Learning disabilities (LDs) are a range of neurologically-based disorders, steming from a root problem with brain function. Around 1 in 10 children are affected by a LD. They are extremely common, in people of all ages, and impact a person’s ability to learn, process information, and perform certain cognitive tasks. The top five most frequent learning disabilities are dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyspraxia. We’ve covered some of these more in-depth separately on this site.
It’s important to note that having a LD is not a reflection of a person’s intelligence. A child or adult with a LD can be highly intelligent and have challenges processing sensory information they see or hear. Their brains just operate differently. How the brain is wired physically and functionally determines how someone processes information and how effectively and systemically the parts of their brain work together to coordinate learning.
Neurofeedback brain training is a superior option for improving learning disorders because it teaches the brain better operation, including optimizing brain wave amplitudes, enhancing connectivity between different parts of the brain, and adjusting the level of activity and responsiveness of specific brain regions. An initial qEEG brain map shows exactly where the brain is not functioning optimally, and our Grey Matters brain advocates customize a training plan specifically to address the problems affecting that individual’s brain.
Learning disabilities are very treatable with early intervention. Because the brain is very changeable, or neuroplastic, in childhood, the brain can be taught new ways to function which reduce or alleviate learning challenges. Even older brains can show great improvement. In one study using neurofeedback on people with LDs, researchers determined:
“We found improved academic performance and self-concept in children with LDs who received NFB treatment. This study is an important exploratory step in studying a relevant treatment that seems to ameliorate symptoms of LDs such as anxiety and low self-concept.”¹
In other research, scientists checked in with people who had had undergone neurofeedback training two years earlier for LDs, and the study concluded:
“In a control paired group, treated with placebo, behavioral changes were not observed and the smaller maturational EEG changes observed were easily explained by increased age. Two years later, the EEG maturational lag in Control Group children increased, reaching abnormally high theta Relative Power values; the absence of positive behavioral changes continued and the neurological diagnosis remained LD. In contrast, after two years EEG maturation did continue in children who belonged to the Experimental Group with previous neurofeedback training; this was accompanied by positive behavioral changes, which were reflected in remission of LD symptoms.” ²
Frequently Asked Questions
About Learning Disabilities
We’ve gathered a list of commonly asked questions about Learning Disabilities, for your convenience. If you don’t see the information you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Simply click on the question that interests you to navigate directly to the relevant section.
Neurofeedback does not teach reading, writing, or math — a qualified educational therapist or tutor does that. What neurofeedback can do is improve the underlying brain regulation that makes learning possible in the first place: attention, working memory, processing speed, and emotional regulation around frustration. When those improve, the skill-building work that is already happening tends to accelerate.
My child struggles in school but does not have an official diagnosis — can neurofeedback still help?
Yes. Many of the kids we see have never had a formal diagnosis but are clearly struggling — slow to start work, easily frustrated, reading below grade level, losing focus quickly. The qEEG brain map often reveals exactly what is going on. We train accordingly, and the academic side usually follows.
Tutoring teaches specific academic content and strategies — the ‘what’ of learning. Neurofeedback trains the brain’s capacity to learn — the ‘how.’ Many of our families continue tutoring or specialized learning programs while doing neurofeedback, and they commonly report their child is absorbing the work faster.
Most children do well with 20 to 40 sessions. We recommend a reassessment brain map partway through so you can see the actual changes and decide together about next steps. We would rather tell you we are done than sell sessions that are no longer needed.
Usually yes — and often teachers notice before parents do. The most common feedback is that the child is more focused, less frustrated, completes work more independently, and participates more in class. Parents often describe homework time as ‘dramatically less painful’ partway through the training.
Processing speed is one of the areas where we frequently see measurable change. The brain maps often show patterns consistent with slow processing — excess slow-wave activity in key regions — and training toward faster, more efficient patterns can translate into real-world speed improvements.
No diagnosis is required. We work from the brain map and from what you and your child tell us about daily life. That said, if you suspect a learning disability, a formal evaluation with a psychologist can be useful for school accommodations and for understanding the full picture.
Grey’s Plan — The Most Complete
Brain Training We Offer
If you want the most comprehensive, all-inclusive, guided solution for focus, behavior, and overall brain health—for your child or yourself, Grey’s Plan gives you everything needed to make the next 4 months the turning point.
Neurofeedback alone is powerful.
But when you combine brain training with gut testing, clinical oversight, and unlimited support, results come faster, smoother, and last longer.
Sources:
1. Martínez-Briones BJ, Flores-Gallegos R, Cárdenas SY, Barrera-Díaz BE, Fernández T, Silva-Pereyra J. Effects of neurofeedback on the self-concept of children with learning disorders. Front Psychol. 2023 May 15;14:1167961. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1167961. PMID: 37255511; PMCID: PMC10225657.
2. Becerra J, Fernández T, Harmony T, Caballero MI, García F, Fernández-Bouzas A, Santiago-Rodríguez E, Prado-Alcalá RA. Follow-up study of learning-disabled children treated with neurofeedback or placebo. Clin EEG Neurosci. 2006 Jul;37(3):198-203. doi: 10.1177/155005940603700307. PMID: 16929704.