Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is real-time brainwave training: sensors on the scalp read the brain's electrical activity while the child watches a screen or plays a game that responds to that activity. At WIN, it is one of the Phase III therapies Dr. Báez-Franceschi prescribes for children, teens and adults working on focus, regulation, learning, sleep or recovery after a brain injury. Sessions take place at our centers in Houston and San Juan.

What is neurofeedback?

The brain produces electrical rhythms, often called brainwaves, and their patterns change with attention, calm, drowsiness and effort. Neurofeedback measures those patterns and shows them back to the person in a form they can understand, such as a video that plays smoothly when the brain is in the target state and dims or pauses when it drifts. With repetition, the brain learns to produce the desired pattern more easily, in the same way a child learns to ride a bike through practice and feedback rather than instructions.

Neurofeedback is non-invasive. The sensors only listen; nothing is sent into the brain and no electricity, medication or magnetic field is applied. It is not a diagnostic test, not hypnosis and not an entertainment video game, even if it feels like one to a child. WIN uses it as a training tool within a larger plan, and research on neurofeedback for specific conditions is ongoing.

Who neurofeedback helps

WIN includes neurofeedback in plans where the evaluation shows that attention, regulation or processing would benefit from direct training. It is most often part of plans for:

• ADD / ADHD / CAPD, for sustained attention, impulsivity and the ability to settle
• Autism, as support for regulation, flexibility and calm
• Dyslexia and other learning difficulties, alongside auditory and sensory work
• Brain injuries, including post-concussion focus, sleep and mood concerns
• Anxiety and sleep difficulties in children and teens
• Performance training through the Athletic and Academic Excellence program and cognitive sharpness in adults through anti-aging

Neurofeedback is prescribed after the Phase I medical evaluation and WIN's neurodevelopment evaluations, not purchased on its own. It is generally used from school age through adulthood; the physician decides when a younger child is ready.

What a session looks like at WIN

Sessions are in person at the Houston and San Juan centers. Before training begins, the team records a baseline of the child's brain activity so there is something concrete to compare against later. At each session, the therapist places a few sensors on the scalp with a water-based paste or gel, which wipes off easily, and the child sits comfortably in front of a screen. The child watches a video or plays a simple game that responds to their brain activity.

Parents may stay in the room, and the therapist explains what the screen is showing and how the session went. Children usually describe the experience as relaxing or fun.

Neurofeedback is painless and safe for the vast majority of children. Some children feel tired after a session. The physician screens for seizure disorders and other conditions that call for extra care, and the protocol is adapted accordingly. The number and frequency of sessions in a block are set by the individualized plan, and the baseline is repeated at intervals to measure change.

How it fits the Franceschi Method®

Neurofeedback belongs to Phase III of the Franceschi Method®, Multisensory and psycho-emotional therapy. It starts once the Phase II medical and nutritional protocols are in place, because a well-nourished brain is in a better position to train.

It is usually combined with other Phase III therapies. In attention and learning plans it often runs alongside the Franceschi Neuro-Auditory Protocol for auditory processing. For regulation and calm it may be paired with taVNS. In brain injury recovery it may be combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Progress is measured constantly through the neurofeedback baselines and re-tests, WIN's neurodevelopment tests, standardized tests and the observations of parents and teachers. Parents receive reports and training as part of the team.

What families can expect

Neurofeedback is done in person, so families from outside Houston or San Juan plan their visits around therapy blocks; medical follow-ups can often continue by telemedicine for patients in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. Change is gradual and builds across sessions. Early signs parents sometimes notice include easier bedtimes, fewer blow-ups or homework that takes less of a fight, but the timing and degree vary by child and are never guaranteed. WIN relies on the re-tests and your observations to decide how the plan continues.

If focus, regulation or learning is where your child struggles, neurofeedback may be part of the plan. Request an orientation at our Houston or San Juan center and we will explain how the evaluation works and what to expect. Contact us to get started.