From Vitasearch:
| Summary# | 46133 |
| Topic: | Scalp Acupuncture May Improve Language Development in Children with Autism |
| Keywords: | AUTISM, AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT, NEURODEVELOPMENT DISORDER – Acupuncture, Scalp Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Language Therapy |
| Reference: | “Scalp acupuncture effect on language development in children with autism: a pilot study,” Allam H, Eldine NG, Helmy G, et al, J Altern Complement Med, 2008; 14(2): 109-14. (Address: Hemat Allam, Complementary Medicine Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt). |
| Summary: | In a study involving 20 autistic children between 4 and 7 years of age who were undergoing language therapy (the primary form of rehabilitation for children with autism) in order to stimulate cognitive and verbal abilities, treatment with scalp acupuncture was found to improve cognitive and expressive language skills more significantly than treatment with language therapy alone. Subjects were divided into 2 groups. Subjects in Group A received language therapy twice/week, whereas subjects in Group B received language therapy twice/week plus scalp acupuncture, twice/week for a period of 9 months. Scalp acupuncture points used included: DU-20, DU-26, DU-17, three temple needles, and Yamamoto’s New Scalp Acupuncture cerebrum and aphasia points. Cognition and expression were assessed using a language test before and after the interventions. Children in both groups experienced significant improvements in cognitive and expressive language skills. Children who received scalp acupuncture in addition to language therapy showed greater attention (3.5 vs. 2.8) and receptive semantics (9.4 vs. 7.0). Considering the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in the U.S. (statistics range from 1 in 166 births to 1 in 1000 births), the results of this study offer hope and suggest that acupuncture may be a safe and effective way of enhancing the effects of language therapy in autistic children. The authors conclude, “Scalp AP is a safe complementary modality when combined with LT and has a significantly positive effect on language development in children with autism.” |
Learn about the benefits of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine on these sites:
[American Academy of Medical Acupuncture] [American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine] [Institute for Traditional Medicine]
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