Changes in SmartDream users, measured by K-ARS.
Dr. Sid Ryu tracked K-ARS (Korean ADHD Rating Scales) scores of 41 children and adolescents (ages 5–18) using SmartDream in his clinic, weekly over six weeks. This is a single-clinician open-trial observational report, not a randomized controlled trial.
−2.37
Mean K-ARS score change (overall)
N = 38 · 6-week follow-up
80%
Positive-response rate
Parent interviews 33 of 41
3.2 wk
Mean weeks to first change
51% within 2 weeks · 73% within 4 weeks
39%
Dose reduction in ADHD-medication group
N = 26 · attention maintained without side effects
Study overview.
Publication date, subjects, observation window, and measurement tool at a glance.
- Published
- 2023-07-09 · Sid Ryu, Pediatric Psychiatrist
- Study type
- Open trial (single-clinician observational study)
- Measurement tool
- K-ARS (Korean ADHD Rating Scales) — Kim Young-shin et al., Hallym/Yonsei
- Recruited / Analyzed
- 54 recruited / 41 analyzed
- Observation window
- Weekly over 6 weeks (long-term 9-week subset, N=12, analyzed separately)
- Subjects (mean)
- Age 11.8 (range 5~18) · Mean IQ 105.6 · 63% on medication
K-ARS score change over 6 weeks.
Mean change from baseline (week 0) to final measurement. As the group narrows (age ≤ 13 with stronger symptoms, refractory cases excluded), the change widens.
Group · N = 38
All subjects
17.9515.58-2.37Users with decreased scores: 25 (66%)
Group · N = 30
Age ≤ 13
18.6116.36-2.27Users with decreased scores: 17 (57%)
Group · N = 21
Age ≤ 13, K-ARS > 13
23.8620.70-3.10Users with decreased scores: 14 (67%)
- Best
Group · N = 14
Age ≤ 13, K-ARS > 13, excluding refractory
21.7117.43-3.80Users with decreased scores: 11 (79%)
※ K-ARS is a parent-report ADHD rating scale. Lower scores indicate fewer inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity symptoms. The general-population mean is around 10; the ADHD clinical-population mean is around 30 (Kim Young-shin et al., K-ARS norming study).
Weekly K-ARS score trend.
K-ARS measured weekly across six weeks. Lower scores indicate fewer inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity symptoms.
K-ARS total score (overall N=38)
Range: 15.42 ~ 17.95
- 17.90wk
- 17.31wk
- 17.22wk
- 16.63wk
- 17.44wk
- 15.45wk
- 15.76wk
Show weekly detail table (total + inattention)+
| Week | K-ARS total | Inattention |
|---|---|---|
| 0wk | 17.95 | 10.75 |
| 1wk | 17.34 | 10.03 |
| 2wk | 17.22 | 10.26 |
| 3wk | 16.62 | 10.21 |
| 4wk | 17.36 | 9.70 |
| 5wk | 15.42 | 9.00 |
| 6wk | 15.67 | 8.70 |
Long-term users (≥9 weeks) · N=8
Week 0 18.25 → Week 9 13.75−4.50
Larger reductions observed than at week 6.
Age ≤ 13, 9-week users · N=6
Week 0 17.83 → Week 9 13.17−4.66
Younger users also showed cumulative changes with longer use.
When and what kinds of changes appeared.
Beyond K-ARS scores, frequencies and timing of positive changes reported in parent interviews.
80%
Positive-response rate (33 of 41)
3.2 weeks
Mean weeks to first response
51%
First response within 2 weeks
73%
First response within 4 weeks
91%
Learning/focus-related responses
74.2%
Academic positive feedback
55%
Two or more responses
Weeks 1~8
Response timing (earliest~latest)
When SmartDream was used alongside ADHD medication, 39% reduced their dose
In the high-dose methylphenidate group, when SmartDream was added and the dose was lowered, attention appeared to be maintained without common side effects such as appetite suppression and lethargy. Among those who kept their dose unchanged, many also reported "better study focus" (additive effect). This points not to a stand-alone effect of SmartDream, but to its potential as an everyday adjunct for children already in medical treatment.
* Any change in medication must be discussed with the prescribing physician. These findings are clinician-observed and are not a basis for dose adjustment.
Changes heard in parent interviews.
Only age, sex, and observation week shown to protect privacy. All quotes are excerpted from Dr. Sid Ryu`s clinical records.
- Boy, 11Week 7
“He stopped skipping letters when reading. For the first time he said, "I can't see the letters without my glasses." Before, he didn't seem to notice he needed them.”
- Girl, 12Week 2
“For the first time she read a text-only book for two hours straight.”
- Boy, 12Week 4
“Won a championship at the UK Mathematical Olympiad.”
- Boy, 13Week 1
“Study focus is much better. Far less irritability while preparing for exams. Concentrates much better than on medication alone.”
- Boy, 15Week 3
“Final-exam scores improved sharply versus the midterm. English up 20 points. Memorization subjects and math up significantly. The student offered to visit the clinician with a gift.”
- Girl, 16Week 3
“(Week 1) The hardest I have ever seen her studying. (Week 3) Today, for the first time in her life, she finished an exam and had already arranged to go see a movie with a friend afterward.”
- Boy, 16Week 6
“Mock-exam math score came out unexpectedly well. Even his usually critical father expressed satisfaction.”
- Girl, 8Week 4
“No more morning irritability the moment she wakes up.”
- Boy, 8Week 6
“He received a note from friends saying, "It's nice that you don't tease lately."”
- Boy, 10Week 7
“Started sleeping in his own bed; began handling his own bathroom hygiene from two weeks ago.”
What this study does not show.
The limits of the study are stated openly. This is not medical-device advertising; it is an honest sharing of primary data.
- Limitation 01This is a single-clinician open-trial observational study, not a randomized controlled trial (RCT).
- Limitation 02Without a control group (non-SmartDream users), some portion of score change may reflect natural progression, treatment-environment changes, or observer effects.
- Limitation 03Subjects were patients of Sid Ryu Pediatric Psychiatry, which may limit generalizability to the broader population.
- Limitation 04K-ARS is a parent-reported scale and cannot fully exclude parental expectation effects (placebo).
- Limitation 05These results do not position SmartDream as an ADHD treatment. ADHD diagnosis and treatment must be discussed with a qualified physician.
Read more.
Use cases that frame this study, real user stories, and information about Dr. Sid Ryu.
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