OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of acupuncture based on nourishing spleen and kidney and dre-dging the governor vessel (GV) combined with rehabilitation and simple rehabilitation for children with spastic cere-bral palsy.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty patients were randomly assigned into an observation group and a control group, 60 cases in each one. Physicotherapeutics and hand function training were used in the control group for 3 sessions with 20 d at the interval, 20 times as one session, once a day. Based on the treatment of the control group, acupuncture of nourishing spleen and kidney and dredging GV was applied in the observation group for 3 sessions with 20 d at the interval, 10 times as one session, once every other day. The acupoints were Baihui (GV 20), Fengfu (GV 16), Shenzhu (GV 12), Zhiyang (GV 9), Jinsuo (GV 8), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Mingmen (GV 4), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). Gross motor function measure (GMFM), Peabody developmental fine motor scale and activities of daily living (ADL) scale were observed before and after treatment in the two groups.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the scores of GMFM and Peabody fine motor were apparently improved compared with those before treatment in the two groups (<0.01,<0.05), with better results in the observation group (both<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 76.7% (46/60), which was obviously better than 65.0% (39/60) in the control group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAcupuncture based on nourishing spleen and kidney and dredging the governor vessel, as an assisted method for children with spastic cerebral palsy, can effectively improve gross and fine moter functions and activities of daily living.