Objective: To observe the effect of whole-body vibration therapy on the lower extremity the motor function of children with spastic diplegia. Methods: Fifty-six children with spastic diplegia were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, each of 28. Both groups were given routine rehabilitation exercise training, while the treatment group was additionally provided with 15 minutes of whole-body vibration therapy every day, 5 days a week for 12 weeks. Their GMFM-88 D (standing) and E (walking and jumping) scores were recorded before and after the treatment along with the active and passive range of motion of the ankle in dorsiflexion, and the root mean square surface electromyogram signals from the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles. Berg balance scale scores were also assigned before and after the treatment for both groups. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups before the treatment. Afterward all of the evaluations except the signals from the tibialis anterior muscle in active ankle dorsiflexion had improved significantly. The improvements were all significantly better in the treatment group. Conclusion Whole-body vibration therapy can effectively improve the lower extremity motor function of children with spastic diplegia.

Objective:To investigate the sleep status of preschool children with a coordination development disorder (DCD).Methods:Implementing stratified cluster sampling, 38, 900 questionnaires were distributed in 1000 classes of 200 kindergartens randomly selected in 11 prefecture-level cities of China′s Zhejiang Province. A total of 35, 464 valid responses were returned. On the basis of the responses, 2251 of the children were of (6.35%) were deemed DCD-positive, while the rest formed a DCD-negative group. The Children′s Family Social Environment and Sleep Health Questionnaire (1-6 years old) and the children′s sleep habits questionnaire were employed to investigate their sleep status.Results:①Regular sleeping time and duration, and falling asleep within 20 minutes were significantly less common in the DCD-positive group. In the negative group, shifting sleep place at night, finding it hard to sleep in strange environments, waking up ≥2 times a night, being awoken by others in the morning, difficulty in waking up and getting up in the morning, and bad mood after waking were significantly less frequent. ②In addition to delayed bedtime, the incidence of refusal to go to bed, fear of sleeping in the dark or alone, bedwetting, restless sleep, sleepwalking, talking in sleep, being awakened by nightmares, teeth grinding, loud snoring, apnea, dyspnea, crying and sweating after waking up at night, and insufficient sleep were all significantly higher in the DCD-positive group. ③The DCD-positive group also reported more sleeping in the daytime on weekends, more time on playing electronic products along with shorter sleep duration at night. There was, however, no significant difference between the two groups in sleep duration on school days and all day on weekends.Conclusion:Preschool children with a DCD have different sleep habits from those developing normally. They are more likely to suffer from sleep problems which affect their sleep duration.

Objective:To explore the value of congenital muscular torticollis severity classification scores (CMT-SCSTs) in the diagnosis and prognosis of infants′ congenital muscular torticollis (CMT).Methods:A total of 89 CMT children were examined using ultrasound to determine the size of the affected side and the contralateral sternocleidomastoid mass or the abnormal area of the muscle fringe echo from the head and neck. They were also rated using CMT-SCST scoring. They were then given 15 minutes of massage once a day and 5 minutes postural correction twice a day for 3 to 6 months. They were reviewed using ultrasound and the CMT-SCST 3 and 6 months later.Results:The number of treatments was negatively correlated with the initial CMT-SCST score. For those with a baseline CMT-SCST score ≥7 it was effective after 3 and 6 months. Those with a baseline CMT-SCST score ≥9 were almost cured after 3 and 6 months. Gender, age, signs of hip dysplasia, and comorbid global developmental delay (GDD) were not consistently related to the severity and the outcome of CMT. The CMT-SCST was more sensitive in prognosis than the CMT-SCS published in 2013.Conclusions:CMT-SCST scoring provides a theoretical foundation for the diagnosis and treatment and evaluation of infants with CMT. It deserves wider popularity and application in clinical practice.