The Drake Institute David Velkoff, MD My experience? They are SCOUNDRELS! Irvine, California

I am using this post to apologize, first to Dr. Velkoff, for the language I used. I was angry and my post reflects that fact. I've learned that keeping anger inside leads to depression, and desperately want to avoid sinking into depression again. So instead of keeping it in, I let my anger out, on this website, and that was unfair to Dr. Velkoff and the Drake Institute. I sincerely appreciate Dr. Velkoff reaching out to contact me through this website. As of today (4/23/13) I haven't returned the contact but am thinking about it.

Next I want to apologize to parents at the end of their ADHD rope. Do not let my experience discourage you from trying neurofeedback. The chances of your child being as screwed up as I am/was are slim!

Finally, there is new and promising info about neurofeedback on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurofeedback. It has a summary of research findings that weren't there when I mentioned it in my earlier post. I encourage anyone still reading this and thinking 'what is this guy's problem?' to check the wikipedia link. Here is a summary sentence: "It would appear therefore that more up to date, more extensive, and complete surveys of the field concluded that Neurofeedback for ADD/HD is both an efficacious and specific treatment." That is the kind of conclusion that could someday (soon?) lead to insurance coverage. 

Dear John,

Your blog was brought to my attention recently and it left me perplexed and concerned. Not knowing who you are, I was not able to contact you and discuss your concerns. However, using the limited information you mentioned, I had my office contact Chase Health Advance to find out what a 1099-C was. Chase said that if a client does not pay off their loan to Chase Health Advance then they eventually send out a 1099-C for the portion that wasn't paid off. If you paid for some treatment sessions through a Chase loan that you did not undergo because you discontinued treatment, and made no contact or request for compensation of unused treatment sessions, then you need to contact our office directly so it can be resolved. No one knew of this circumstance.

Please contact me confidentially (949-653-2020) so I can review your file and see what happened. Before a patient is accepted for treatment, he or she is shown an educational video that explains the treatment process and an "Informed Consent" is completed before a patient is evaluated or
treated.

Down's Syndrome patients can have symptoms that are seen in ADHD. Neurofeedback training/treatment improves cognitive functioning in children and adolescents with Down's syndrome, and there is published scientific research in The National Library of Medicine confirming neurofeedback helping patients with mental retardation. It can improve attention span and impulsive behavior. We have helped patients over the years with Down's Syndrome, enabling them to have a better quality of life. There are other clinicians as well who have also helped Down's Syndrome patients, utilizing neurofeedback. I am sorry that we did not have an opportunity to help your daughter. I hope she is well.

Adults with ADHD can have anywhere from mild to extensive abnormalities on a quantitative EEG that we use in our evaluations. If over the course of a treatment program, if ever the patient's symptoms were to worsen, then a referral to a neurologist would be made.  

I would appreciate it if you could call me and let me know how you are currently doing.

Sincerely,
 
David Velkoff,M.D.,M.A.
(949) 653-2020 

This happy mom would happily tell anyone, anywhere that the science behind neurofeedback is solid. It works for almost everyone.

Well, despite Dr. Lauras praise this isnt the case. These folks sell neurofeedback as the holy grail of ADD treatment, and they sell it hard.

I dont mean to criticize neurofeedback or slam Dr. V, just want to encourage anyone considering neurofeedback to do the homework I failed to do.

Especially if you might be, say,
- beyond elementary school
- not keen on paying for a costly treatment regimen not covered by typical medical insurance plans
- potentially dealing with other complicating medical conditions

Here are some links I found after the fact with actual information about neurofeedback, not just advertising.

http://sharpbrains.com/blog/2012/01/17/new-review-of-neurofeedback-treatment-for-adhd-current-state-of-the-science/

http://help4adhd.org/en/treatment/complementary/WWK6A

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurofeedback

The person who wrote this report against Drake admits to having WATER ON THE BRAIN! Their problems were outside the norm and Drake should not be penalized for that. We have a 5 yr old little boy, whose A.D.D. was ruining our lives ( and his) , and now he is totally fine!

Dr. Laura thankfully is always talking about this place and we knew drugs were not an option. We went in skeptical. It is not cheap. But guess what, we did all 32 sessions and our son is a changed person. This is science with testing and proof. It is not quackery as this uninformed person is stating.

I insisted on speaking to several parents who had their kids go thru the program, and once you hear a happy mom tell you it worked and their kid is now FINE, you tend to think you could have the same results. And we did! I would happily tell anyone, anywhere that the science behind neurofeedback is solid. It works for almost everyone.

This negative person had a medical problem! NO wonder their issues had been worsening!

It is a terrible thing to bring any negative focus to this place that can CURE people. They do not even like to use that word, but that is what happened for my child. PLEASE if you have doubts, go meet Dr V!

Just read what I submitted originally. It seems confusing at the end so I want to add this: The reason I listed all the other brain problems I was having besides attention, and my eventual brain surgery in 2011, is because it seems someone with Dr. Velkoff's claimed expertise would realize from my initial brain evaluation that my brain had bigger problems than ADD. Not necessarily that he would have recognized hydrocephalus, but that the patterns would indicate it was much more than just ADD.

If that is not the case it just makes me doubt that much more that there is any value to the brain evaluation conducted at the Drake Inst.

Similarly, it also seems Dr. Velkoff has some obligation under whatever code of professional ethics physicians operate under to advise me that the fancy video game he wanted my daughter also to play hadn't been tested on individuals with Down syndrome.

In my layman's opinion these are both inexcusable omissions. I paid, eventually, for all the services actually provided by the Drake Institute (brain evaluations of me and my daughter and the one or two video game sessions I had). But as for the rest, the only party that could have gained income from the cancellation of the remainder of the line of credit that I had not used is the Drake Institute. This 1099-C is requiring me to pay the Drake Institute's income taxes!