Scalp Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Tic Disorders in Children (NCT06924918) | Clinical Trial Compass
By InvitationNot Applicable
Scalp Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Tic Disorders in Children
China136 participantsStarted 2025-08-01
Plain-language summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if scalp acupuncture works to treat chronic tic disorders (CTD) in children. It will also learn about the safety of scalp acupuncture. The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does scalp acupuncture improve clinical symptoms and social functioning, and enhance quality of life in children with chronic tic disorders?
* Researchers will compare scalp acupuncture combined with Tuina treatment to Tuina treatment to see if scalp acupuncture treatment works to treat scalp acupuncture.
Participants will:
* Receive scalp acupuncture treatment and Tuina treatment for 2 times per week and last for 12 weeks.
* Receive questionnaire survey using the following scales: the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale, the Children and Adolescents Quality of Life Scale for Tourette Syndrome (C\&A-GTS-QOL) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).
Who can participate
Age range4 Years – 12 Years
SexALL
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Inclusion criteria
✓. Meet the diagnostic criteria for Chronic Motor Tic Disorder or Vocal Tic Disorder as defined by the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), confirmed by at least one associate chief psychiatrist. Tic severity must be mild to moderate (YGTSS total score ≤50).
✓. Age: 4-12 years old.
✓. Patients with comorbid conditions (e.g., ADHD, OCD, oppositional defiant disorder, depression, anxiety) must have stable medication regimens with no anticipated adjustments during the study period.
✓. Patients currently taking traditional Chinese herbal medications or decoctions for tics must agree to discontinue use and complete a 2-4 week washout period before enrollment.
✓. Newly diagnosed cases unwilling to start medication, patients with unsatisfactory medication-controlled tics, or those reporting significant side effects are eligible if tics have remained stable (unchanged for ≥2 months) without improvement.
✓. Voluntary participation with a signed informed consent form.
Exclusion criteria
✕. IQ（intelligence quotient） ≤80.
What they're measuring
1
Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS)
Timeframe: Assessments will be conducted at baseline, during the treatment phase (weeks 4, 8, and 12), and during the follow-up phase (week 24).
✕. Severe cardiac, liver, kidney diseases, hyperthyroidism, or unstable vital signs.
✕. Comorbid conditions such as intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, childhood schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, specific learning disorders, or epilepsy.
✕. Patients currently taking traditional Chinese herbal medications or decoctions for tics who refuse to discontinue use.
✕. Patients unable to tolerate acupuncture therapy.
✕. Prior acupuncture treatment for tics proven ineffective.