Objectives. We aimed to summarize and critically evaluate the available evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods. We searched 13 databases for studies published up to December 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture for children with ASD were included. Outcome measures were the overall scores on scales evaluating the core symptoms of ASD and the scores for each symptom, such as social communication ability and skills, stereotypies, language ability, and cognitive function. Effect sizes were presented as mean differences (MD). Results. Twenty‐seven RCTs with 1736 participants were included. Acupuncture complementary to behavioral and educational intervention significantly decreased the overall scores on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) (MD −8.10, 95% CI −12.80 to −3.40) and the Autism Behavior Checklist (MD −8.92, 95% CI −11.29 to −6.54); however, it was unclear which of the ASD symptoms improved. Acupuncture as a monotherapy also reduced the overall CARS score. The reported adverse events were acceptable. Conclusions. This review suggests that acupuncture may be effective and safe for pediatric ASD. However, it is not conclusive due to the heterogeneity of the acupuncture treatment methods used in the studies.

Parents often have concerns regarding anorexia in their children and visiting medical institutions for the intervention of it. This study aimed to investigate the clinical practice patterns of Korean medicine doctors (KMDs) for anorexia in children using a web-based survey. A link to the questionnaire was sent via email to all KMDs that were affiliated with the Association of Korean Medicine. The questionnaire covered items on the sociodemographic characteristics and clinical characteristics related to Korean medicine (KM), such as diagnosis, treatment, awareness, safety, and effectiveness. Of 23,910 KMDs, 384 agreed to participate and complete the questionnaire. Anorexia in children was diagnosed mainly by clinical features (36.4%) and the pattern identification (PI) theory of ‘Qi, Blood, Fluid, Humor, and Organ system diagnoses’ (32.8%). The most frequently used PIs was ‘spleen-stomach qi deficiency’ (38.6%), which was followed by ‘spleen failure in transportation’ (23.3%), ‘stomach yin deficiency’ (15.5%), and ‘liver depression’ (14.2%). Herbal medicine (38.1%) was the primary KM treatment for anorexia, and the names of the most frequently prescribed herbal decoctions were Sogunjung-tang (16.5%), Hyangsayukgunja-tang (15.9%), and Bojungikgi-tang (13.9%). This study provides information on the existing clinical practice patterns of KMDs for anorexia in children. Based on this survey, the clinical practice guidelines will be developed.

To alleviate the symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and reduce the side effects of psychostimulants, parents are opting for complementary and alternative medicine as a therapeutic option. Korean medicine (KM) has been used by Korean medicine doctors (KMDs) to treat ADHD with herbal medication and acupuncture. This study aimed to conduct a cross-sectional survey on the clinical practice patterns of KM for ADHD in children targeting KMDs. The questionnaire included aspects related to patient characteristics, diagnosis, treatment modalities, and perceptions regarding KM. Questionnaires were distributed to all KMDs via e-mail, and the online surveys were conducted from 1 to 15 February 2023. A total 2.1% of KMDs (n = 537/25,574) completed the survey. The predominant diagnostic pattern identification employed was “depressed liver qi transforming into fire” (19.8%). Herbal medicine (HM) was the most common treatment (44.2%). The most frequently used HM prescriptions were Ondam-tang (16.9%), Eokgan-san (15.7%), and Sihogayonggolmoryeo-tang (14.4%). KMDs recognized HM as the most effective among the KM treatments (54.3%). The results of this study elucidate the current clinical practice patterns of KM for ADHD. Based on these findings, a treatment protocol can be developed to provide optimized KM treatment services to patients with ADHD.

East Asian Traditional Medicine (EATM) offers various modalities—such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, and manual therapy—for managing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. This scoping review aimed to identify the overall status and characteristics of EATM treatments for children and adolescents with ADHD. Following the Arksey and O'Malley framework, we searched 13 databases in English, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. Articles evaluating the effectiveness and safety of EATM treatments for ADHD in children and adolescents aged < 18 years were included. EATM treatments were categorized into herbal medicine, acupuncture, manual therapy, miscellaneous modalities, and combined treatments. A total of 198 studies were ultimately included in the review. When categorized by treatment method, most studies focused on herbal medicine (n = 104), followed by miscellaneous modalities (n = 41), acupuncture (n = 26), combined treatments (n = 20), and manual therapy (n = 7). Most studies were conducted in China (78.3%) and published in Chinese (74.7%). Among these, 169 were randomised controlled trials, 19 were controlled clinical trials, and 10 were systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses. Among controlled trials, most studies reported positive effects in the experimental group (n = 101, 53.7%); however, > 50% of the studies did not report adverse events (n = 107, 56.9%). This comprehensive review provides an unprecedented overview of diverse EATM treatments for paediatric patients with ADHD, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, manual therapy, and miscellaneous modalities. Further studies should focus on methodological improvements, such as the use of standardised diagnostic criteria and systematic reporting of adverse reactions. This study provides foundational data for future research and clinical practice, including the development of research protocols and treatment guidelines.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/1057539.].