Does acupuncture help with cerebral palsy?

Introduction

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder affecting movement, motor skills, and posture, often caused by damage to the developing brain. Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine technique, has been explored as a complementary treatment for CP to improve motor function and reduce symptoms. This synthesis examines the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treating children with cerebral palsy based on multiple research studies.

Key Insights

Improvement in Motor Function:
- Acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training significantly improves gross motor function in children with CP .
- Specific forms of acupuncture, such as tongue acupuncture and scalp acupuncture, have shown significant improvements in motor function compared to control groups .
Reduction in Muscle Spasms and Spasticity:
- Acupuncture, including laser acupuncture, has been effective in reducing muscle spasms and spasticity in children with CP .
Enhanced Daily Life Activities:
- Acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training enhances daily life activities and social participation in children with CP .
Safety and Adverse Effects:
- Acupuncture is generally safe for children with CP, with only mild adverse events reported .
Combination Therapies:
- Combining acupuncture with other therapies, such as music therapy and physiotherapy, yields better therapeutic effects than acupuncture alone .
Variability in Response:
- The response to acupuncture varies widely among children with CP, indicating the need for personalized treatment plans .

Conclusion

Acupuncture, particularly when combined with conventional rehabilitation therapies, shows promise in improving motor function, reducing muscle spasms, and enhancing daily activities in children with cerebral palsy. It is generally safe, with minimal adverse effects. However, the variability in response among children suggests that further research is needed to identify which profiles benefit most from acupuncture. Combining acupuncture with other therapeutic modalities may offer enhanced benefits.

Does acupuncture help with cerebral palsy?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Evaluating intense rehabilitative therapies with and without acupuncture for children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.

Intense early rehabilitation improves function in children with spastic cerebral palsy, but the contribution from acupuncture is unclear.

Acupuncture for cerebral palsy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training significantly improved gross motor function, reduced muscle spasms, and enhanced daily life activities in children with cerebral palsy.

Randomised control trial of tongue acupuncture versus sham acupuncture in improving functional outcome in cerebral palsy

Tongue acupuncture improves motor function in children with cerebral palsy compared to sham acupuncture.

Acupuncture for cerebral palsy

Acupuncture is safe in trained hands for children with cerebral palsy, but the safety of acupoint injections is unknown.

Laser acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy for spastic cerebral palsy in children

Laser acupuncture can reduce spasticity and improve muscle tone in children with spastic cerebral palsy, potentially improving their movement.

Acupuncture for Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review Protocol

Acupuncture may be an effective and safe treatment for children with cerebral palsy, but more high-quality evidence is needed to confirm its effectiveness and safety.

Acupuncture combined with music therapy for treatment of 30 cases of cerebral palsy.

Acupuncture combined with music therapy has a better therapeutic effect on cerebral palsy than simple acupuncture, improving movement functions and overall function.

Effectiveness and safety of pure acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy

Acupuncture and moxibustion are effective and safe treatments for children with cerebral palsy, providing reliable evidence-based evidence for their clinical application.

Rehabilitation of Handicapped Children Suffering from Infantile Cerebral Palsy with Combined Embedding Acupuncture (YNSA + Body Acupuncture) and Complex Physiotherapy

Combined embedding acupuncture (YNSA) and body acupoints are useful additions to rehabilitation for infantile cerebral palsy, enhancing their quality of life and reducing seizures.

Therapeutic effect of scalp-based acupuncture and moxibustion as an adjunctive treatment on children with cerebral palsy comparing to conventional rehabilitation therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Scalp acupuncture effectively improves symptoms, promotes mental and psychological development, and enhances gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy compared to conventional rehabilitation therapy.

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