ADHD treatment for when medication isn’t the whole answer
Stimulants help many people with ADHD, and they aren’t right for everyone. We use a qEEG to look at the brain’s attention networks directly, then build a non-drug plan around what we find.
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When medication isn’t the whole answer
Stimulant medication helps a lot of people with ADHD. It also wears off, can blunt appetite and sleep, and doesn’t suit everyone. Some families want to try a non-drug option first. Others are looking for something to add to what’s already helping.
We offer a brain-based route: measure the attention networks directly, then build a plan around what the measurement shows.
Not all attention problems are the same
ADHD is diagnosed from history and behavior, not from a brain scan, and a qEEG doesn’t change that. What it can do is show which kind of picture we’re dealing with.
Some maps show excess slow theta activity over the frontal lobes. Others show the opposite: a brain running fast and anxious, where poor focus comes from overload. In autistic children, attention difficulties may have a different source again. Each picture points to a different plan.
One EEG measure, the ratio of theta to beta activity, was cleared by the FDA in 2013 as an aid to ADHD assessment, though specialists disagree about how useful it is by itself. We treat the map as one input alongside a careful history.
How TMS is used
Research on TMS for ADHD has concentrated on the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s control center for attention and impulse control. You, or your child, sit awake in a chair while a coil delivers brief magnetic pulses through the scalp. Sessions are short and need no medication or sedation.
What the research says
This is an emerging area, and the trials don’t all agree. A 2024 analysis of six sham-controlled trials found no overall advantage for TMS, with a signal of improvement, mainly in inattention, when the right prefrontal cortex was targeted.1 A 2025 analysis of eight trials did find improvements in both inattention and hyperactivity.2
The studies are small and use different methods. Our honest summary: promising, not proven, and not FDA-cleared. We re-map and review progress with you partway through, and if nothing is changing we’ll say so.
A plan, not only a protocol
Attention improves fastest when sleep, routines and skills are addressed together. Psychotherapy at our clinic can help with organization, emotional regulation and the frustration that builds up around ADHD. School accommodations and medication decisions stay with your school team and prescriber, and we’re glad to coordinate with both.
Side effects and safety
TMS has been used in clinics since 2008. The common side effects are mild: scalp discomfort where the coil rests, a headache, or tiredness after a session. They usually ease within the first week or two.
Seizures are rare. TMS isn’t suitable for people with metal or an implanted device in or near the head, such as an aneurysm clip or a cochlear implant. Dental fillings and braces are fine. We review your full history before recommending treatment.
Sources
- Chen CM, Liang SC, Sun CK, Cheng YS, Hung KC. A meta-analysis of randomized sham-controlled trials of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry. 2024;46.
- Fu B, et al. Efficacy and safety of transcranial magnetic stimulation for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain and Behavior. 2025.
Last updated October 2026.
Questions about ADHD treatment
Is TMS FDA-approved for ADHD?
No. TMS for ADHD is an off-label use, and the research is still early. We explain what that means for you or your child before you decide anything.
Can a qEEG diagnose ADHD?
No. ADHD is a clinical diagnosis based on history and behavior. A qEEG shows patterns of brain activity that help us plan care and measure change. It doesn’t confirm or rule out ADHD.
Can my child stay on medication?
Yes. Medication decisions stay with your prescriber. Please don’t stop or change a medication without them.
Is this neurofeedback?
No. Neurofeedback trains a person to shift their own brainwaves through practice. TMS stimulates the brain directly with magnetic pulses. Both can be planned from a qEEG.
How will we know whether it’s working?
We collect your observations every week and repeat the brain map partway through the plan. You see the before and after side by side. If there’s no meaningful change, we’ll tell you and talk about what to do next.
ADHD care for Chicago and the suburbs
Our one clinic is in Lombard, a short drive from most of DuPage County and reachable from Chicago and the south suburbs by I-88, I-355 and I-294.
Call our office
We’ll answer your questions, check your insurance benefits and help you decide whether a brain map is the right next step. Our team answers the phone during clinic hours.
Prefer to write? Request a consultation or verify your insurance.