Is Neurofeedback Okay for Kids?

Yes!

Ok, now that I have given away the punchline, let’s talk about when and why you might consider adding Neurofeedback to support your child’s needs and diagnoses (and some times when you would not).

Let’s Meet Some Kids!

Let’s consider Ian. Ian is 4 years old, really into watching a certain Australian cartoon, has about 100 stuffies, can fully express himself, loves to color, and…is refusing to wear pants in winter, is taking 2 hours to fall asleep every night because he’s scared to be alone in bed, is having huge meltdowns, struggles with having to be with a sitter, and is showing a lot of other rigidity. The biggest change in his life is that a new sibling was born about 4 months ago. After his little sister was born, mom has been struggling with physical recovery requiring her to attend extra doctors visits and focus on rest causing household routines to change significantly. Ian has begun starting every day with asking what the schedule is and a small deviation from the plan will trigger a huge meltdown.

Or perhaps consider 11 year-old Jayme. Jayme has good grades, but becomes stressed and frustrated when having to work through a difficult task–which can range from homework to chores or sometimes leaving the house for school. While generally mild-mannered, in these spaces she yells at those around her or shuts down. She loves to read and swim, but as she reaches adolescence, her anger outbursts have intensified and her parents have noticed that she is beginning to struggle to connect with friends. Her parents took her to counseling around age 9 because of school stress and the therapist eventually recommended she go through testing to see if there were any relevant diagnoses. She was diagnosed with ADHD and the family has done some learning about what that means, but are feeling stuck as the anger ramps up. Jayme doesn’t mind going to therapy, but struggles to implement the tools outside of the session. Medication was discussed, but Jayme’s parents aren’t sure if they want to use a full-time intervention for something that surfaces 1-2 times a week.

Finally, let’s consider 16 year-old Xavier. Xavier loves football, but last season was cut short after he sustained a concussion during practice. He’s been showing signs of depression, but insists he’s “fine” and that once he gets back into football it won’t be an issue. His teachers have noted his grades are starting to slide and the coach recently approached him to remind him that if his GPA dips too far, it could impact his ability to play in the fall. The school counselor recommended some places for Xavier to get connected with therapy resources, but he is resistant to go because “Why would I talk to a stranger? There’s nothing wrong with me.”

As you might have guessed, these are all kids and teens who might benefit from Neurofeedback–for the sake of this post, we will assume that they have all had necessary medical and developmental concerns assessed and addressed and that these scenarios are presenting the decision point about next steps for the family.

What might Neurofeedback Help them With?

Ian is showing some typical signs of childhood anxiety. Children often try to increase their control (refusal to wear certain types of clothing) and struggle with falling asleep when their anxiety is higher. Ian could go to play therapy and it would potentially be helpful as a space for him to express his feelings, and his parents could seek increased support at their house as well. Ian could also been seen for neurofeedback and here’s what that might look like.

For Ian, the primary goals would likely be reducing anxiety, improving sleep, and reducing meltdowns. Ian has also been waking at night when the baby wakes and has been struggling to return to sleep. Because Ian is so young, it is hard for him to understand why his body feels so uncomfortable and why he is scared to be alone at night. Play therapy can help him give voice to that, but neurofeedback may be able to help him even if he can’t explain. For a child like Ian who is struggling with new baby sitters, working out getting to know a new adult in play therapy could be a challenge. While a NF provider is also a new person, the fact that the intervention involves watching a favorite movie or other videos on the screen and not a focus on relating with a new adult is often helpful for young children. Additionally, NF can address the sleep and anxiety at the same time, while working towards addressing the meltdowns. As he feels less anxious, Ian may even be better able to engage in the play therapy if still needed.

Jayme is showing the emotional reactivity and anger that are often part of the “poor brakes” i.e. less connected prefrontal cortex in ADHD. Additionally, neurodivergence can lead to developmental lags or loosing sync with peers as a child enters adolescence. In Jayme’s case, we would look at NF to help her calm the quick emotional reactions and anger outbursts, develop a longer on-ramp to when she’s about to blow due to reducing the feeling of stress. It’s also possible that the stress is partly due to the struggles with what is called “executive functioning” or the brain’s ability to (among other things!) organize and plan.

Xavier could be experiencing some sadness or possibly mild depression from the football season ending early, or it could be related to the concussion. Either way, NF can support his recovery as it is an appropriate intervention to support recovery from TBI (when medically appropriate) and depression. Since Xavier is not motivated to talk, this will allow him to make progress without having to enter into traditional talk therapy. For him, NF would focus on supporting the brain’s post-concussion healing and on the areas of the brain that support positive mood.

In summary, when do I recommend considering neurofeedback for kids?

-When there is an appropriate diagnosis or symptoms that we can address–some examples are anxiety, depression, stress, anger, ADHD, ASD, emotion regulation, trauma, and sleep issues. Some physiological symptoms may also be addressable following appropriate medical screening and recommendations.

-When there may be limitations to the benefits of other therapies, or an unwillingness to explore them

-When there are stacking issues that can all be addressed, specifically when there are both mental and physiological impacts of what the child is experiencing or multiple mental health diagnoses

And finally, when do I NOT recommend considering neurofeedback (but maybe after these questions are answered)

-If there are medical pr physical symptoms that have not been discussed with a doctor

-If you have had specific therapies recommended by your medical provider and have not pursued those yet

-If the source of the symptoms is unclear

Every situation is unique, so it can be helpful to discuss what your child is experiencing with a provider to consider if Neurofeedback may be beneficial and appropriate. Want to get started? Email here to get in touch!