![]() ![]() “You’re going to potentially have kids who are going to be pissed off because they are being forced into doing something that taps into a weakness of theirs.”ĭr. But it’s work, and it can be very frustrating. “There are some people who love doing structured things like that,” he says. It has decent data to support it,” he says.īut before beginning any brain training program, parents should also consider their child’s personality, warns Dr. ![]() “Some studies show there’s higher activity level in the region of the brain that deals with language with that program. Auciello says, Scientific Learning’s program Fast-For-Word works on reading skills and general language improvement. Learning disorders (both reading and math)įor kids with language disorders, Dr.You can measure a child’s working memory, and low working memory can be a symptom of a number of different diagnoses including: ![]() What kinds of kids benefit from brain training?Ĭhildren who have working memory deficits are the ones who might benefit the most from the practice they get with Cogmed. Auciello uses Cogmed as a treatment to address that specific issue in some kids, and he’s “cautiously optimistic,” he’s not yet jumping on the brain game bandwagon for everyone. Working memory might be thought of as the brain’s search engine, or mental scratch pad, and it’s used to do things like remember both audio and visual directions, calculate math in your head and visualize the steps involved in a task. Auciello is trained in the use of Cogmed, a brain training program specifically designed to improve working memory. Be more cognitively flexible, which really means to be able to shift your attention from one place to another effectivelyĭr.Most of them are trying to train people to: “You could name a thousand different brain functions, or more,” says neuropsychologist Dominick Auciello, PsyD, “but the basic idea is that through computerized practice you’re going to make those skills better.” There are many different programs out there with different activities and exercises designed to enhance various cognitive functions. It’s engaging in computerized activities that are designed to strengthen cognitive skills, or a specific cognitive skill. No one has shown a particularly impressive effect size, so even when you show some benefit, is it worth the time and the money spent?” “There is some research saying brain training has some value, and other research saying that it doesn’t. “I’m very skeptical about it,” says Mike Milham, PhD, Director of the Center for the Developing Brain at the Child Mind Institute. And while most of these brain games are aimed at baby boomers, kids account for about 20% of the revenues from companies like Lumosity, Cogmed, Posit Science, and others.īut there’s a big difference between the big business of brain training and the not-so-solid science behind many of the claims being made by some companies. If you spend any time at all online, chances are you’ve been solicited by at least one company promising that for something like $10 a month you can reverse aging! Prevent Alzheimer’s disease! Improve your memory! Or even increase your I.Q.!Īccording to SharpBrains, a neuro-wellness research firm, spending on brain fitness hardware and software hit $1.3 billion in 2013 and is expected to reach $6 billion by 2020. In the last few years the “brain gaming” business has taken off like a rocket. Some kids also find brain training games frustrating and don’t want to play them. But brain training games are definitely not a substitute for traditional treatment. There may be some benefits for some kids. There just isn’t enough data to show that playing these games has a big effect on how well kids learn. So how well does brain training work? Many experts aren’t sure they trust game makers who say their products are based on real science. There are games to help with each of these issues. These include kids with ADHD or kids who struggle with learning, language and organizing their thoughts. Some brain training for kids are games aimed at improving “working memory.” Working memory is used to do things like remember directions you just heard or do math in your head.Ī child who has poor working memory has the most chance of getting something out of brain training games. These tasks include paying attention and remembering information over time. Most brain games for kids are aimed at improving how well kids perform learning tasks. The basic idea is that by playing these games, kids will become better at certain thinking and learning skills. People are spending a lot of money on online games to improve their “brain fitness.” A big chunk of this money is spent on brain games for kids. ![]()
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