Acupuncture in Children with Symptoms of Hyperactivity, Impulsivity and/or Inattention

The diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at increasingly early ages has led to an increased use of medications, despite the potential for undesirable side effects. At the same time, there is growing interest among the public in integrative and complementary practices, such as acupuncture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in managing symptoms of agitation, impulsivity, and inattention in seven children aged three to six years who were identified with these symptoms, following evaluation using the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Scale, version IV (SNAP-IV). The instruments used for data collection included the SNAP-IV questionnaire, the Ryodoraku device, anamnesis with the parents, playtime observations, and interviews with the children's teachers. For the acupuncture sessions, non-invasive and painless silicon tablets were used to stimulate the selected points. Subsequently, ten acupuncture sessions were performed with each child. The participants were assessed using the aforementioned instruments before and after the acupuncture sessions to identify changes in energetic levels and in the acupuncture channels evaluated. At the end of the treatment, all participants were reassessed by their parents and teachers. The results indicated an improvement in the symptoms assessed, both in terms of the indicators evaluated during the acupuncture sessions and in the perceptions of parents and teachers. Although the sample size is limited, the study highlights the potential for using alternative techniques to manage ADHD symptoms, and further research with a larger number of participants may help validate the approach discussed here. Keywords: children; acupuncture; inattention; hyperactivity, impulsivity.