Effect of acupuncture on rehabilitation treatment of children with different degrees of autism spectrum disorder: a randomized controlled trial

Introduction We investigated the effect of scalp and tongue acupuncture on the rehabilitation of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the difference in the effect between mild-to-moderate and severe children of ASD. Methods Children in all groups received routine rehabilitation training, including educational and therapeutic measures, while the acupuncture treatment groups also received scalp and tongue acupuncture. Results Regardless of whether acupuncture treatment is used, rehabilitation training measures have a significant effect on improving the ability of children with ASD. These results are reflected in both PEP-3 and CARS scores. Moreover, compared to usual treatment, acupuncture led to a greater reduction in CARS scores and significant PEP-3-based improvements in cognition, language, motor skills, social behavior, and self-care. In the children of the mild-to-moderate treatment group, acupuncture positively affected cognition verbal/preverbal, expression language, receptive language, visual-motor imitation, social reciprocity, and adaptive behavior. Additionally, among children with severe ASD, acupuncture improved cognition, language, and problem behavior compared to controls. No side effects were observed in the children of the acupuncture group. Conclusion Scalp and tongue acupuncture significantly improved cognition, language, motor skills, social behavior, and self-care in children with ASD, with treatment effects varying by severity. Clinical Trial Registration https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=39184 , identifier ChiCTR1900023247.