ObjectiveTo investigate the effective of acupoint thread-embedding therapy for ataxia children with cerebral palsy.MethodsA total of 70 ataxia children with cerebral palsy and a Gross Motor Function Measure(GMFM

Dimension B)score of <35 were enrolled and randomly divided into thread-embedding group and control group

with 35 children in each group

and 2 children in the thread-embedding group were lost to follow-up. The children in the control group were given routine rehabilitation treatment

including physical therapy

spleen-strengthening

kidney-nourishing

and Governor Vessel-regulating massage

vibroacoustic therapy

and scalp acupuncture

and those in the thread-embedding group were given thread-embedding therapy at the acupoints of Jianyu(LI15)

Jianliao(SJ14)

Tianzong(SI11)

Tianshu(ST25)

and HuatuoJiaji points(C4

L1 and L4)in addition to the treatment in the control group

with 6-8 acupoints selected each time

once a week. Each course of treatment was 4 weeks

with an interval of one week between two courses of treatment

and the children were treated for 3 courses. Level of sitting scale(LSS)

incurvation reflex

and GMFM score were recorded to evaluate the improvement in sitting ability and clinical outcome.ResultsBoth groups had significant improvements in LSS

incurvation reflex

and GMFM(Dimension A and B)score after treatment(P<0. 01)

and the thread-embedding group had significantly greater improvements than the control group(P<0. 01).The thread-embedding group had a significantly higher overall response rate than the control group(90. 9%[30/33]vs68. 5% [24/35]

P<0. 01).ConclusionIn addition to routine rehabilitation treatment

acupoint thread-embedding therapy can effectively suppress primitive reflex in ataxia children with cerebral palsy and significantly promote their sitting ability

and therefore

it is an effective acupuncture treatment method for ataxia children with cerebral palsy.