Traditional medicine methods treat autism in HCM City

Parents of autistic children in Ho Chi Minh City now have another option to save their children from autism: traditional medicine.
Traditional medicine methods treat autism in HCM City ảnh 1Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Parents of autistic children in Ho Chi Minh City nowhave another option to save their children from autism: traditional medicine.

TheHCM City-based Hospital for Traditional Medicine started to apply thetechniques early this month after being transferred from the National Hospitalof Acupuncture. The methods include acupuncture, aqua-acupuncture andelectro-acupuncture, the Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon)newspaper reported.

Previously,the National Hospital of Acupuncture, based in Hanoi, has applied the methodsfor 1,500 autistic children since 2012. Results showed 60 percent of thechildren could re-integrate into the community and 20 percent of the childrencould attend mainstream schools.

HoThi Thu Hien, of HCM City’s Thu Duc district, said she spent three years takingher daughter to many hospitals and health centres with the hope of treating herchild’s autism, but failed.

“Mydaughter’s autistic symptoms seem to be worse than before,” she said.

Recently,when Hien heard about the news, she thought she had a new hope and took herdaughter to the HCM City’s Hospital for Traditional Medicine.

LikeHien, Bui Duy Linh, of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, recently brought hisson to the hospital for treatment.

Linhsaid he found his son having autistic symptoms nearly one year ago. In ameeting with a group of parents having children with autism, he heard about thetreatment methods using traditional medicine.

Atthat time, only the National Hospital of Acupuncture provided the methods, sohe still hesitated to take his son to Hanoi due to financial pressure.

Now,the HCM City’s Hospital for Traditional Medicine offers the service. He tookhis son there.

DoctorTruong Thi Ngoc Lan, from the HCM City’s Hospital for Traditional Medicine,said before officially applying the methods, the hospital had sent doctors tostudy in the National Hospital of Acupuncture three years ago.

Thenthe hospital also started treatment for 80 children with autism. The treatmentshowed initial positive results, so the hospital decided to apply the methodsto treat other children, she said.

“Ourdoctors and facilities are now ready,” she said.

Inthe coming time, the hospital plans to petition the Ministry of Health to addautism treatment with traditional-medicine methods to the list of diseases thathealth insurance pays for, she added.

“Itwill help reduce medical costs for parents of autistic children,” she said.

Accordingto Doctor Nguyen Quoc Van, head of the National Hospital of Acupuncture’sAutism Department, autism is like a mental illness.

Whena child’s psychology has a problem, his body can be affected too. The childcould show symptoms of hyperactivity disorder, learning disability and anorexianervosa.

Thus,the traditional-medicine methods, including acupuncture andelectro-acupuncture, will create positive impacts on acupuncture points in thechild’s body, boosting his blood circulation and balancing the energies of Yinand Yang throughout his body.

"Whenthe energies of Yin and Yang in the body of the child were balanced bytraditional-medicine methods, we then correct their behaviours with pedagogicalmethods," Van said.

Accordingto Van, the advantage of using traditional medicine methods to treat autism wasto repel autism without causing any nerve damage to the child.

However,parents were advised to bring their children with autism for treatment beforethe age of 3. It was the best time to take medical intervention to fightautism, he said.

Parentsshould talk with their autistic children every day, patiently teaching themcommunication skills and correcting their behaviours step by step. Parentsshould avoid causing their children any anger, he said.

Autismspectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability. Signs typicallyappear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate andinteract with others. Autism is treatable. Children do not “outgrow” autism,but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantlyimproved outcomes.-VNA
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