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SCMP Reporter

The method is also being used to help children suffering from cerebral palsy

Eleven-year-old Lau Wai-shun could not express himself or greet people by name two years ago. He was so scared of thunder and lightning that not even his mother's  hugs could calm him.

Nor could western or traditional Chinese doctors do much to help the autistic boy.

But now he can express his needs loud and clear, thanks to treatment with tongue acupuncture.

His grandmother, Tang Ho Lai-kiu, said he could now say things like, 'Mama, I want to eat noodles' or 'I want to go out'. He was no longer scared by thunder, lightning or  fireworks. He even greets relatives loudly by their names.

Tongue acupuncture was developed by  Sun Jieguang,  research director at the Hong Kong International Tongue Acupuncture Research Clinic.

He uses it to treat neurological diseases and believes the effects may be due to changes in neural receptors due to repeated stimulation.

Lau Wai-shun's grandparents brought him to Hong Kong from the mainland for treatment. He was treated initially with two needle insertions per day for 40 days in 2002. They now make the trip yearly because they notice a difference - 'the results are not huge or instant, but they are there'.

Cheung Chun-yeung was diagnosed with developmental delay at the age of one. His mother, Irene Cheung Chung Chui-woon, said: 'His walking was unstable and he could not really talk at first.'

He has been treated with tongue acupuncture for three years  on and off.

'He is doing much better language wise, co-ordination wise, and his motor skills as well. Generally he is doing much better,' said Mrs Cheung of the nine-year-old.

A study Professor Sun helped conduct found tongue acupuncture also helped improve motor function in children suffering from cerebral palsy.

The study, the results of which were published in last month's issue of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, found motor function scores increased from 78.82 to 82.99, compared with  65.35 to 67.29 in a control group.

Professor Sun is now using this method to treat  cerebral palsy patients.

He expressed  dissatisfaction yesterday with  Chinese medicine being labelled as alternative medicine. He said  it pre-dated western medicine and that 'modern methods of assessing efficacy cannot be used for Chinese medicine'.



Tongue acupuncture treatment helps autistic boy find his voice