Two short articles look at a therapy now available in Nashville that has had excellent results with improving children’s mental problems, and how to spot whether your child has some kind of mental illness.
With the latest figures showing that 14% of children ages 4 to 17 nationwide and over 16% here in Tennessee are diagnosed with ADD and/or ADHD, parents are scrambling for information and resources to help their child. Many struggle with having to medicate their children with stimulants which helps the ADD/ADHD symptoms but can cause other more harmful and long lasting side effects. There is a safe, quick and easy alternative. LENS (Low Energy Neurofeedback System) can be as effective as medication without the harmful side effects.
ADD/ADHD is generally associated with the inability to focus at school; not being able to sit still and to pay attention. Often these children are reprimanded for their behavior; not being able to sit in their seats, fidgeting when they are supposed to be still; causing disruptions at inappropriate times.
These children tend to struggle with their grades because they are unable to focus on what the teacher is saying and are often labeled with a learning disability when in fact they are often times quite bright; they just can’t focus in the traditional setting. Kids with ADD/ADHD are often ostracized from their peers as they are labeled the “bad kids.”
They can be loud and disorganized; they often interrupt when others are talking. Sometimes they seem to not care that they are so disruptive. They may not be invited to parties and play dates because of their behavior. No matter how hard they try; they just can’t seem to be able to do what is expected of them.
Not only does this affect their educational needs but it also affects their self-confidence; they often feel like they don’t measure up and will never be as successful as the other kids. This lack of confidence causes long term effects as their self-image diminishes, they often quit trying and just resign themselves to thinking they’ll never be able to measure up so it’s not worth the effort.
For the last 35 years, there has been a new non-medicated, non-invasive option for not only treating the symptoms of ADD/ADHD, but also in changing the brain so that the client can focus better, interact better and make better choices. Called Low Energy Neurofeedback, it has been in continual development since 1990. With a success rate of over 90%, it uses a small radio frequency to disrupt the brain waves and allows them to reset back into a more effective, natural pattern. Over a period of just a few sessions, clients start to feel more focused, calmer and more able to make better decisions. Sessions only take a few minutes a week and results are long lasting.
This amazingly successful therapy is available at Harmonized Brain Centers. Here we combine LENS with Life Coaching, introducing skills and habit changes to go along with the more efficient brain activity. This integrative approach sets your child up for success in a natural and effective way.
LENS is not only used for treating ADD/ADHD but also for people suffering with migraines, TBI, anxiety, depression, brain fog, chemo fog and memory issues. The brain is an amazing organ with the ability to change to become more efficient and effective with just a little help.
Here is a testimony of a very happy family of a child with ADHD who came to see us at Harmonized Brain Centers:
I brought my 14 year old grandson to Harmonized Brain Centers after trying 3 different medications for his ADD. They all caused side effects and changed his personality so that not only were we dealing with his lack of attention and focus but were also seeing anger issues, weight loss and he couldn’t fall asleep at night. He was able to stay fo-cused better at school but was still unmotivated and we weren’t seeing many good changes. We were desperate for another alternative and after spending lots of time and research, we decided to call HBC.
Our experience there was nothing short of a miracle. We started right after the first grading period was over. He had 2 C’s, 3 D’s and 2 F’s. He had pretty much given up on even trying and his attitude was awful. After just 2 sessions we noticed he was calmer and nicer at home to his brothers and didn’t seem to fight going to school so much any-more. He was more motivated to do things around the house when asked and started doing much better in basketball. We were anxious to see how his grades would be and were thrilled when the second grading period ended with an A, 4 B’s and 2C’s! His confidence was back, his attitude changed and the whole family dynamics changed with him. We couldn’t be more thrilled or satisfied with Harmonized Brain Centers. I would recommend Harmonized Brain Centers to anyone looking for help with ADD. We are so glad we found them.
For more information, please call Harmonized Brain Centers of Tennessee at (615) 331-8762. We would be happy to schedule a consultation to dis-cuss an option that you might not have known even existed. Our goal is for your child to be the best they can be; we would love to help!
The warning signs something could be wrong
Of the 74.5 million children in the United States, an estimated 17.1 million have or have had a mental health disorder — more than the number of children with cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. Half of all mental illness occurs before the age of 14, and 75 percent by the age of 24.
A group of mental health experts from around the country, alarmed at the number of children struggling with undiagnosed psychiatric disorders, has formulated a list of 11 simple signs that a child might have a mental illness.
The goal is to make it easier for parents, teachers, pediatricians, and others who work with children to know when they should take steps to get care for a child or adolescent. The list aims to help separate warning signs of illness from typical moodiness and occasional disruptive behavior like defiance, aggression, and impulsivity.
The warning signs for psychiatric illness are often differentiated from behavior that’s not problematic by how long the behavior lasts, whether it impacts a child’s functioning, or whether it affects other people.
The group, led by Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Peter Jensen, interviewed some 6,000 families to hone the language that would be most helpful to parents. The list was tested against children with diagnosed psychiatric disorders, to see if it would have predicted their conditions. Two federal agencies, Center for Mental Health Services and National Institute of Mental Health, funded the project. Dr. Jensen is the president of the Resource for Advancing Children’s Health, the group that undertook the project.
Here are the 11 WARNING SIGNS parents should watch for:
• Feeling very sad or withdrawn for two or more weeks
• Seriously trying to harm or kill oneself, or making plans to do so
• Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes
with a racing heart or fast breathing
• Involved in multiple fights, using a weapon, or wanting badly to hurt others
• Severe, out-of-control behavior that can hurt himself or others
• Not eating, throwing up or using laxatives to make herself
lose weight
• Intensive worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities
• Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still that puts her in physical danger or causes school failure
• Repeated use of drugs or alcohol
• Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
• Drastic changes in her behavior or personality
Courtesy, childmind.org