Millions of American children have attention deficit disorders. Now, a Chicago area company claims its software may help kids regain some control over their wandering minds.
Peter Schemper knew from an early age he was different from other kids.
"I saw other kids that were just like sitting down and just like sitting up straight and they're like standing still and I was like tapping' around," Schemper said.
A diagnosis of ADHD brought answers. For Peter, a solution came in the form of "Stan the Robot."
"It challenges you a lot," Schemper said.
A Naperville, Illinois based company developed the software, called Cogmed.
"It looks like a game, it feels like a game," said Cogmed CEO, Jonas Jendi. "It's fun to do."
Its goal: to train a specific area in your brain known as "working memory" or short-term memory.
Exercises require repetitive concentration, like copying a series of blinking lights.
Peter played the game 30 minutes a day for five weeks.
"Once I got further in, it got harder and more tedious," Schemper said.
"I saw Peter really having to work hard in order to do it," said Schemper's mom, Sue. "I saw the program being very responsive to how he did."
An on-line coach watched Peter's progress daily.
"I knew that someone was watching the results and would call me and be like were you not trying that day?" Schemper said.
Cogmed doesn't claim to be a replacement for medications like Ritalin, but they say the exercises do make a difference.
"It's about I can read, now I can follow instructions, now I can play games with my friends, now I have friends," Jendi said. "These are fundamental life changes."
Parents are encouraged to sit with kids as they go through the program.
Experts say that positive interaction can be very beneficial for children with ADHD.
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