The Best Treatment Methods for Children with Cerebral Palsy

At present, a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine Massage and Bodywork called “Pediatric Tuina” is becoming popular and has given a rise in the awareness and interest of international medical societies. Many of them have already carried out studies and researches in this area. The gradual formation of pediatric massage therapy is a result of long-term clinical practice and experience specifically for the prevention and treatment of pediatric diseases. It is a clinical specialty that is guided by the principles and theories of Chinese medical sciences that are related to the unique physiological and pathological characteristics of children. It applies various manipulating techniques to activate and stimulate children's body acupuncture points and meridians for releasing the tighten muscles and tendons, so to clear away stagnation that causes the improper flow of qi (oxygen) and blood circulation, as a method of adjusting the functions of organs and harmonizing the body systems in the treatment of diseases and also for healthcare purposes. In China, infantile massage has its important position which is widely used in a variety of pediatric diseases, especially in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy.

The result of cerebral palsy is due to brain cells damage that happens before birth, during birth, or even after birth that leads to central nervous system damage that will cause paralysis and affect the normal development of children’s brain. There are different clinical symptoms or physical manifestations in different children according to where are the damage areas and the scope of the damage. For mild cases, it might affect certain body parts. While in severe cases, it is often associated with mental retardation, epilepsy, limb seizure, visual, auditory, language dysfunctions and other neurological symptoms. As a result of cerebral palsy, the causes are different. There are cases caused by bacteria or virus infection while the mother is at her pregnancy period, or taking drugs that will affect the fetus, or other reasons that will reduce the supply of oxygen to child’s brain. Some are due to difficulty in delivering the baby or during the labor process in which the instrument used had injured the baby’s head, infant respiratory tract suffocation, underweight premature children and severe infantile jaundice. Some are afflicted with viral infections on brain even after birth, such as meningitis, or other infections due to high fever, or diarrhea caused by dehydration.

In the past, medical knowledge on brain cells damaged was limited and considered cerebral palsy as an incurable disease. It is still thought these days that damaged brain cells are difficult to repair or regenerate. With advance progress of modern science in the research study on cerebral palsy, it further found out that these damaged brain cells although cannot be regenerated, but have great reserve capacities or ability to change. In real situation, the actual usage is just only 10% to 30% of our total brain cells capacity. In addition, children's brains are still in the stage of development and have good plasticity or the ability to recombine to form new connections between nerve cells. In order to activate those healthy brain cells in dormant state to form neurons and synapses as replacement, it needs long-term consistent external stimulation such as applying tuina massage, acupuncture and moxibustion treatments that enable to compensate and reconstruct the brain for development.

Today, cerebral palsy is no longer an untreatable disease. The Cerebral Palsy Rehabilitation Center of Harbin Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital located at Heilongjiang Province, China, is a leading top-rated institution who ranked first in the country. Here, pediatric massage is being used as a prime tool in the treatment of cerebral palsy, complemented with other modalities such as acupuncture and moxibustion, Chinese herbal medicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and language therapy comprehensively. This kind of combination is currently considered as the best treatment method. This institution is being recognized as the only professional medical institution with profound expertise in Traditional Chinese Medicine to provide quality treatment for local children and foreign patients who suffered from pediatric hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The specialty training in the treatment of muscular torticollis and cerebral palsy in this hospital is classified by the government as a key provincial-level fellowship program which is headed by my former mentor, Professor Wang Yixin. Aside from being the director of the center, his name is also included on the 4th batch list as one of the famous TCM doctor in Heilongjiang province. Many patients with droopy eye, drooping mouth, leg paralysis and other disabilities previously who had received his careful treatment, one by one get recovered gradually. They can now walk and take care of themselves independently. Some even have entered the university campus to study. Many patients from Russia, the United States, Canada ... ... all over the country have heard about the reputation of my teacher and the center come to seek treatment. This indicates that the quality medical services provided by the Cerebral Palsy Rehabilitation Center of Harbin Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital has met the required global standards which is a big move forward toward success internationally!

According to our experience in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy, 0 to 6 months is the golden period for treatment of newborns. The best is to have early detection with early treatment. Treatment started within 6 months of birth basically has no problem to get recovered, but if treatment started after more than 6 months after birth, the therapeutic effect will be greatly reduced. It then becomes difficult and need longer time in treatment. Therefore, when the child is born, parents should observe closely on the child's growth and development. If there are abnormalities then treatment should be promptly started.