What To Consider When Deciding If Neurofeedback Is Right For Your Child

Neurofeedback, EEG biofeedback, or brain training as some call it, is growing in popularity for kids. Parents need help to understand what is the >best way to train with neurofeedback and if it is safe to use for their children’s wellness needs.  Before learning about the different brands it’s important to understand that there are two basic types of neurofeedback and that one is a better fit for kids.  

Nonlinear Or Linear Neurofeedback – Which is Better?

There are two broad categories of neurofeedback systems:

• Linear or Protocol Neurofeedback, first-generation
• Nonlinear or Dynamical® Neurofeedback, the latest generation

Linear neurofeedback was the first generation of EEG-based brain training systems.  There are a number of devices on the market, including EEGer, Cygnet, Lens, Brainasium, LoReta, and BrainPaint. This type of neurofeedback requires a QEEG or brain mapping is done to assess which brain frequencies are maladaptive.

That map is used to create a protocol for training by a clinician.  The exception is Cygnet, which just requires a diagnosis, such as ADHD, to determine the protocols for entraining the brain.  

Why do linear systems create a brain map before training?  This has to do with the principle that these wellness devices require a “map” made up of measurements of the client’s existing brain wave patterns. The clinician then creates a protocol to adjust the frequencies of those brainwaves to reflect a pre-existing model of a “normal” brain.  

 

With linear brain training, a client relies on the skills of a clinician, who establishes a protocol program for the client.  Errors in adjusting frequencies can create side effects, so the skill of the clinician is very important to consider with linear neurofeedback sessions.  

Within the field of neurofeedback, brainwave “lengths” represent measurements of the brain’s electrical voltage, which is translated through mathematics into different frequencies.  These frequencies have names, such as Theta, Beta, Alpha, etc. and are associated with different brain functions or states.

For example, based on your brain map, the clinician might assess that you have too much Delta wave activity and not enough Alpha wave activity.  She will create protocols to help the brain shift those frequencies, and will use client reports and mapping results to check on changes from session to session.  A series of sessions will bring the client closer to optimal brain wellness. 

Linear neurofeedback with children is an option, however, there are two considerations to be weighed. One is that children can have multiple behavioural issues and given the linear approach, the clinician must decide which symptoms to address first. The other consideration, which is more important, is because the training is forcing state change, parents want to make sure the clinician has many years of experience.

As well, children who can give verbal feedback after a session as to how they feel is an asset to the clinician. Linear neurofeedback is less suited for small children.

_________________________

Also Read

How does neurofeedback training work? 

_________________________

What are the other cons of linear neurofeedback?  It is expensive.  A brain map costs $500 to $3,000 before any brain training sessions begin.  Linear devices are almost always used in an office setting with a clinician overseeing the training.  Including clinician fees, client travel time, scheduling and other logistical costs, the cost of a training package can be very high. 

The second type of neurofeedback is called nonlinear or Dynamical neurofeedback, and there is currently only one such device on the market, called NeurOptimal®. 

This is second-generation brain fitness technology was initially conceived by Dr Valdeane Brown in the early 1970s. The technology didn’t reach its fully intended design until 2005 when computing power and speed (at the speed of micro-seconds) enabled real-time monitoring of brain wave activity in portable, laptop-size systems. 

NeurOptimal® is marketed as the most advanced iteration of neurofeedback technology based on advanced research into the non-linear electrical patterns of the brain. The main departure from linear neurofeedback with Dynamical design is that it provides millisecond-by-millisecond feedback to the user’s brain and the brain does the rest.

The clinician does not set protocols, therefore, it is completely non-invasive. Nothing is added or forced.  Rather than a static brain map needed the changes to happen because of the moment-by-moment feedback the brain gets about its current maladaptive patterns. 

It is built on the recognition that the brain has its own natural, inherent capacity to rebalance wave pattern frequencies using this feedback.  The advancements in this current generation of neurofeedback are due to advances in the field of neuroplasticity, and the theories of brain functioning by the neurologist, Karl Pribram.   

The latest version of the technology, released as NeurOptimal 3.0 in the spring of 2017, uses the proprietary software, now formatted on a tablet-sized computer, with real-time brain wave monitoring, software analysis, and the ingenious use of audible sound to feed back to the user real-time information on the electrical patterning of the brain. NeurOptimal is FDA approved as safe for consumers to use without a doctor’s permission. 

_________________________

Also Watch 

How a NeurOptimal neurofeedback session works

_________________________

Research-Based Neurofeedback Technology Or Cheaper Gimmicks?  

We have given an overview of the two basic types of neurofeedback. NeurOptimal is the only product within the Dynamical category. There are too many protocol-based / linear neurofeedback products to list here.  The following are the key points to consider when choosing a neurofeedback system for your children, based on our experience at the Denver neurofeedback center:

1. Clinician: Do I need to train in an office with a clinician in order to get effective training?  If you are looking at protocol-based neurofeedback therapy (where a brain map must be created before starting), then yes, you want a qualified clinician with years of experience, administering the neurofeedback training. As mentioned above, with protocol-based systems, it is the trainer who alters your brain wave activity based on comparing your brain’s electrical patterns to “normal” ones.
2. The Dynamical Advantage: Dynamical neurofeedback technology works by giving the brain immediate feedback about itself that triggers the brain’s natural self-correcting function.  The technology here doesn’t push or force the brain to change.  It serves as a mirror, that alerts the brain to an imbalance and lets the brain adjust itself.

   The second advantage is its non-invasive technique.  There are no forced brain frequency changes created by a clinician or trainer, so there is no need for a clinician to monitor the system while you train. The gentle, non-invasive design of NeurOptimal makes it a good choice for training children.

3. Cost:  Price is a key factor when choosing among brain training devices.  Here we have to be careful, as neurofeedback training is not an inexpensive activity, and there are many cheaper products that claim to provide similar results.  Having evaluated some brain training units in the $200 range, such as NeuroSky, we see fundamental differences.

   These products often provide some basic monitoring or give prompts for the user to react to. Some devices try to trigger the brain to change its state. While many users enjoy these inexpensive products, they do not have the sophisticated software needed to support real-time feedback that can keep up with the lightning speed of the brain. 

   To use an analogy, if you were choosing an audio system for your home you could choose an AM/FM radio, online streaming, or an advanced analogue/digital system. Today the highest quality neurofeedback training systems range from $7,000 for a home system to over $10,000 for a professional one. 

   We believe that NeurOptimal Dynamical neurofeedback technology is the best choice for brain training with kids. For most users, buying a system is unnecessary. Neurofeedbacktraining.com and other providers allow customers to rent professional level neurofeedback systems by the month at an affordable cost.

   Our goal is to give clients and their families everything they need to receive the benefits of Dynamical neurofeedback on their own schedules, without investing in brain maps or clinical visits.  Most rental clients report long-lasting benefits after using the systems regularly for one three months.  Learn more about renting a home system.

4. Altering Brainwaves & Safety: True neurofeedback devices do not add any electrical waves or currents to the brain.  Any feedback device that stimulates the brain through micro-currents is technically not a feedback device.  These systems introduce electrical currents to the scalp to effect a change.  This may be another important point when considering the right system for you and your family. Do you want the device to send additional electrical currents to the brain?

   

5. Brain data transfer:  Neurofeedback systems use EEG sensors placed on the scalp to collect real-time electrical information from the brain and send it to the software system for processing.  For neurofeedback to work, this information must be transferred to the neurofeedback device via a wired or wireless system.

   The general rule is that a wired system provides faster and more accurate data. In order for the training to be effective, that electrical information has to be delivered at the speed the brain communicates, which is in microseconds. The connection spot between sensors and the scalp has some natural resistance.  A sign of a professional-grade neurofeedback fitness device is that there is a “goop” involved.  

   This can be a conductive paste or a gel.  Its role is to support the speed and accuracy of data transfer.  This paste is easily removable (non-toxic and water-soluble).  You can read more about it here.  In addition to hair, skin and air, 60 Hz ‘noise‘ is another common form of interference in most buildings and homes.

   Most linear neurofeedback systems do not have the ability to ignore this electrical “noise”.  The NeurOptimal software does adjust to eliminate errors due to environmental electrical factors.

Most Popular Training Option – Renting A NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback Home System

Once clients have decided they want to try neurofeedback, the most popular option they choose is a rental, especially when multiple family members are training.  

• Same training as in-office visits. 
• Save in overall cost of neurofeedback sessions (Cost can be as low as $40 per session)
• Easy to use, long-lasting and effective

 Learn more about renting a home system.