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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There are so many diverse autism therapies to choose from that one must carefully identify the needs of the child before choosing which one, or set of therapies, are best. Unfortunately there are also many ideas out there from overwrought parents and well meaning but unqualified therapists that some of the options available are either not safe or not proven to benefit the autistic child.
The feeling amongst educators of autistic children is that early intervention programs must focus on behavioral and cognitive abilities that are disrupted by having autism. Special needs education programs that can focus on these areas of need, with an early start, can assist autistic children to learn, maybe even be taught to speak. As adults their education must continue, but now some researchers are talking about using antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs to assist with the daily living of these adults. Others feel that these drugs as therapy for autism will do no good and may cause harm.
Studies have shown that using computers to teach autistic children has made many breakthroughs. Computers allow the child to learn without having to be forced into social situations. The computers stimulate the child without overloading them. They have no need to attempt conversation while comfortably learning at the computer. They can control their situations and this is very pleasing to them and makes learning easier for the autistic child.
For children who are severely affected with autism Multisensory Stimulation has had some positive results. They allow gentle stimulation by use of soothing colors, gentle sounds, music and scents. This is all done in a controlled setting so that the child does not suffer an overload. This therapy for autism is more popular in Europe, especially in Germany.
A still experimental therapy is Neurofeedback. In this there are electrodes put on the child’s scalp. This is to help the autistic child learn to control their brainwaves. A recent pilot study involved eight children. After ten weeks of his treatment five of the children improved when asked to perform tasks that included imitation. This was considered highly successful.
Other children are put into therapies that include restrictive diets or a program to purge the body of toxins. These are referred to as biomedical interventions and are more experimental in nature. Many researchers believe that these are risky therapies and worry that they are tried by desperate parents who may involve their child in something that has not yet been proven to truly have any benefits.
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.