Cerebral Palsy Scholarly Peer-review Journal

 Cerebral palsy is a range of motor impairment and non-progressive posture syndromes. It is attributed to non-progressive disturbances during brain development in fetuses or infants. Cerebral palsy is frequently accompanied by impaired cognition, communication and sensory perception, epilepsy, and behavioral abnormalities, or a combination of these features. Cerebral palsy is a common cause of disability in childhood. The target of treatment is to achieve the best functional motor, language and intellectual status for children with cerebral palsy, and improve their ability to live and integrate into society. We need comprehensive application of various treatment methods and techniques. Management options include physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy, orthotics, device-assisted modalities, pharmacological intervention, and orthopedic and neurosurgical procedures. By searching Web of Science, we found three commonly used therapies: botulinum toxin, constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), and acupuncture. Botulinum toxin is commonly used to reduce spasticity and dystonia, and to improve range of movement and function in children with cerebral palsy. CIMT is an emerging approach for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy that aims to increase spontaneous use of affected upper limbs and limit the effects of learned non-use. Acupuncture is commonly used in Asia and is said to stimulate the cerebral cortex and peripheral nerves, inducing reduced muscle tension to return to normal. In this study, we analyzed research trends in these three therapies for children with cerebral palsy based on a bibliometric analysis of publications in Web of Science from 2002 to 2011.