Many of us are able to begin and end tasks without much thought. We may even think we are great multitaskers because we can juggle multiple tasks quickly. Some of us may be able to multitask while doing homework, eating a snack and listening music, or even texting a friend.
But if your child is living with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), maintaining that level of attention across multiple tasks can be difficult. As they try to switch from one task to the next, some important tasks may be left unfinished. What’s the result? The result? A pile of unfinished assignments, spoiled foods, dirty dishes, and unanswered texts.
Why are doctors looking at a new game called EndeavorRxTM as a treatment for children with ADHD? Video games are they not time-consuming, and just another distraction, like all other media?
Video games are often given a bad reputation. You may be concerned that too many screen times could harm your child’s emotional and mental health. While it is true that too much time spent on screens can be harmful to anyone, EndeavorRx has been designed for children with ADHD. It’s designed to help them focus on a specific task without getting distracted.
Michael Manos PhD explains the EndeavorRx system and how video games can be helpful for children with ADHD if they are used in accordance with the guidelines.
What is EndeavorRx?
EndeavorRx, a video game available only on prescription, is designed to improve the attention function of children aged 8 to 12. EndeavorRx, although not intended to replace ADHD treatments like medication and behavioral therapy or other forms of treatment, is the first non-drug video game approved by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating symptoms associated with ADHD. Inattentiveness and hyperactivity are among the symptoms of ADHD. These can interfere with a child’s development and functioning.
“ADHD, according to some, is a lack of executive functions,” Dr. Manos says. “Executive function is considered to be a brain behavior. Executive functions include, for instance, the ability to differentiate between letters B and D. Executive functions include the ability to plan, to begin a task and to resist it.
There are two kinds of attention that can be paid to the executive function:
- Automatic Attention happens when we pay attention towards things we like, desire and know. Your child might feel the urge to go outside on a sunny afternoon because it is a natural and easy activity.
- Directed Attention or effortful Attention requires that your child be deliberate with their focus. If it’s sunny outside but your child has homework or an important assignment to complete, then they will have to focus on the task they do not want to do. To finish the task, they need to exercise executive control.
Dr. Manos notes that people with ADHD have trouble focusing their attention. “EndeavorRx improves someone’s focus, and their ability to distinguish between two things using visual contrast.”
EndeavorRx: How it works
EndeavorRx can be used as a behavioral therapy. You can help your child learn new behaviors and improve their focus and attention by creating a schedule and a treatment time.
EndeavorRx can be used by children aged 8-12 years. A prescription is required from your doctor or pediatrician. Download EndeavorRx on a compatible Android or iPhone device once you have the prescription. You can create a profile in the app using your prescription data.
You can still download the demo if you do not have a prescription. The demo is a simple tutorial that gives you a feel for the treatment. The demo does not offer the complete experience, and it is not designed to replace the full experience.
EndeavorRx claims that “sensory stimuli and motor challenge target areas of brain that play a critical role in attention function.” What does this look like in reality?
EndeavorRx reminds me a little of Mario Kart. As your child explores different worlds, they take on the role of an astronaut piloting a ship. The screen is tilted in the direction the child wants the ship to move. While exploring, players must tap the right-hand side of the screen in order to collect all the targets they see.
Dr. Manos explains that it helps with hand-eye co-ordination and the ability of separating one thing from another. You have a moving figure and obstacles come along the path. Click on some to earn points, and avoid others to keep your points.
Your child will see a variety of targets, all of which are different sizes and shapes, at the start of each mission. They’ll only be allowed to collect one type. While driving, your child will need to tap on the screen as specific targets appear to collect them.
The game is not winnable. You can unlock new outfits, worlds, and rewards by completing missions. EndeavorRx adjusts the difficulty of gameplay based on your child’s performance. If they are really skilled, then levels will get harder and harder. If they aren’t so good, it’s okay. The game will adapt.
Why play a game that you cannot win? The point of the game is not to Win but to train the brain over time to become more focused and to learn new behaviors that will help your child focus on the task at hand.
The standard treatment involves your child playing the game for at least 25 minutes per day, five times a week. The daily treatment is made up of 6 to 8 missions depending on your child’s play style. It is also designed according to the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines on screen time. Each daily treatment is designed to last 25 minutes, without interruption, so that playtime can be limited to brain training.
When your child has completed all the daily missions or runs out of fuel in-game to continue, they will know they are done. Display reminders will appear if they haven’t been engaged with the treatment. You can also download the EndeavorRx app to track your child’s progress, engagement level and improvement.
There have been several clinical trials involving over 600 children with ADHD, which show that EndeavorRx improves attention function. In one study, improved attentional function was seen after EndeavorRx use for four weeks. Another study found that using EndeavorRx along with medication treatment significantly improved ADHD-related impairments over two four-week periods.
Video games: pros and cons
Understanding the ADHD diagnosis of your child is not easy. Treatment aims to improve your child’s ability to manage the condition.
Your child with ADHD may need to implement organizational systems to stay on track (think of calendar reminders or alerts). You’ll need to help them recognize and understand their restlessness, inattentiveness, or hyperfocused and how or why these behaviors can disrupt their daily lives. While EndeavorRx is delivered as a videogame, it can help to instill these behavioral patterns, in small ways, in conjunction with other treatment.
What about other videogames? The benefits of video games on the brain have been studied in depth, and they include:
- Increase brain matter
- Provide rewarding and stimulating activities.
- Improve focus, hand-eye co-ordination and attention to auditory and visual cues.
- Helping to shift sets or quickly switching from one job to another.
Dr. Manos says that parents can get positive results by interacting with their children while playing video games. They can do this by watching, talking or playing the game together. This can be an enjoyable experience for both parents and children by making the game interactive.
EndeavorRx is no different. Your child will become more comfortable and confident with the concept of focusing on the task at hand by checking in regularly with you and your child throughout the treatment.
Dr. Manos says that when you are watching a game on a computer, you have to be attentive to everything in your field of vision and respond to it. Video games can improve executive functions such as the ability to distinguish between two things.
