Autism

NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback and Autism

While NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback is not a treatment for Autism, we have found in many cases that brain training with NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback has been helpful to some of our clients on the Autism Spectrum.

Challenges Common To Autism

Individuals on the autism spectrum often have difficulty in most, or all, of the following areas:

  • Language
  • Socialization
  • Establishing eye contact
  • Behaviour
  • Sleep

Individuals on the Autism Spectrum And Their Experience With NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback

NeurOptimal® is a technology-based brain training system developed by Canadian based Clinical Psychologists with over 30 years of neurofeedback experience.  The system is designed to promote optimum well being by helping the central nervous system come more into balance.

Parents of children on the Autism spectrum and NeurOptimal®  Neurofeedback Trainers have found that the elements of language; reading, writing, listening or speaking all show drastic areas of improvement in many cases. Specifically, improvements that have been reported are:

  • Expressive language - more verbal expression, more sign language, longer utterances, detailed thoughts, or even using a different sentence structure while explaining processes or thoughts. For example, using personal pronouns for the first time, reading words carefully rather than leaving endings off words or leaving out articles in a sentence
  • Significant improvements in Executive Functioning skills: particularly working memory, sustained attention, task initiation, organization and greater flexibility
  • A decrease in anxiety, reactivity (fewer 'meltdowns' or rages)
  • Improvements in sleep: falling asleep easier, sleeping through the night
  • Increase in eye contact, ability to initiate an "appropriate" conversation, ask age "appropriate" questions
  • An increased interest in others or in things other than their "passion"
  • Ability to show empathy
  • Much more organized motor planning skills both physically and verbally
  • Ability to recognize facial expressions and non-verbal cues
  • Increased confidence

One NeurOptimal®  Neurofeedback Trainer in our network recently reported that after 12 sessions, her client, who has autism, has made the following improvements:

  • He is able to follow verbal directions much better
  • His verbal expression has gone from simply repeating what he has heard (echolalia), to spontaneous sentences of 2-3 words
  • He is much more independent (puts on his own clothes, goes on school field trips without a parent, operates DVD player, tablet, TV
  • Sensory defensiveness has improved
    • desires physical touch: initiates holding his mother’s hand
    • He is a much less picky eater
    • He smiled and calmly sat through a dentist appointment (normally it takes 3 people to hold him down)
  • Social improvements: hangs out with his family in the family room rather than isolating himself in his bedroom, initiates play with adults and other children, better eye contact, a greater variety of facial expressions

Interested in exploring NeurOptimal® training sessions? Book a free consultation demo on our Booking Page