Summary of: Cutting Edge' Program For Children With Autism And ADHD Rests On Razor-Thin Evidence
URL Link- https://goo.gl/zVBdRX
This NPR article focuses on parents seeking an alternative for their children with autism and ADHD rather than seeking traditional treatment from medical practitioners. The alternative treatment was sought from Brain Balance achievement center. Their owner Robert Melillo suggests in his book “Disconnected Kids”, autism and ADHD occur due to low brain activity in the right hemisphere which controls emotion, and low brain activity in the left hemisphere which controls logic. He attributes the lack of activity in the emotional half of a child's brain makes them susceptible to autism and ADHD. Melillo believes that low activity in the logical half of the brain leads to dyslexia and learning disorders. Dr. Melilo states that his Academy conducted two studies which state Brain Balance eliminates ADHD symptoms however experts say the research lacks scientific legitimacy. The control studies Brain Balance refers to lack a control group to analyze if intervention is working versus a placebo effect. Expert researchers refer to Brain Balance’s work as pseudo-science, that is overpriced at $12,000 for six-month enrollment, and is founded on “insufficient evidence “one researcher put it. The article was done in an informative, and unbiased manner. It provided evidence and argumentative data from both sides of the issue. If peer review research was conducted on the treatment provided by Brain Balance, would there be legitimacy applied to the basis of their treatment?
Summary of: The integration of the neurosciences, child public health, and education practice: hemisphere-specific remediation strategies as a discipline partnered rehabilitation tool in ADD/ADHD
Stable URL: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2164767-brain-balance-adhd-paper-2013-1.html
This peer-reviewed article focuses on a clinical trial by the National Institute of Brain and Rehabilitation sciences which measures and observes the effects of hemisphere-specific cognitive training for male and female students with ADD/ADHD. In this trial, the focus was on stimulating and analyzing right hemisphere brain activity over 12 weeks that involved the supervision of specific interdisciplinary activities. Both the treatment and control group received the Wechsler Individual Achievement test rather than an IQ test to measure their cognitive ability at the beginning and the end of the 12-week study. Other than mathematics, the treatment group saw an increase in their reading comprehension skills by an increase greater than two years their grade level. In contrast, the non-control group did not display any significant increase in cognitive ability measured from the achievement test. The findings of the study presumed that effective sensory arousal of students with ADD/ADHD, along with early intervention are key to developing increased cognitive ability and sensory perception. The study also concluded that instruction must be varied to further engage students in improving academic achievement. Another concern for researchers was ADD/ADHD cause within the genetic construct of children’s neurological pathways which produce inabilities to learn. The research was compiled in a quantitative manner, with a host of statistical evidence backing researchers claims. The research is credible, the outcome did not outline that the results of the research were definitive in solving the issue of improving the learning ability of children with ADD/ADHD. One question I am left with after analyzing the research, as neurological science is still uncovering new truths about the composition of the brain and its functions, could further research in neuroscience produce solutions to improve the achievement of ADD/ADHD students?
Reaction to both Articles
To reflect on both articles, I would say that the neurological science done by Brain Balance whether it be factual or not, it is fascinating from a research standpoint. I do believe there is some merit to the claims made by experts in the article done by NPR state that Brain Balances owner is sensationalizing his product, parents could seek out alternative treatments such as Brain Balance for a fraction of the cost. Robert Melillo simply proposes that low levels of right hemisphere brain activity and left hemisphere activity. His alternative treatment uses increased physical activity along with a gluten-free diet, and academic instruction that focuses on the stimuli of both hemispheres of the brain. In the research done by the national Institute of brain and rehabilitation states there is no definitive solution to ending ADD/ADHD in children. After analyzing the findings done by the National Institute of Brain and Rehabilitation, more research needs to be done in uncovering the connection between neurological composition and a child becoming diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Also the research done by Robert Melillo lacked a noncontrol group, Melillo also funded his own research which lacked peer review analysis In the study conducted by the National Institute of brain and Rehabilitation and Intervention for children with ADD D/ADHD means to happen as soon as possible, this study also found that that all of sensory stimulation helps increase brain activity in both hemispheres.