Observation on 60 Cases of
Infantile Cerebral Palsy Treated Mainly by Acupuncture (study
obtained from Santa Barbara
College of Oriental Medicine)
This gives the results of a two-year research study in China that treated infantile cerebral palsy with acupuncture. 60 cases of infantile cerebral palsy were treated by scalp acupuncture, temple three needles, body acupuncture and point injection Clinical Data obtained was positive and shows promise.
1. general data
Among the 60 cases, there
are 35 males and 25 females. Ages are from 1 to 12 years old. 35 cases are
congenital cerebral dysgenesis, 5 cases are cerebral birth injury, and 20
cases are due to acquired cerebral diseases. Hemiplegia 10 cases,
bilateral leg paralysis 46 cases, four extremity paralysis 4 cases. 40
cases were combined with oligophrenia, 5 cases with disorder in hearing, 8
cases with hydrocephalus.
2. selection of patients
1. According to history of delivery, cerebral diseases, choose the ones with motor impairment, limbs not moving of themselves, or with low intelligence, speech or hearing disorders.
2. All the cases were diagnosed through cerebral CT scanning and/or skull MRI examination, or cerebral topography or EEG. They were proved to have cerebral agenesis or craniocerebral diseases.
Effect Criteria and
Treatment Results
1. Criteria
Fundamentally cured: Myodynamia of limbs recover above grade 4, symptoms and signs disappear, and patients can stand and walk and be able to take care of themselves. Cranial CT scanning shows the improvement of brain development and the improvement of craniocerebral diseases.
Markedly improved:
Myodynamia of paralyzed limbs recover to grade 4, the patient can take care
of their daily life, symptoms are obviously better, and cranial CT shows
some improvement of brain development and improvement of cerebral diseases.
Improved: Myodynamia of paralyzed limbs recovered but less than grade 4, the
patients can stand but they must take some help to walk, CT shows no change.
No effect: Myodynamia of limbs did not recover, symptoms and signs were not
changed after the treatment, CT shows no change.
2. Treatment results
Among the 60 cases, 10 cases were fundamentally cured, 27 cases were
markedly improved, 14 cases were improved and 9 cases had no effect. The
total effective rate is 85%.
3. The relation between the type of diseases and effect (Table 1)
|
Type of diseaseb |
No. |
Fundament- ally cured |
Markedly improved |
Improved |
No effect |
Total effective rate (%) |
|
Congenital cerebral Angenesis |
35 | 7 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 91.4 |
|
Aquired cerebral Diseases |
20 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 75.0 |
|
Brain injury due to birth |
5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 80.0 |
4. The relation between age
and effect (Table 2)
| Agesb | No. |
Fundament- ally cured |
Markedly improved |
Improved |
No effect |
Total effective rate (%) |
|
1-3 years old |
31 | 7 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 96.7 |
|
4-6 years old |
18 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 77.8 |
|
7-9 years old |
7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 71.0 |
|
10-12 years old |
4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 50.0 |
Acupuncture/ and Cerebral Palsy research
Researchers at the children's hospital, Zhejiang Medical University in China spent over a year researching the effect of acupuncture and acupressure treatment for children suffering from infantile cerebral palsy (ICP).
75 children took part in the study which involved comprehensive meridian therapy including scalp and body acupuncture supplemented with acupressure and massage. The number of treatments each child received ranged from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 120, the exact number being assessed according to the child's needs.
The effect of the treatment was measured by evaluating the children's performance of physical exercise, social adaptability and their intelligence quotient (IQ) both before and after the treatment period. The results revealed " a very positive improvement in the children's physical capability and an increase of their intelligence."
Zhou XJ; Chen T; Chen JT [75 infantile palsy children treated with acupuncture, acupressure and functional training] Chung Kuo Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (CHINA) Apr 1993, 13 (4) p220-2
In another study seventy five children with Cerebral Palsy were treated with a comprehensive meridian therapy including scalp and body acupuncture, acu-point injection and auriculo-point stimulation, supplemented with acu-pressure (shiatsu) and massage, and functional training.
Each child received a minimum of ten treatments in a twenty day period, and a maximum of 120 times within a year. The effect of the treatment was evaluated by analysing the children’s performance of physical exercise and their social adaptability, and the intelligence quotient (IQ) of 30 children who each received 6 courses of treatments was compared prior to and after treatment.
The results showed that the treatment produced a ‘very positive improvement in the children’s physical capability and an increase of their intelligence’.
Zhou XJ; Chen I; Chen JT [75 infantile palsy children treated with acupuncture, acupressure and functional training] Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang Medical University, Hangzhou. Chung Kuo Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (CHINA) Apr 1993, 13 (4) p220-2, 197.
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