Treatment of 140 cerebral palsied children with a combined method based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and western medicine.

OBJECTIVE To observe and evaluate a method that is effective and practical for treatment of cerebral palsied (CP) children in China. METHOD The patient's age and disease type and individual specific conditions were considered in choosing therapy methods accordingly: Chinese herbs, acupuncture, auricular seed pressure, point finger pressing, massage, orthopedic hand manipulation, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, language therapy, etc. Meanwhile we created a new CP treatment model that combines hospitalized treatment with family therapy. RESULTS The majority of CP patients improved greatly in motor and social adaptation capacities after treatment. Wilcoxon paired rank sum test analysis showed that there were significant differences between the data before and after treatment (P<0.01). CONCLUSION This combined therapy method, based on traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine plus family supplemental therapy, is an effective and practical treatment strategy for CP children in China.