During pregnancy, there is an absolute ban on alcohol and nicotine!
During pregnancy, permanent medication must be reviewed due topossible effect on the development of the disease in the unborn child.
Avoidance of psychosocial stress:
Social stresses on the child such as neglect – give the child more positive attention, physical closeness and attention.
Conventional non-surgical therapy methods
External transcutaneous nerve stimulation (eTNS) of a supraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve (fifth cranial nerve) – electrical stimulation is delivered nightly; a randomized trial demonstrated attenuation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. The device has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for children ages 7 to 12 who are not taking prescription medications.
Nutritional Medicine
Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
Daily total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits).
Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
Sports interventions seem to have a positive effect on cognitive functions such as attention and executive functions, which often affect ADHD patients.
For detailed information on sports medicine, please contact us.
Psychotherapy
The most effective methods of psychotherapy used for ADHD are direct behavioral interventions (behavior therapy, VT) with the child and parent training. For other psychotherapeutic approaches, see “ADHD in Adulthood” below.
ADHD in adulthood: psychosocial interventions (here as step therapy).
Psychoeducation (= basis of further interventions) is an essential part of the therapy of ADHD. It deals with educating the affected person and his or her guardians about the disorder and its possible courses. Furthermore, psychoeducation helps with difficult parenting issues with regard to the diagnosis and gives the child further assistance.
Cognitive behavioral procedures: this includes cognitive behavioral therapy, KVT); focus of treatment is the processing of dysfunctional thought patterns and behaviors.
Dialectical-behavioral procedures: Form of psychotherapy for the treatment of patients who are prone to self-harm or other-harm. The dialectic is to be reflected in the balance between validation and change.
Metacognitive training: approach to the treatment of so-called positive schizophrenia symptoms, especially delusions; based on the theoretical foundations of behavioral therapy of schizophrenia, but focuses in particular on problematic thinking styles or thinking distortions,
Mindfulness training: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): has its roots in Buddhist teachings; program to manage stress by directing attention specifically and by developing, practicing and stabilizing extended mindfulness.The own attention willingly and consciously to focus on the present moment, to open up to life and to meet with an accepting attitude, improves main symptoms, neuropsychological function and at the same time also comorbidities (concomitant diseases).
Coaching: counseling in which no direct proposals for solutions are provided by the coach, but the development of own solutions is accompanied. The process helps adults to identify their own strengths.
Cognitive training (brain performance training) to correct functional neuropsychological deficits of ADHD patients.
Neurofeedback therapy (data situation is currently still very heterogeneous).
Drug treatment with methylphenidate is superior to psychological group therapy in adults. Likewise, it has been demonstrated that the effect of medication could not be improved even by additional group psychotherapy.
Neurofeedback: this is designed to teach the control of abnormal brain activity patterns via operant conditioning methods (also called learning from success); when using an EEG neurofeedback, this involves training (amplifying) predominantly frequency band amplitudes that are considered beneficial – procedure is a non-invasive training method designed to enable patients to regulate and optimize their own brain activity.
Effects of standardized neurofeedback intervention appear to be durable; follow-up analyses have demonstrated stable improvements even several months after training. Note: Behavioral group training (see “Psychotherapy” below) was as effective as neurofeedback therapy for ADHD – however, placebo treatment was also as effective.
