents of children with ADHD, or those who suspect that it might be present, avoid testing and treatment because of their understandable dread of what they think must be the inevitable “drug” solution.  Fortunately, for most individuals, there is a much better alternative.

This treatment is called neurofeedback, 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.

By Dr. Ferrari 18 Apr, 2016
“Both our son and our daughter are very intelligent. Yet, somehow, they struggle in school. It has been suggested that they may have ADHD. How can that be?” People who are close to individuals with ADHD will not find this question surprising at all. However, people who interact with these individuals, but don’t actually know them (often teachers and coaches) [...]
By Dr. Ferrari 03 Feb, 2016
“My child is having significant problems in school and may be exhibiting signs of ADHD, but we’re not sure. My husband struggled in school, and he says it’s normal. Should we have her tested?” Parents of children suspected of having ADHD (inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, or combined forms) often deny even the possibility of testing, let alone treating the disorder. This denial [...]
By Dr. Ferrari 07 Jan, 2016
As a psychologist specializing in treating ADHD with Neurofeedback [EEG-Biofeedback] for over 20 years, I’ve heard many questions regarding using Neurofeedback to treat this disorder. Here is one of the most frequent and important ones: “My son is having significant behavior problems at school and home. His teacher is calling me, he’s making bad decisions, and he doesn’t think before [...]
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