Fidget Spinners for Children with ADHD?

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Fidget Spinners for Children with ADHD?

Fidget Spinners for Children with ADHD

You probably have heard of the craze: fidget spinners! The spinning toys come in a variety of colors and cost only a few dollars. Despite causing nuisance to many adults and school teachers (they are even banned in some school districts!), some experts say these toys can benefit some children with ADHD. Children with ADHD can be fidgety, from tapping feet to bouncing on seat. The proponents of fidget spinners say that the toy can benefit these children stay focused. However, there are many skeptics in the ADHD community. Most importantly, there are no studies or scientific evidence showing the benefits of fidget spinners. If your child appears to benefit from the toy, talk to his or her teacher. However, fidget spinners are not going to be a sufficient replacement to professional ADHD treatment anytime soon.

The Pathways team of professionals has helped thousands of people with ADHD & brain injuries. We are Dedicated to effective and compassionate care for individuals with neurological challenges.

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Fidget Spinners for Children with ADHD?

Rutgers Researchers Attempt to Slow the Progress of Traumatic Brain Injuries

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Rutgers Researchers Attempt to Slow the Progress of Traumatic Brain Injuries

brain injury, traumatic brain injury, tai, concussions

Almost two million Americans each year suffer from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI’s occur as a result of physical trauma to the brain. The most common symptoms include headaches, memory loss, depression, and/or personality changes. Upon violent impact to the head, a chemical called glutamate accumulates in the brain. High concentrations of glutamate are lethal to brain cells even though the chemical is responsible for learning and memory under normal conditions. Recently, scientists at Rutgers University asked the question: “can we slow the progress of TBIs by targeting glutamate?”

The study was led by Dr. Bonnie Firestein in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience. The approach is clever and transformative, as most previous efforts to tackle TBI mainly focus on alleviating symptoms instead of preventing progression of the injury itself. The researchers found that combining lithium and rapamycin together, nerve cells stop sending glutamate signals to other cells. This prevents cells for dying off. Lithium is already used to treat depression and bipolar disorder, while rapamycin is typically used against cancer. Most of the work was done in pitri dishes with cultured nerve cells and animal-based trials are currently underway. This may be a very important breakthrough that might especially benefit children. Young patients with concussions may benefit greatly from such a medication by preventing long term effects of cell death in the developing brain.

Przemyslaw Swiatkowski, Ina Nikolaeva, Gaurav Kumar, Avery Zucco, Barbara F. Akum, Mihir V. Patel, Gabriella D’Arcangelo, Bonnie L. Firestein. Role of Akt-independent mTORC1 and GSK3β signaling in sublethal NMDA-induced injury and the recovery of neuronal electrophysiology and survival. Scientific Reports, 2017; 7 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01826-ws

The Pathways team of professionals has helped thousands of people with brain injuries. We are Dedicated to effective and compassionate care for individuals with neurological challenges.

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Rutgers Researchers Attempt to Slow the Progress of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Biofeedback – How it Works for You

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Biofeedback – How it Works for You

For those with brain injury or mental illness, wouldn’t it be nice to “hear” and “see” what is going inside your body in order to gage progress and plan for improvement? Stress, anxiety, and depression are very complex phenomenon with a basis inside the brain. Biofeedback is essentially a tool that measures how your body reacts to various neurological states. The procedure works by attaching electrodes to and various sensors to body to measure 1- heart rate 2- brain activity and 3- muscle tension. During biofeedback sessions, patients are given the opportunity to understand what is going on in their bodies when experiencing various emotional states and stresses. As one begins to learn how his or her body works, one can takes steps to learn how to meditate and relax. Over time, one will begin to take control over emotional state and hopefully improve mental condition.

In peer-reviewed studies, users of biofeedback have been able to control emotional states and activity that lead to stress and headaches. The basis of biofeedback is understanding what is going on in your body during various conditions and practicing control over brain activity. This makes sense: one needs to know how something works to bring about change!

Biofeedback is also useful for a variety of other medical conditions, including:

  • Headaches
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Chronic Pain
  • Asthma
  • Anxiety
  • Stress
  • Sleep Problems

Biofeedback is a favorable method of treatment because there are no recognized negative side effects.

The Pathways team of professionals has helped thousands of people with brain injuries. We are Dedicated to effective and compassionate care for individuals with neurological challenges.

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Biofeedback – How it Works for You

The ADHD Lifestyle Part II: Exercise

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The ADHD Lifestyle Part II: Exercise

adhd treatment Pathways Neuropsychology Associates | Psychologists | Toms River, Manahawkin, Freehold, NJ

What if there was a way to treat ADHD without taking a trip to the pharmacy? Believe it or not, this idea is not too farfetched. Many doctors describe exercise as a natural “medication” that can treat ADHD symptoms effectively. While exercise will most likely not replace traditional treatment options, it can be used as a strong compliment. In fact, exercise often affects the same core component as the stimulants do: one’s executive functions. Memory, inhibition, attention, and prioritization are all examples of executive functions. When one has a strong grip on executive functions and becomes less impulsive, there is a greater chance of behavioral and academic success.

So how does this “medication” work? Again, let’s look to stimulants to find our answer. When children take Ritalin or Adderal, the activity of the neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine are increased. Exercise is a natural way to modulate dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine activity and availability in the brain. When these neurotransmitters are increased, one experiences heightened attention and overall greater use of executive function. If your child is struggling in school, it is a smart idea to look into organized athletic activities that involves consistent participation. It does not matter exactly which sport. Anthything from gymnastics, to karote, to cross country will provide the type of sustained aerobic activity that will be beneficial to your child. More likely than not, you will see increased improvement in conjunction with traditional psychotherapy and/ or pharmaceuticals!

The Pathways team of professionals has helped thousands of people with ADHD & brain injuries. We are Dedicated to effective and compassionate care for individuals with neurological challenges.

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The ADHD Lifestyle Part II: Exercise