Play your way to better concentration with Cogmed Working Memory Training
Are you easily distracted? Find that you have problems remembering important things? Did you know that you could play your way to a better memory?
Thanks to Cogmed Working Memory Training those with ADD/ADHD who have attention and distraction concerns can game their way to better concentration using a computer-based program. By playing the helpful online games in this training those with attention deficits can improve their working memory.
Working memory , or WM for short, helps you keep on track with doing tasks. Research has found that WM deficits are related to poor school or professional performance. Finding ways to improve wm and overcome those deficits can be important for all aspects of life.
The role WM plays throughout life shouldn’t be discounted. This ability is paramount for being able to compute the simplest mathematical problems. It’s also essential for understanding what we read. Also, those with strained working memory have difficulty remembering instructions and maintaining attention.
These non-pharmacological computer-based exercises has helped many children, teenagers and adults with wm issues decrease their distraction and inattention symptoms. Adults have also found they’ve gained a stronger ability to finish tasks. Eight out of ten participants showed significant improvement. Also, this training has been helpful for those who have had a stroke and those who have experienced traumatic brain injury.
Before it was thought that once a child reaches a certain age the brain stays the same. However, more recent research has shown that the brain can change, is teachable and can be enhanced until late adulthood. This ability for the brain to change is called Neuroplasticity. Cogmed is based on the principles of Neuroplasticity.
These brain exercises were developed by a team of neuroscientists at the Karolinska institute in Stockholm, Sweden. The program has been used with great success throughout the United States and Canada since 2006. Cogmed became a part of the clinical assessment group of Pearson, a leading educational company in 2010.
The well-researched program works by using games that raise their level of difficulty as users exercise their minds and become better at performing tasks. The scalable difficulty level adds challenge to the program and helps make sure players don’t get bored. Also, it`s convenient since it can be done using one's own computer in the home.
The adult version is called Cogmed QM for adults. There’s also a RM version for school age children 7 and above, and a JM version for preschoolers 4-7.
What’s Involved?
Getting started with Cogmed is easy. All that’s involved is a brief introductory interview and a startup session. After that, all you need to do is play a certain number of online brain games every day, which takes about 30-40 minutes or 25 minutes for preschoolers. This is done for 5 days a week, for 5 weeks.
You get weekly phone coaching support and encouragement as part of your participation in this program. Your ADHD coach will lead the process and track progress. On the training website, you can find how much progress you are making. Adults and families are even able to choose their own schedules in conjunction with the ADD coach.
The process ends with wrap-up sessions, a six-month follow up session and extension training, if it’s desired.
If you are interested in finding out more about this fun and exciting program, then please contact Ron Mitchell, certified Cogmed coach at 585-473-0624. You can also use the form below.
Ask for your free consultation so you can find out whether you or your child would make a good candidate for this fun and helpful program.
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