Swedish massage and abnormal reflexes of chidren with spastic cerbral palsy

Massage therapy is one of the most widely used complementary and alternative medicine therapies for children. This study was conducted to determine the effect of wedish massage on abnormal reflexes in children with spastic cerebral palsy [CP]. This study was a single blind clinical trial conducted on forty children with spastic CP who were recruited from clinics of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences. They were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The routine occupational therapy [OT] techniques were performed during a 3 month-period in both groups. The intervention group also received Swedish massage for 30 minutes before every OT session. Primary, spinal, brain stem, midbrain, cortical and automatic reflexes were evaluated at the beginning of the study and 3 months later. The data analysis was done by parametric and nonparametric tests. Finally, thirteen subjects in the intervention group and 14 subjects in the control group were remained and studied. The average ages in the intervention and control groups were 49.5 and 42.1 months respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in abnormal reflexes in the intervention group in comparison to the control [P>0.05]. Adding Swedish massage to traditional OT techniques had no significant effects on abnormal reflexes in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Evidently more research is required in order to completely reject the effects of Swedish massage on abnormal reflexes of children with CP

effect of adding homeopathic treatment to rehabilitation on abnormal reflexes of children with spastic cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy [CP] is a static encephalopathy with abnormal reflexes that cause motor developmental delay. In addition to conventional methods, complementary medicine like homeopathy has been used in treatment of neuro-developmental disorders. This study has been done to determine the effect of adding homeopathic treatment to rehabilitation on abnormal reflexes of children with spastic cerebral palsy. In this study by using minimization technique subjects were divided to case and control groups. The routine rehabilitation techniques were done in 4 months in both groups. The control group received placebo and the case group received homeopathy drugs. Primitive, spinal, brain stem, midbrain, cortical reflexes and automatic movement reaction in the beginning and the end of four months were assessed and compared in two groups. Data collected by assessment forms, direct observations and examinations. The average age in case and control groups was 28, 28.4 months respectively. Primitive reflexes: Palmar Grasp reflex in 14.3% of cases has improved but in control group has no differences [PV=0.681]. Plantar Grasp and walking reflex in two groups before and after intervention have no differences [PV=1]. Moro reflex in 28.6% of cases and 11.1% of controls improved [PV=0.408]. Regarding to proved effects of homeopathy mentioned in different articles on physical status of children with CP as well as executive limitations, it is not possible to reject the effects of homeopathy on reflexes of children with CP.As homeopathy is young in Iran, it is recommended to make researches about effects of homeopathy on neurodevelopmental disorders