[Effect of intradermal needling combined with oral motor therapy for salivation in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of combination of intradermal needling with oral motor therapy and simple oral motor therapy on salivation in children with cerebral palsy.

METHODS

A total of 60 children with salivation in cerebral palsy were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with intradermal needling (kept for 24 hours each time at Jiache [ST 6], Dicang [ST 4], tongue three needles, etc. ) and oral motor therapy, while the control group was only given oral motor therapy. The intradermal needling was performed 3 times a week, and oral motor therapy was performed 5 times a week, 4 weeks as a course, totally 3 courses of treatment were required. The classification of teacher drooling scale (TDS), drooling severity and Kubota water swallow test, dysphagia disorders survey (DDS) score were compared before treatment and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment in both groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.

RESULTS

After 8 weeks of treatment in the observation group and after 12 weeks of treatment in the two groups, the classification of TDS and drooling severity were improved (<0.05), and the observation group was better than the control group after 12 weeks of treatment (<0.05). After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the DDS scores of oral period in the observation group were lower than those before treatment (<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 83.3% (25/30), which was higher than 53.3% (16/30) in the control group (<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The combination of intradermal needling with oral motor therapy can improve salivation symptoms and swallowing function in children with cerebral palsy, the effect is better than oral motor therapy alone, and the effect is earlier.