QEEG: Colorado Psychiatry’s Tool for Spotting ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a growing problem afflicting up to about 10% of children at school age. It is a disorder that affects children causing them to commit actions without thought, hyperactivity and inattentiveness. Apparently, about three times more boys are affected than girls and still the cause has not yet been determined. Accurate diagnosis has always been a problem for doctors due to factors like the scepticism of parents and even teachers with ADHD; the subjective nature of the ADHD evaluation methods, the guidelines of assessing ADHD requires a lot of resources and the refusal of parents to accept the results. Today at Denver, USA, Colorado psychiatry makes use of the qEEG technology to accurately, objectively and conclusively detect ADHD among children.

QEEG or Quantitative Electro-Encephalogram is a process where the brain’s electrical energy is analyzed for patterns and compared to a database of ADHD cases and looking for matches. The pattern-recognition algorithms in computer systems are used to analyze a series of EEG scans to provide an almost 90% accuracy in its results. This, together with modern methods of evaluations and consultation, gives a highly accurate diagnosis of the condition supported by objective data, which can be easily understood and accepted by parents and relatives.

QEEG has its roots as early as 1848, when electrical signals were observed in the nervous system. Subsequent developments in the 1920s and up to the 1940s gave birth to the electroencephalogram (EEG) as a tool for psychiatric and neurological researches. The development of computers in the 1970s allowed for visual examination of the raw EEG waves enabling researchers to quantify and measure the EEG factors in the human brain. Further advances in computer technology allow experts to store and compare EEG results to detect variations against ‘normal’ or even specifically documented ADHD cases.

The Wyse Psychiatry in Colorado uses QEEG as its main tool in diagnosing ADHD in children. Dr. Brian Wise, of Wise Psychiatry, combines QEEG with his evaluation techniques nets a high ratio of success in diagnosing ADHD. After a swift but accurate diagnosis, the proper care program can then be established by the Colorado psychiatrist and the child can finally get the proper attention he or she requires. The treatment the child will receive will then be specifically fitted to the needs of the child with proper therapies and/or medication prescriptions.

With QEEG, the search for the cause and ultimately the solution to ADHD gains a significant tool in the early diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. The child is better understood and the suffering can be minimized down to a manageable level beneficial for both the child and the family.