OBJECTIVETo assess the impacts on tiptoe deformity and intelligent development in spasmodic cerebral palsy treated with acupuncture at Naoqing Xue (Extra).

METHODSOne hundred and forty-six children with spasmodic cerebral palsy were randomized into a Naoqing Xue group (74 cases) and a control group (72 cases). On the basic treatment (scalp acupuncture, sport therapy), in the Naoqing Xue group, acupuncture at Naoqing Xue (Extra) was applied. In the control group, acupuncture was given at Jiexi (ST 41), Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). In the two groups, acupuncture was given once every two days, 10 treatments made one session, at the interval of 15 days between two sessions. Three sessions of treatment were given continuously. Before treatment and after 3 sessions of treatment, the angle measurement of ankle passive dorsiflexion, comprehensive spasm scale (CSS) and Gesell intelligence test were adopted for the rehabilitation assessment. Additionally, 30 min after the end of the first acupuncture treatment, the angle measurement of ankle passive dorsiflexion and CSS were applied to assess the immediate effect of the therapeutic methods of the two groups.

RESULTSThe immediate effect of the angle measurement of ankle passive dorsiflexion and CSS as well as the effect after 3 sessions of treatment in the Naoqing Xue group were all superior to those in the control group (all P < 0.05). In 3 sessions of treatment, the development quotients of social adaptive behavior and personal social activation function in Gesell intelligence test in the Naoqing Xue group were all higher than those in the control group (all P < 0.05). The development quotients of major movement, fine motion and language were not different significantly as compared with those in the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Naoqing Xue (Extra) relieves tiptoe deformity and promotes intelligent development for the children with spasmodic cerebral palsy.