For the children with special needs, the GAHP practitioners dedicated several three-hour blocks of time to simultaneously treat seven young patients. Parents participated in all aspects of the treatment which integrated several modalities, including stimulation of some "big" acupuncture points on the extremities - not with a needle but rather a hand-held electrical stimulator device. This technique helps stimulate sensory-motor integration of the arms and legs. Moxibustion was also applied to several key points, including GV-20 (top of the head), ST-36 (just below the knee), and KI-1 (on the bottom of the foot). Tui Na and other manual soft-tissue therapies, along with additional range-of-motion exercises, were also key aspects of the treatment protocols. Furthermore, parents and youth leaders were taught at-home interventions to extend the benefits of the treatments by duplicating on a daily basis much of what the GAHP practitioners did with the children.
It was amazing to see how the children immediately responded to the treatments, becoming much more alert as the treatments progressed. It is easy to see how these young patients will benefit with continuous treatments from their parents.