ADD: The 20-Hour Solution

As a neurofeedback clinician, I have given this book to parents when they are considering brain-training as an option for their child. I have to say that I'm not wild about the title, as it suggests that in less than a day, the ADD will be gone, instead of it being 40 sessions at a half-hour each. The book is a simple, quick read and does a good job of explaining ADD/ADHD and sympathizing with parents who are trying their best to cope with a child who exhibits some of the symptoms inherent in the disorder. It doesn't go into any detail on the development or mechanisms behind neurofeedback, however, and is kind of showy and overly-excitable (too many exclamation marks) about how great training is. Don't get me wrong - I know it's great and I know it works, but there's just something about the book that seems to be over-selling the technique in a hokey way - like their on the home shopping network or something. I find myself more often referring clients to read "A Symphony in the Brain" or one of Daniel Amen's books instead, or else forewarning them that this book is a bit over-the-top excited about neurofeedback.

I've read other books about non-drug approaches to getting through ADHD. I am definitely interested in Neurofeedback but I simply hated the tedious writing style of this book. Information is given but despite their insistence that it does work there is limited proof in the form of a half dozen case studies (convincingly two were one of the author's own). I want studies and proof showing it works. Without it, it just seems like a sideshow pitch. I likely will try it with my son, but not because of this book. It's sad that insurance will not cover this therapy - further raising questions of whether it is truly effective. Perhaps as real double-blind, large-sample studies are done we'll get there.Edited update: After reading the beautifully written Symphony in the Brain I got a clearer picture of the process of neurofeedback and we did start my ADHD son on a program of 20 sessions. Large changes for the better began manifesting after 10 visits in. After 20 the noise in his brain had quieted to such a degree that his academic gifts started appearing. It really has made a difference for my family. It still doesn't fix the writing of this book but I am here to say that neurofeedback worked to focus my boy's brain and help him become a happier kid overall. He notices the difference in himself and points out to other kids that are having trouble that they should really give it a shot. So unhappy that insurance won't cover this, but will cover a lifetime Rx for drug therapy.

loved this book! Neurofeedback is so amazing for helping balance your brain and live a healthier life in the future

Pros: Offers neurofeedback as a potential treatment for ADD and managing attentional processes.Cons: As a psychologist who uses neurofeedback, 20 hours is not a solution. A little bit too clever with the marketing of the title and misleading to families seeking alternatives to medications.

Extremely wordy. I do have ADD, so I haven't been able to read past a couple of chapters as it doesn't hold my attention.

Great book

This is an excellent book - it is more focussed on a lay-person's introduction to neurofeedback treatments for ADHD, great for parents. It is not really technical enough for a practitioner or someone wanting to learn more about the clinical application of neurofeedback.A large section at the back of the book is dedicated to an index of worldwide practitioners who can treat ADHD with this drug-free approach

This book is an outstanding, articulate and heartwarming presentation of AD/HD and the problems it presents to those who have it and their families. More importantly, it also describes the frequently astonishingly successful impact of EEG biofeedback in treating the disorder.As a neuropsychologist who tested many children for learning and attention problems, I became very tired of being able to tell parents and kids WHY they were having troubles learning, getting along with peers and disrupting their families, without having better solutions to offer than a referral to a psychiatrist for medication--which, while helpful, does not always address the full extent of the problems and often has troubling side effects.I was amazed at the impact of neurofeedback when I finally explored it some ten years ago. It has taken over my practice to my immense delight. The changes in brain functioning neurofeedback results in provides the foundation upon which other therapies, education and sports performance training can build.For me it has resulted in a profound shift in the way in which I view "mental" and "emotional" problems--difficulties I had assumed were characterological (even AFTER being trained as a neuropsychologist), such as "laziness" or being "unmotivated", could frequently be eliminated after a few sessions.I believe that once the impact of EEG biofeedback is fully understood and accepted by psychology, medicine, education and the sports community, we will look back and see that our viewpoint on people and their potential is as different as the world appeared after Galileo looked at the night sky through his telescope and found that the earth circled the sun, rather than the other way around.Limitations in brain functioning which we mental health professionals have assumed were permanent are, in fact, trainable, and training results in enhanced performance on IQ tests as well as every other aspect of performance in which our brains are involved.