Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
www.pharmpress.com/fact
Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2004; 9: 23
To minimise symptoms of the condition and improve quality of life.
Standard course of treatment over five or more weekly sessions, taking very full history and using reflexology, then massage to acupuncture meridians, with or without aromatherapy oils. A sample of 12 children with a waiting list control group will have at least one course of treatment. The study has been accepted for presentation at a Dyspraxia Foundation Professional Conference in November 2004. Clients are recruited through local press, local newsletters and advertising. Treatment is carried out at home at a subsidised rate and other funding can be obtained for parents, if needed; however, all pay something to retain control. Ethical approval will be sought again but was not required before because neither NHS patients nor premises are involved.
Very encouraging so far, noticeable improvements in sleep pattern, confidence and balance. Study is ongoing.
Treatment is found to be successfully rebalancing the system at a total cost similar to physiotherapy and at one point of delivery. It is worthy of further research with a bigger sample size, ideally starting with massage of newborn babies, especially those with difficult deliveries or low output at birth, and following them through to adulthood with/without regular corrective/preventative treatments.
Dorothy Minnis Trust, Dyspraxia Foundation and the Stroud Autistic Support Group.
