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Advanced Neurology

CASE REPORT
Transforming lives in autism spectrum disorder

treatment through acupuncture: A case report

Zhenhuan Liu 1 , Yitao Huang 2 , and Alan Wang 3,4,5,6 *
1 Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanhai Maternity and Children Hospital Affiliated
to Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, China
2 Department of Children’s Rehabilitation, LongDu Children’s Hospital, Chongqing, China
3 Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
4 Medical Imaging Research Center, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
5 Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
6 Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized
by deficits in social communication, restricted and repetitive behaviors, and narrow
interests. Given the high prevalence of ASD and the lack of specific pharmacological
treatments, there is a pressing need for alternative therapeutic approaches.
Acupuncture has shown promise in improving the clinical symptoms of ASD.
This report presents the case of a 6-year-old girl diagnosed with ASD, intellectual
developmental disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and articulation
*Corresponding author: disorder. She underwent Liu’s pediatric neurological rehabilitation acupuncture
Alan Wang therapy (PNRAT) for over 2 years. The treatment involved specific scalp acupuncture
(alan.wang@acukland.ac.nz) techniques targeting cognitive and linguistic rehabilitation. After the treatment
Citation: Liu Z, Huang Y, Wang A. course, the patient showed significant improvements in cognitive, linguistic, social,
Transforming lives in autism and behavioral symptoms, transitioning from limited verbal communication and
spectrum disorder treatment marked social difficulties to thriving in a mainstream school setting. This case
through acupuncture: A case report.
Adv Neurol. 2024;3(4):3783. highlights the potential of Liu’s PNRAT as an effective intervention for ASD. The
doi: 10.36922/an.3783 observed improvements suggest that acupuncture may offer valuable therapeutic
Received: May 29, 2024 benefits for children with ASD, contributing to the growing interest in its potential as
an adjunct therapy. Further research is needed to optimize treatment protocols and
Accepted: August 19, 2024
explore synergies with conventional therapies.
Published Online: October 22, 2024
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Acupuncture; Liu’s pediatric neurological
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms of the rehabilitation acupuncture therapy; Cognitive rehabilitation; Linguistic rehabilitation;
Creative Commons Attribution Case report
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is
properly cited.
1. Background
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related conditions significantly impact children’s
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional mental health, with ongoing debates about the diagnostic criteria. The release of the
affiliations. diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) by the American

Volume 3 Issue 4 (2024) 1 doi: 10.36922/an.3783