OBJECTIVETo study the clinical effect of development theory based acupuncture on early cerebral palsy (CP) infants with parafunctional sitting position.

METHODSTotally 120 early CP infants were randomly assigned to two groups equally, the treatment group and the control group. All received acupuncture combined with training rehabilitation. Patients in the treatment group adopted acupuncture based on infants development theory, while those in the control group were treated by head acupuncture. Sitting functional points in Gross motor function measure (GMFM) 88 were observed in different groups and infant patients of various types before and after treatment. Root mean square (RMS) signals of sitting correlated muscles (latissimus dorsi, erector spinae, rectus abdominis) were recorded by surface electromyography (sEMG). The effective rate was evaluated by Nimodipine method.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment, sitting functional points were significantly improved in the two groups (P<0.01). After treatment, it was higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.01). The advance amplitude was higher in CP infants of the spastic type and the hypotonic type than other types (P<0.01). Along with sitting process, latissimus dorsi RMS signals were gradually tapered, erector spinae RMS signals were gradually enhanced, and rectus abdominis RMS signals were slightly weakened. Compared with the control group, latissimus dorsi RMS signals obviously decreased, and erector spinae RMS signals obviously increased in the treatment group after treatment (all P<0.01). The total effective rate was higher in the treatment group than in the control group (89.29% vs. 77.78%, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONInfants development theory based acupuncture could effectively elevate dorsi-extensor muscles force, improve sitting position of 8 months to 1 year old CP infants with parafunctional sitting position.