Chinese traditional medicine in the comprehensive rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy

It is relevant to search for new opportunities for comprehensive rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy in order to create highly effective rehabilitation programs based on the methods of Chinese traditional medicine.

The purpose of the study: to increase the effectiveness of comprehensive rehabilitation of children with spastic forms of cerebral palsy by including traditional Chinese methods in the rehabilitation program.

Methods: the study included 59 children with spastic forms of cerebral palsy. The average age was 2.9 ± 0.17 years. There were 30 girls (50.8%). In the main group, standard rehabilitation was used and additionally used methods of Chinese traditional medicine; in the comparison group there was only standard rehabilitation. To determine the effectiveness of complex medical rehabilitation, a modified Ashworth scale and a gross motor function scale (GMFCS) were used, and the adaptive potential of the circulatory system and the type of adaptive reactions were studied.

Results. When comparing adaptive potential after rehabilitation, no statistically significant difference was obtained (p=0.913). Stress reactions were not detected in any of the subgroups (p=0.927). In the main group, a statistically significant decrease in muscle tone was revealed (p=0.001), and improvement in motor functions according to the GMFCS scale was expressed (p=0.04).

Conclusion. The presence of positive dynamics of muscle tone in children with spastic forms of cerebral palsy allows us to conclude that the inclusion of methods of Chinese traditional medicine in comprehensive rehabilitation increases the effectiveness of rehabilitation measures.

1. Kang X., Huang Y., Zheng Y., Zhang Q., Gong R., Tan J., et al. Meta-analysis of the efficacy of Jingjin acupuncture therapy in the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy. Front Neurol 2024; 15: 1358732. DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1358732

2. Cheng Y.Y., Huang Y.Y., Yang T.H., Chang Y.J., Fu R.H., Chen H.Y. Acupuncture and Acupoints for Managing Pediatric Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12(17): 1780. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12171780

3. Xue Y., Shi S., Zheng S., Yang Z., Xu J., Gong F. 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. Transl Pediatr 2022; 11(5): 631–641. DOI: 10.21037/tp-22–85

4. Zhang C., Xiong G., Wang J., Shi X., Guo T., Jin Y., et al. A multicenter, randomized controlled trial of massage in children with pediatric cerebral palsy: Efficacy of pediatric massage for children with spastic cerebral palsy. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100(5): e23469. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000023469

5. Orhan C., Kaya Kara O., Kaya S., Akbayrak T., Kerem Gunel M., Baltaci G. The effects of connective tissue manipulation and Kinesio Taping on chronic constipation in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial. Disabil Rehabil 2018; 40(1): 10–20. DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2016.1236412

6. Rostacheva E.A. Reflexotherapy in complex therapy of children with spastic cerebral palsy. Medicina: teorija i praktika 2019; 4(C): 475–476. (in Russ.)

7. Rostacheva E.A., Suslova G.A. Combined methods of reflexology with the use of pharmacopuncture in the rehabilitation of patients with cerebral palsy Children’s Medicine of the North-West 2021; 9(1): 303–304. (in Russ.)

8. Rostacheva E.A., Suslova G.A., Rostacheva A.A., Suslov V.M., Bulina O.V. Original methods of reflexology using pharmacopuncture in the rehabilitation of patients with cerebral palsy. Fizioterapevt 2024; 1: 34–43. (in Russ.) DOI 10.33920/med-14–2401–04

9. Akhmedov T.Z., Umkhanov H.A., Akhmedov M.P., Bataeva M.A. The place and role of traditional Chinese medicine in the complex rehabilitation treatment of children with cerebral palsy. Vestnik fizioterapii i kurortologii 2015; 21(2): 100. (in Russ.)

10. Akhmadov T.Z. Potential of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Rehabilitation of Patients with Cerebral Palsy Dobrokhotov Readings: Proceedings of the II interdisciplinary scientific conference dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the Dagestan State Medical University, Makhachkala, October 6–7, 2017. 2017: 123–127. (in Russ.) EDN XUUICD

11. Baevsky R.M., Berseneva A.P. Assessment of the adaptive capabilities of the body and the risk of developing diseases. M.: Prosveshhenie, 1997; 605. (in Russ.)

12. Baevskу R.M. Concept of physiological norm and criteria of health. Rossijskij fiziologicheskij zhurnal im. I.M. Sechenova 2003; 4(89): 473–487. (in Russ.) EDN MPOBCZ

13. Garkavi L.Kh., Kvakina E.B. On the principles and methods of correcting the psychophysical state of a person from the standpoint of the theory of adaptive reactions. Izvestija TRTU 1998; 4(10): 3–5. (in Russ.)