Hi,
I just received a call from a mom who has an 18 month old with Mixed CP due to lack of oxygen before birth. He has been seeing an acupuncturist for 6 weeks who is doing Liv 3 and LI 4 with no needle retention, once a week. The acupuncturist is recommnending weekly treatments for 6 - 12 months before any improvements will be seen.
The mom is wondering if this is a reasonable course of treatment. I checked Julian Scott's book and he recommends a much higher frequency of treatment and uses that combination for spasticity but other points for flaccidity. It sounds as though the child has more spasticity than flaccidity. Scott also recommends other points in combination. There has not been any change from the acupuncture yet.
The mom has the child on an organic diet and is giving as much oils as possible. She is using Udo's oil (he wouldn't take cod liver oil), as well as avocado.
Does anyone have any recommendations on what the frequency of treatment should be, as well as other ideas? Would shonishin be indicated if the child accepts needles? What about herbs? Supplements?
Thanks,
Marleen Greenberg, R.Ac.
Calgary, Alberta
Health & Spirit Forum » Pediatric acupuncture cases
Mixed cerebral palsy
(8 posts)-
mgreenberg
MemberPosted 9 months ago # -
Michelle Craw
MemberI agree with Julian Scott in haveing a higher frequency of treatments. Also I think that massage would be a good idea to stimulate the reflexes.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Hi Marleen and Michelle,
Thank you for posting this case on this forum. I have treated quite a number of infants and children with CP, here in Bali and can definitely state that just LI 4 and LV 3 once a week will not change the child's condition.
The spasticity and flaciddity can be diagnosed as Qi and jing deficiency, Liver wind and obstruction in the channels and network vessels.
A child like that needs touch, so sho-ni-shin is highly recommended and the frequency should be at least 3 times a week or ever other day if possible. After 1 month the frequency can be reduced, Besides LI 4 and LV 3, I would also use DU 20 and ST 36 and stimulate Lung, Heart and Kidney meridians.
I have found the combination of 2 formulas quite effective:
Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang for the flaccidity and Gou Teng Yin for the spasticity. Of course some modifications can be done depending on the specifics of the disorder and the child's constitution and temperament.
A good supplement could be chlorella and foods which reduce Liver wind symptoms. (check paul Pitchford's healing with whole foods.)
Hope this helps. would love any feed-back.
Soma.Posted 9 months ago # -
mgreenberg
MemberHi Soma,
Thanks so much for your reply. I will pass this information on to the mom and let you know what happens if I end up working with him, or if I hear anything else in terms of the treatment. I had mentioned chlorophyll to her so I am glad to hear that was appropriate.
I hope I can get to Bali some day to do more training with you,
MarleenPosted 9 months ago # -
Hi Soma,
I have a 3 year old patient with mixed CP. This is my first experience with CP in children, though I wrote my research paper on it in school. All the research I have found is on what seems like fairly aggressive needling protocols. I am much more interested in treating gently with shonishin, and do so with my other pediatric patients. Can you or anyone else on this forum suggest any studies done treating CP with shonishin? I would also love to know what the prognosis for neurological recovery has been in your experience. This child had a relatively normal (c-section) full term birth and was afflicted with the CP 6 hours after birth following asphyxia while breastfeeding. He is very high functioning and quite healthy overall. I would like to present the parents with a plan of treatment, but I am not sure what to tell them to expect. What has been the best case scenario in your experience?
Thank you! I too would love to come to Bali to study! Yeah - no brainer!
Julia FisherPosted 5 months ago # -
Hello Julia,
Thank you for your post. No, I'm not aware of any studies on treating CP with sho-ni-shin. I can only give you feed-back from my own research and my clinical experience. First I need to mention that the most important starting point is your differential diagnosis. This is the strength of Chinese Medicine. First establish a 5 element, a zang/fu and an 8 principle pattern of syndrome differentiation. Then you want to treat according to that. No 2 children with CP will have the exact same syndromes. In CP you have both paralysis (wei syndromes) and spasticity (Liver wind) and of course the Kidney jing and Qi deficiency, some may be more Yang, some more Yin.
I have had some good results with children with CP here in Bali. I have to admit I also have used homeopathic remedies as well as herbs and sho-ni-shin. I've never used electricity or very aggressive needling methods. I think the prognosis depends on how badly the child is affected neurologically and also how many treatments the parents are willing to bring the child for.
If you want to follow-up with some more specifics about the child, I or someone else might want to propose a more specific line of treatment.
Thank you again and all the best.
Soma.Posted 5 months ago # -
Yes, of course ~ differentiation! This little guy has a lot going on. The root is the Ki Qi/Jing Xu, and he has a mixed spastic/flaccid pattern. He seems to have more of a Lv wind excess pattern, with some definite heat in the St. I think it's mostly excess with some Sp Qi Xu.
I have some strategies in mind, and always welcome protocol suggestions, but I am mainly wondering about what you and other folks think about consistency of treatment and prognosis.
The parents are willing to try a form of the 10 day on and 5 day off treatment schedule that Scott and Barlow recommend, but this poor child has so many appts. for so many different therapies. I am considering recommending that the regimen be 10 days on of all his treatments combined and then 5 days off for integration. For example, OT one day, then PT, then acupuncture, then the parents doing tuina and traeger at home then acupuncture, and so on until day 11 he gets a rest from everything until day 17... Do you think this would be ideal considering the situation? And how do I assess how long to estimate that we will be in treatment?
As far as the severity of the CP, this boy is very alert and attentive. He can focus well and connect better than some able bodied 2 year olds. He can make sounds and seems to understand and respond to language. He can relax for minutes without being flaccid, and has good and normal muscle tone. Cognitively he is very close to "normal". He is low weight and low height. He can roll over and is starting to learn how to crawl. He still eats through a G-tube, takes antispasmotics, cannot speak, sometimes has breathing problems, and does not sleep well. He has had many forms of treatment, including stem cell therapy, hyperbaeric oxygen, and aggressive electro acupuncture in China. His parents describe his situation as "a smart, connected and frustrated boy who's body just won't cooperate." They are very hopeful that there is still some neurological repair that can be done. I'm not sure what to tell them to expect, but with regular treatment and this integration time, I am feeling optimistic.
I would so love to hear your suggestions and experience, because I don't want to send these folks on an intense treatment protocol for a long time if there really isn't much indication that it will help. In addition, I will try to make it as affordable as I can for them, but this is undoubtedly another expensive therapy that they are considering undertaking.
Got to catch a plane! Would love to hear whatever anyone wants to share on the matter!
JuliaPosted 5 months ago # -
Sorry about the delay. I'm in the middle of a move. First, I think 10 days on, 5 days off is a good treatment schedule. However the poor kid also needs some breathing space during the times on. I think it will back-fire if too many therapies are performed back to back. I would suggest the acupuncture/sho-ni-shin in the morning for example and one of the other, OT or PT in the afternoon. the parents can do tuina/tragger at home in the evening and he needs to have enough down times and play times. Then the next 10 days on, the other form of therapy can be performed in the afternoon. You and the parents may notice on which 10 day segment, does the kid get more improvements.
As you say this child has had so many treatments already. Seems like his Shen is intact and that's the best prognosis. If the parents are willing, keep this schedule going for at least 3 months and that will give you a good idea of how much improvements you can expect. Don't forget herbal formulas and supplements. They are powerful healing tools.
Best, Soma.Posted 5 months ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.