OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of Qihuang needle therapy for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children with sleep disorder. METHODS: A total of 60 ASD children with sleep disorder were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with structured education intervention, 60 min each time, once a day, 6 times a week. Qihuang needle therapy was applied at Yintang (GV24⁺), Baihui (GV20) and bilateral Jueyinshu (BL14), Xinshu (BL15) in the observation group, multi-direction needling was delivered and without needle retaining. The treatment was given 2 times a week, each treatment was delivered at interval of 2 days at least. Behavioral intervention was adopted in the control group. Treatment for consecutive 12 weeks was required in both groups. Before and after treatment, the scores of children's sleep habits questionnaire (CSHQ), the autism behavior checklist (ABC), the childhood autism rating scale (CARS), and the childhood autism behavior scale (CABS) were observed in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of CSHQ, ABC, CARS and CABS were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), and the above scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Qihuang needle therapy can effectively treat ASD with sleep disorder, improve the core symptoms of ASD and the sleep quality.
Humans ; Autism Spectrum Disorder/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Sleep Wake Disorders/physiopathology* ; Child, Preschool ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome ; Sleep ; Needles

Objective: To compare the effect of scalp acupuncture and scalp acupuncture plus acupuncture exercise therapy (AET) on walking ability in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: A total of 60 spastic CP children with gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) grades Ⅰ-Ⅲ were divided into a control group and an observation group by the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with the same conventional rehabilitation and scalp acupuncture therapy for CP. The control group received conventional rehabilitation first and then scalp acupuncture. The observation group received AET, which was to receive the conventional rehabilitation and scalp acupuncture simultaneously. Before and after treatment, the clinical efficacy was evaluated by the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) score, scores of dimensions D and E of the gross motor function measure (GMFM) scale, walking speed, and walking distance. Results: During treatment, there were 2 dropouts in the observation group. After 3 courses of treatment, the MAS scores in both the control group and observation group decreased compared with the same group before treatment (P<0.05), and the scores of dimensions D and E of the GMFM, walking speed, and walking distance were increased (P<0.05); the between-group comparison showed that the MAS score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the scores of dimensions D and E of the GMFM, walking speed, and walking distance in the observation group were higher or longer than those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: W ith the same treatments, scalp acupuncture combined with AET is superior to the conventional scalp acupuncture method in reducing lower-limb muscle tone, improving standing balance ability, and walking stability in children with spastic CP.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the effect difference of wave, intensity, time and treatment frequency by orthogonal design so as to explore the optimal parameters of scalp electroacupuncture (EA) for rehabilitation effect on children of cerebral palsy.

METHODSNinety children of cerebral palsy were assigned into 9 groups by orthogonal design, 10 cases in each one. The acupoints were bilateral excitable area, foot motor sensory area, speech two area, speech three area, balance area, and intelligent nine acupoints, including Shenting (GV 24), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), and bilateral Benshen (GB 13) and Touwei (ST 8). EA was applied at bilateral excitable area and speech three area. We designed an orthogonal experiment with four factors and three levels. We studied wave (sparse wave of 2 Hz, density wave of 100 Hz, sparse and density wave of 2 Hz /100 Hz), intensity (1 mA, 2 mA, intensity based on tolerance), time (10 min, 20 min, 30 min), frequency (once a day, once every other day, twice a week). The Gesell developmental scale was used to evaluate the developmental quotient (DQ); and gross motor function measure (GMFM), motor function before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe optimal parameters for DQ and GMFM were 2 Hz/100 Hz, 20 min, once every other day. .

CONCLUSIONThe optimal parameters for cerebral palsy may be 2 Hz/100 Hz, 20 min, once every other day.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy differences of scalp acupuncture on brain injury in premature infants with different months of age.

METHODSAccording to the corrected months of age, 90 cases of premature infants with brain injury were divided into a group A (3 through 6 corrected months of age), a group B (7 through 9 corrected months of age) and group C (10 through 12 corrected months of age), 30 patients in each one. Based on the conventional early intervention, the infants in the group A were treated with scalp acupuncture at , motor area; the infants in the group B were treated with scalp acupuncture at , motor area and foot motor sensory area; the infants in the group C were treated with scalp acupuncture at , motor area, foot motor sensory area and balance area. All the treatment was given once every other day, and totally 30 treatments were given. The Alberta infant motor scale (AIMS), development quotient (DQ) of each function indexes in Gesell developmental scale (GDS) were observed before and after treatment; the clinical efficacy of each group was compared and the correlation between clinical efficacy and months of age was analyzed.

RESULTSCompared before treatment, the total score of AIMS and DQ of each function indexes of GDS were all improved in the three groups after treatment (all <0.01). After treatment, the differences of total score of AIMS and DQ of each function indexes of GDS among the three groups were significant (<0.05, <0.01), and the results in the group A were higher than those in the group B and the group C (<0.05, <0.01). The total effective rate was 96.3% (26/27) in the group A, which was higher than 89.7% (26/29) in the group B and 83.3% (25/30) in the group C. The correlation analysis indicated less months of age was significantly corelated with better efficacy (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONScalp acupuncture has superior improvement on the recovery of brain damage in premature infants, especially for those with 6 months of age or less.

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.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of scalp acupuncture for children with cerebral palsy whose video-electroencephalogram(VEEG) showed epileptiform discharges.

METHODSA total of 184 children with cerebral palsy whose VEEG showed epileptiform discharges or those combined with epilepsy were randomly assigned into a combination group (99 cases) and a rehabilitation group (85 cases). All the cases were treated with the original antiepileptic drugs. The conventional physical training and massage were applied in the rehabilitation group for 3 courses with 20 d at the interval, once a day, 5 times a week and 15 times as one course. Based on the treatment as the rehabilitation group, scalp acupuncture was used in the combination group for 3 courses with 15 d at the interval, once the other day and 10 times as one course. Shenting (GV 24), Benshen (GB 13), Sishencong (EX-HN 1) were selected as the main acupoints, combined with motor zone, foot motor-sensory area, balance zone,and temple-three-needle etc. Clinical onset and VEEG results were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter treatment in the combination group, 27 cases improved; 47 cases had no effect; 25 cases aggravated. While in the rehabilitation group, 11 cases improved; 46 cases had no effect; 28 cases aggravated. There was no statistically significance between the two groups (>0.05). As for the cases with epilepsy onset in the combination group, 8 cases improved; 4 cases had no effect; 4 cases aggravated. In the rehabilitation group, 4 cases had no effect; 7 cases aggravated. The result in the combination group was better than that in the rehabilitation group (<0.05). As for the cases with epileptiform discharges in the combination group, 19 cases improved; 43 cases had no effect; 21 cases aggravated. In the rehabilitation group, 11 cases improved; 42 cases had no effect; 21 cases aggravated. There was no significance between the two groups (>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSScalp acupuncture therapy does not increase the risk of onset or epileptiform discharges in the children with cerebral palsy combined with epilepsy or epileptiform discharges. Scalp acupuncture combined with rehabilitation is better than simple rehabilitation for thosewith cerebral palsy and epilepsy onset.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of Governor Vessel-unblocking and brain-refreshing scalp acupuncture for cerebral palsy (CP) complicated with intellectual disabilities. Methods:A total of 300 CP cases aged between 1 and 5 years were randomly allocated into a treatment group (n=150) and a control group (n=150). Patients in the treatment group were treated with Governor Vessel-unblocking and brain- refreshing scalp acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training, whereas patients in the control group received rehabilitation training alone. The Beijing Gesell developmental (Gesell) scale and gross motor function measure (GMFM) scale were used to assess the motor and intellectual development before and 3 months after the treatment. In addition, the head CT/MRI examination was applied to assess the brain nerve repair before and after the treatment. Results:After the treatment, the total effective rate in the treatment group was 78.0%, versus 42.7% in the control group, showing a statistical significance (P<0.05). As for scores of five subscales in the Gesell scale, there were significant intra-group differences in the treatment group (allP<0.05); and the scores in the treatment group were significantly better than those in the control group (allP<0.05). As for scores of five dimensions in GMFM scale, there were significant intra-group differences in the treatment group (allP<0.05); and the scores in the treatment group were significantly better than those in the control group (allP<0.05). According to the head CT/MRI findings, the total effective rate was 73.3% in the treatment group, versus 62.0% in the control group, showing a statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion:When used in combination with rehabilitative training, Governor Vessel-unblocking and brain-refreshing scalp acupuncture can significantly improve the clinical efficacy for cerebral palsy complicated with intellectual disabilities. It can also improve the patients' motor function, intelligence and language ability.

Objective To discuss the clinical characteristics and efficacy analysis of children with cerebral palsy and neuronal migration disorders (NMD) by retrospective analysis. Methods From June, 2005 to June, 2015, 32 children with cerebral palsy and NMD were en-rolled as NMD group, while 60 children with cerebral palsy with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) as PVL group. Both groups received comprehensive rehabilitation for three months. Their clinical classification, complications of epilepsy or epileptiform discharges, the score of Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), and development quotient (DQ) were compared, as well as the follow-up results of six months. Results There was significant difference in the clinical classification of cerebral palsy between two groups (χ2=24.529, P<0.001). The inci-dence of epilepsy and epileptiform discharges was higher in NMD group than in PVL group (χ2>4.605, P<0.05). After treatment, the score of GMFM improved with time in both groups (Ftime=6.850, P=0.010), and was significantly lower in NMD group than in GMFM group (Fgroup=29.885, P<0.001);the scores of DQ in all the functional areas improved with time in both groups (Ftime>25.041, P<0.001), and were signifi-cantly lower in NMD group than in GMFM group (Fgroup>32.347, P<0.001). Conclusion Children with cerebral palsy and NMD are charac-terized by mental retardation, epilepsy and spastic hemiplegia, and poor outcome.

Objective:To observe the effect of Governor Vessel-unblocking and mind-refreshing needling technique on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in cerebral palsy (CP) children with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and investigate the underlying mechanism.
Methods:A total of 18 CP children with PVL received modern rehabilitation training and scalp acupuncture. The before-after study was conducted to compare the fractional anisotropy (FA) of the white matter fiber tracts, gross motor function measure (GMFM) score, Gesell developmental scale and changes in muscle tone.
Results:For the comparison before and after the first course of treatment, there were no statistical differences in DTI findings and FA values (both P>0.05); there were statistical differences in GMFM dimensions A and B (bothP<0.05) and no statistical differences in dimensions C, D and E (allP>0.05); and there were statistical differences in six items of Gesell development test (P<0.01 orP<0.05). For the comparison before and after two courses of treatment, there were statistical differences in DTI findings and FA values in 8 cases between before and after 30 and 60 treatments (bothP<0.05); there were statistical differences in GMFM dimensions A, B and C between before and after 30 and 60 treatments and between 30 and 60 treatments (allP<0.05); there were no statistical differences in GMFM dimensions D and E (allP>0.05); and there were statistical differences in six items of Gesell developmental test between before, after 30 and 60 treatments and between 30 and 60 treatments (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
Conclusion:The Governor Vessel-unblocking and mind-refreshing scalp acupuncture has no significant efficacy on the repair and regeneration of white matter fibers in children with PVL and CP in a short period of time; however, it gradually works along with the prolonged treatment time. In addition, it can improve the motor function and mental development and the efficacy is closely associated with the time of treatment.

Objective To apply the Comprehensive Function Assessment for Disabled Children in family care for children with cerebral palsy. Methods From May, 2014 to May, 2015, 120 cerebral palsy children were equally divided into control group and observation group. The control group accepted routine rehabilitation, and the observation group accepted targeted family rehabilitation program based on the evaluation of Comprehensive Function Assessment for Disabled Children. They were assessed with Comprehensive Function Assessment for Disabled Children before and three months after rehabilitation. Results The scores of cognitive function, language function, exercise abil-ity, self-care movement and social adaptation ability improved in both groups after rehabilitation (t>2.498, P<0.05), and improved more in the observation group than in the control group (t>2.062, P<0.05). Conclusion The application of Comprehensive Function Assessment for Disabled Children may help to plan a targeted rehabilitation nursing program for the nurses and the parents, that benefits the rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy.