The Food and Drug Administration has approved an electrical device for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for children who don't take medication. It's the first of its kind to get government approval.
The Monarch external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTNS) System, is for patients ages 7-12 and is only available by prescription.
The cell phone-sized device sends an electrical pulse to a patch on the child's forehead while they're asleep. The pulse should feel like a tingling sensation and is meant to stimulate parts of the brain connected to ADHD.
It can take up to four weeks for improvement to be seen, and test subjects who used the device showed more improvement than those who used a placebo.
Stephen Hinshaw, a professor of psychology at University of California, Berkeley, told CNN the results are promising, but "far more research is needed to demonstrate ultimate efficacy."
NeuroSigma, the maker of the eTNS, says the device is not currently covered by insurance and costs about $900.
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