ADHD rabbit's ear instead of Ritalin

Chinese medicine relies on treatment without medication

07/18/2013

Children with ADHD often do not have it easy. School time means suffering for them, because they lack the stamina and concentration for the required tasks. In addition, the often conspicuous behavior of ADHD children leads to rejection of playmates and thus to social exclusion. However, treatment with Ritalin often does not make it any better: According to studies, long-term intake leads to marked changes in brain metabolism. Chemically, Ritalin is related to caffeine. Therefore, children sometimes suffer from palpitations, appetite problems and sleep worse. Chinese medicine follows its holistic approach in the treatment of ADHD and prefers treatment without medication. Very good results in the treatment of affected children support this consideration.

Dr. Christian Schmincke, TCM expert and head of the Klinik am Steigerwald, sees in the discussion about appropriate treatment a close connection with the question of the causes: „Is ADHD based on a congenital deficiency of the body, which can be cured medically? Or is it rather a product of the changed lifeworld and therefore calls for answers far away from prescribing pills?“ The latter statement corresponds to the perspective of Chinese medicine. It is based on several pillars: drug therapy, acupressure, nutritional science and body therapies such as Tuina, Shiatsu, Qigong and warming applications. In addition, there are talk, play and movement therapy offers, carefully measured learning and attention training, school lessons and parent counseling. Small patients are treated either inpatient - even with parents' support - or on an outpatient basis.

Prerequisite for the treatment according to Chinese principles is a thorough diagnosis. „What is important above all is the question of the infections that have been passed through or not, and the way in which the child has handled and dealt with psychological stress“, commented Schmincke. Each clue provides important data for the therapy, especially for the customized drug prescriptions. One of the aims of the treatment, for example, is to suppress ill effects in childhood by medication and to have them cured. „After that, we keep observing that children do almost the same thing as developmental leaps, that they are more mature and more stable than before the infection.“ From about 300 Chinese medicinal plants, which Dr. med. Schmincke, he selects two to eight ingredients for a recipe. For example, Radix Bupleuri, a Chinese medicinal plant with the German name, also helps „Hasenohr“, to calm chaotic activities. At times, ADHD changes its appearance during treatment: some children, for example, with a behavior that tends to be rather dreamy at first, later develop, for example, the tendency to exaggerated impulsivity - or vice versa. „Course-related changes to the drug formulation address such developments“, concludes Dr. Schmincke. (Pm)