Autism. Aspergers.
Developmental Delays

Why is neurofeedback so important for anyone in the autistic spectrum, including Asperger’s and developmental delays? According to research in a peer-reviewed journal, neurofeedback produces more positive change in more symptoms for autistic children than any other intervention. That research is not well known. For clinicians and families who have worked with neurofeedback, the changes can be profound.

Targeting the brain makes sense
Can an autistic or Aspergers child who struggles with their brain really train their own brain? Absolutely. And in significant ways.

We invite you to come see that for yourself. It makes much more sense after you see it

You can physically watch the child train his brain. We monitor brain activity with very sophisticated EEG equipment. During training, you gradually see their brain activity CHANGE for the better. It becomes more organized, and better regulated. Over time, this training translates into changes such as better behavior, more attention, the ability to be calmer, and have more awareness and connection. These improvements are consistently reported by professionals and parents.

Cutting Edge
You can train a child with whom you can't communicate – or who can’t listen to your instructions. Brain training combines sophisticated brain technology with well-proven learning techniques. The same learning is used for training large whales, for training dogs, and for training people. All respond. The difference is that this learning directly trains brain behavior.

The technology and technique are complex for professionals to learn. There aren’t many health professionals who offer it for autistic children – much less understand it. In South Florida, our Center provides the most experience and expertise in brain training to parents. We’ve trained for years with several of the top experts in the country.

What kind of changes do you see?
For most kids, the changes you notice first once training starts are: 1) improved sleep, and 2) the ability to self-calm (that’s part of self-regulation).

Most autistic spectrum children become easily overwhelmed. That’s why there’s so much sensory integration work going on. But it’s so much more efficient to train the brain itself to calm. There are specific areas of the brain that play a role in self-calming. If they don’t work well or are overwhelmed, the child (or adult) will have a very difficult time calming. By strengthening the part of the brain that calms through training, it gives every other technique the chance to work better.

Most people have a hard time understanding how it is possible for an autistic spectrum child to train his brain. Yet this group consistently responds to brain training. For most kids, the changes aren’t subtle – they have a big impact on the lives of the family and the child. Why? Neurofeedback trains more organized, better regulated brain activity. Autistic spectrum children have very disorganized brains with clear patterns of dysregulation. For most kids, it’s obvious with a brain map. You can see it.

We believe the most difficult brains often show the most improvement, because they have the furthest to improve. Even subtle changes can show up as changes in the child’s behavior. The more neurofeedback is done, the more the individual learns to self-regulate. However, it doesn’t take many sessions for parents to notice changes.

Other Changes
When you help improve self-regulation, and when the brain starts to calm down and become better regulated, many other symptoms start to improve. These include eye contact, attention, becoming more interactive, and engaging with other people.

Case Example
After 1 year of training with neurofeedback, here are some of the changes reported for an 8-year-old autistic boy in a special school:

Medications reduced by half.
He increasingly expressed ideas and asked questions.
Speech was too rapid to understand. It’s now slower and more distinct. Loud outbursts are now infrequent and softer.
He asks for hugs and will initiate touch.
Interacts with siblings and can do some group work at school for the first time.
Responds more appropriately to parental directions.
Improved balance and gross motor control.
Tolerates changes in his environment better than before.
Mood more stable and positive.

Courtesy of EEG Spectrum