ADHD physiotherapy instead of psychostimulants?

ADHD: University investigates possibilities of physiotherapy instead of medication

01/06/2012

The Dresden University Hospital wants to find out in a study, how physiotherapy affects hyperactive children. It looks for about 60 children between the ages of seven and seventeen who suffer from attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children should also have motor deficits in addition to the typical symptoms, which include lack of concentration and hyperactivity.

ADHD patients also often suffer from motor problems
Graduate psychologist Sina Wanderer reports: „Many of our patients are not only accustomed to their fidgetiness and lack of concentration, but also have major problems with writing or other fine motor movements such as tying a bow. In addition, these children are often affected by coordination problems, making them difficult to learn in more complex movements such as ball throwing and cycling. They move cramped and are tense. This makes them even more outsiders.“

As there are still no adequate studies on the efficacy of physiotherapy in ADHD patients, this is now being rescheduled in a study by the University Hospital Dresden. According to the clinic, drugs such as Ritalin with the active ingredient methylphenidate would help, but many parents and physicians are skeptical about the use of psychostimulants.

For the first time, the study of the clinic compares the effectiveness of the drug with that of physiotherapy. For this purpose, the children should undergo a physiotherapy program twice a week for a period of two months. The program aims to eliminate cramps and train motor skills. In the evaluation phase, the results will be compared with the progress of children receiving methylphenidate and with the improvements of children whose parents are specially trained to deal with ADHD children.

ADHD - alternative treatment options sought
As the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) announced, more and more children and adolescents take drugs for the treatment of ADHD. From 2006 to 2011, this corresponds to an increase of 32 percent, reports the TK. A successful „litter“ Unfortunately, alternative to Ritalin and Co. is not known yet. Critics of psychostimulants are pushing for proper treatment of ADHD patients rather than just calming them down with medications.

Possible side effects of the drug methylphenidate include symptoms such as headache and abdominal pain, internal arousal, slight increase in heart rate and blood pressure or weight loss. There will also be nausea, cognitive impairment, depressed mood, and triggering and amplification of existing tic´s (non-controllable, recurrent motor contraction of individual muscles or muscle groups) as possible consequences of taking the drug discussed by experts. (Ag)

Read about ADHD:
More and more children are receiving ADHD medication
Trend reversal in ADHD therapy?
ADHD: concentration through noise
ADHD genetically conditioned?
Allergenic foods favor ADHD
Environmental factors hardly investigated in ADHD

Image: Dieter Schütz