If that headline caught your eye, you’re not alone – the FDA is really saying that, for a specific group of people, playing a certain video game amounts to medical treatment.
I know. Where was this when we were kids, right?
The game, called EndeavorRx, is a simple 3D game in which players move a vehicle around a course, dodging obstacles and targets along the way. It’s designed to improve the attention function of ADHD kids between the ages of 8 and 12.
“The EndeavorRx device offers a non-drug option for improving symptoms associated with ADHD in children, and is an important example of the growing field of digital therapy and digital therapeutics,” explained, Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
The FDA looked at multiple studies that involved around 600 children before approving the game as a treatment. They all found a marked improvement in scores on the Test of Variables of Attention Performance Index for the kids who played the game, and with only minor side effects, like headaches and frustration.
The side effects of traditional ADHD meds are often much worse.
Aliki and the FDA have both warned, though, that the game should not “be used as an alternative to established and recommended treatments for ADHD,” so you’ll want to work with your doctor to possibly combine it with what you already do.
The FDA points out that it could be used in conjunction with “clinician-directed therapy, medication, and/or educational programs.”
So far, the game/treatment has only been offered to a limited number of patients, but the approval from the FDA means a wide distribution is in the works.
There’s a waitlist on their website if you’re interested in learning more.
Make sure to discuss the game with your kid’s doctor(s) before diving in head first, but I’ve gotta say, this sounds very interesting.
And yeah, a lot of older kids and adults with ADHD are going to be very jealous, I think!