This pilot clinical trial of complementary treatments for children with spastic cerebral palsy was somewhat problematic, but it produced encouraging and intriguing results—and the process was extremely informative. Although this was a pilot study with a small sample size, the results indicated substantial functional improvement in children with modest to severe spastic cerebral palsy who received OMT. The results also allowed a subjective appraisal of the multiple outcome variables initially selected.
The findings of the present study can be used to guide future research into the effectiveness of OMT and acupuncture for the treatment of children with spastic cerebral palsy.
We are extremely grateful to all the children and their families who gave us so much of their time and energy to help complete this investigation. The statistical analyses of data were completed by the Biostatics Unit of the Pediatric Complementary & Alternative Medicine Center at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. We would like to thank Sanford “Sandy” Newmark, MD, one of the evaluators; Theresa Cisler, DO, and Christian K. Peters, DO, treating osteopathic physicians; Philip E. Greenman, DO, and Viola Frymann, DO, osteopathic medicine advisors; Joseph Balensi, MS, LAc, acupuncturist; and Helene Sorkin, LAc, traditional Chinese medicine healer; Dorsett Edmunds, MA, PT, and Cristina Santos, LPT, physical therapists who completed the monumental task of patient evaluation; and Beverly Blashill Jutry, study coordinator. Finally, our data management team, including Kathleen Pettit and Russ Roberge, did an outstanding job.