Brainwave entrainment is a method to stimulate the brain into entering a specific state by using a pulsing sound, light, or electromagnetic field. The pulses elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following’ response, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given beat.
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You could give a child with ADHD a prescription drug… or you could give him Mindflex From Mattel. Personally, I’d choose a game over a drug any day.

ADHD is a serious condition that is tough on kids and parents alike. Treatment for ADHD can get pretty expensive. So I think it’s awesome that a simple, very affordable toy is helping kids with ADHD.

Mindflex is a game for one to four players, ages eight and up. The player wears head gear and earlobe clips that allow the game to measure brainwave activity.

These brainwaves, in turn, affect a flow of air on the game board. The flow of air moves little balls along a preset course.

Players can set up different obstacles (that come with the game) on the course. The game keeps track of performance and timing so players can compete against their own best times or against each other.

Kids are fascinated with this game. They love seeing how their thoughts can have an impact on an object. It feels like magic to them, and it makes them feel powerful.

It also slows them down and increases their powers of concentration. Anything that can do this can have a powerfully positive impact on ADHD.

Here’s what Scott Herbst, Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychology, has to say about the kind of mind control Mindflex teaches: “In labs where they do this sort of therapy, children with ADHD have shown serious improvement in functioning. Some kids are able to get off meds altogether.”

Usually, this kind of therapy-biofeedback and other forms of mind focus monitoring, is far too expensive for the average consumer. It’s also intimidating or boring for kids.

But a toy? It’s not only affordable, it’s fun!

Mindflex from Mattel is one of the most cutting edge toys on the market and one that I think is going to help a lot of kids with ADHD.
Brainwave entrainment is a method to stimulate the brain into entering a specific state by using a pulsing sound, light, or electromagnetic field. The pulses elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following’ response, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given beat.

This ‘frequency following’ response of brainwave entrainment can be seen in action with those prone to epilepsy. If a strobe flashes at their seizure frequency, the brain will ‘entrain’ to the flashing light, resulting in a seizure.

On the positive side, this same mechanism is commonly used to induce many brainwave states; such as a trance, enhanced focus, relaxation, meditation or sleep induction. The brainwave entrainment effectively pushes the entire brain into a certain state.

Brainwave entrainment works for almost everyone. It is a great way to lead your mind into states that you might usually have difficulty reaching, allowing you to experience what those states feel like.

THE HYPE
There is a lot of marketing hype around brainwave entrainment. It is sold with promises of increasing IQ, promoting weight loss, ‘mind-tripping’, enhancing creativity, concentration, inducing spiritual states and more.

While these claims are not entirely true, they are not altogether false either. In practice, the claims are based on an overly-simplistic view of how the brain and the brainwaves function.
THE RUB
People are very seldom deficient in a certain brainwave type in all areas of their brain. Usually the distribution is much spottier, with an excess in one area and a deficiency in another.

We are all different, especially when it comes to the distribution of our brainwaves. Boosting a certain brainwave state may be beneficial for one person, and emotionally uncomfortable for another. Without knowing each person’s starting position, entrainment can be rather ‘hit and miss’.

If brainwave entrainment leaves you with unwanted side-effects (see below) or discomfort, you’re probably encouraging a range of brainwaves that are already excessive in some area of your brain. The way around this is to get a brain map to see what your brain’s strengths and weaknesses are, and see what (if any) brainwaves could use some encouragement.