How to do Cogmed Working Memory Training

The symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention are most commonly seen in boys and girls. They may not indicate ADHD so much as they are related to a problem with working memory – the ability to retain an item long enough to complete a task. Working memory is a crucial component of learning, and children with faulty working memory often struggle to remember instructions, ignore irrelevant stimuli, and accomplish tasks. It sounds like ADHD. Here’s How to do Cogmed Working Memory Training.

A stimulant drug’s effects are short-lived and tiny, even though they can boost working memory. Working memory dysfunction cannot be adequately addressed by medication, so Swedish researcher Dr Torkel Klingberg developed the Cogmed Working Memory Training Program, a computer program to help children with ADHD rehabilitate their working memory.

Training your working memory at home makes it attractive to many parents. You will need to purchase a program called RoboMemo. Cogmed’s Cogmed coach guides you and your child through RoboMemo and makes adjustments when necessary. You must also be present since an adult must be physically present so that the child can be trained and supervised.

A Cogmed Working Memory Training program lasts for five weeks and proceeds in the following manner:

The interview

A coaching interview is conducted with the parents before implementing the program to learn about the child’s symptoms. By identifying your child’s unique condition, the coach can determine whether the program will benefit your child and what appropriate tasks for your child.

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Getting started

During the installation process, the coach will help and guide you to have a successful installation.

Coaching and training sessions over five weeks

Five sessions are needed over five weeks, lasting 30-45 minutes. You will perform game-like exercises in every session for your child to enhance their working memory capacity to recall patterns, letters, and numbers. The program will provide your child with a coach who will give instructions and feedback at the program’s beginning. Your child’s tasks will become more demanding in the following weeks, but they will be tailored to their progress. You and your child will meet with the coach weekly to discuss the week’s progress. The coach may not attend every session, but they will follow up with you at the end of each week to talk about the results. Upon completing the program, your child will possess a better memory – a better understanding of the organization, improved academic performance and decreased inattention.

Closing session

The coach will send a 5-week report outlining your child’s achievements and where they still need to improve.

Do you know precisely how effective the Cogmed program is for treating ADHD in children? Upon completing a clinical trial, 75-80% of children who participated in the study showed decreased symptomatology. A study conducted by researchers from Karolinska Institute in Sweden noted measurable differences in prefrontal lobe and parietal areas in the brains of students who participated in Cogmed. Following follow-up interviews with the children at six and one year after delivery, the researchers discovered that their working memory had improved or remained the same.

However, even though Cogmed Working Memory Training is a promising treatment for ADHD, its drawbacks are significant. There is no insurance coverage for the entire five-week program, which costs around $1,500 to $2,000. Nonetheless, few financing options are available, and there are lower fees in certain areas.