Chinese Acupuncture for Children

Many parents are wary of Chinese acupuncture for their children. The use of needles seems off-putting to them. There are even those who see Chinese acupuncture as more mysticism than medicine. Even so, browsing forums and even talking with parents who have chosen to treat health issues — and even emotional ones — with Chinese acupuncture for children will undoubtedly convince you that this is a highly effective method of treatment. It is gentle, almost entirely painless, and one that many children are willing to be treated with, and the results arrive faster and more powerfully than expected.

The treatment method of Chinese acupuncture for children

Chinese acupuncture is a central treatment method in Chinese medicine. It is a treatment method suitable for everyone, and today it is common to perform acupuncture not only on children but also on infants, on the elderly, and in fact on anyone who needs some kind of balance in the body. The basis of Chinese acupuncture is Qi, the life energy flowing through our body in channels called meridians. As long as Qi flows freely and reaches every part of our body, our physical, mental and emotional state will be sound. Acupuncture points are spread along the meridians, at locations considered sensitive, such as junctions between channels. Medical acupuncture for children, as in general, is performed by inserting thin needles (not to be compared to, say, a syringe needle) into acupuncture points according to the diagnosis of the problem. The location of the acupuncture points does not need to overlap with the location where the problem manifests. From the Chinese perspective, the treatment addresses the root of the problem rather than the symptom through which it is expressed, so that treating ear infections, for example, the acupuncture points can be in the chest area, the legs, and elsewhere.

What can Chinese acupuncture for children treat?

Chinese acupuncture for children addresses a wide range of illnesses, problems and sensitivities. It is excellent for treating allergies, asthma, illnesses such as flu or colds that often result from a weakened immune system, and digestive system problems — constipation or diarrhea. Even problems that many parents don’t believe can be solved, like bedwetting, can be resolved, sometimes very quickly, through medical acupuncture for children. Chinese acupuncture for children is effective in many cases even more than in adults. The young body’s response to the needles is faster, and the effect of the needle is more powerful. That’s why it is highly recommended as a treatment.

Diagnosis before treatment with Chinese acupuncture for children

Before the treatment takes place, a diagnosis is made. Diagnosis for the purpose of tailoring acupuncture treatments for children is done through comprehensive questioning about the child’s health condition, chronic illnesses, sensitivities and more. An additional examination is done through the tongue. The appearance of the tongue reveals a great deal about the health condition and the areas that need treatment. Another examination is a special pulse check. Medical acupuncture for children, like other types of treatment, is called complementary medicine. The term alternative medicine is increasingly being pushed aside, out of the understanding that Chinese acupuncture for children shouldn’t replace other treatment but should serve as an additional supportive force. That’s why a practitioner of medical acupuncture for children certainly also relies on diagnoses and test results already performed, such as blood tests, imaging and summaries of examinations done by the child’s pediatrician. So it’s important to bring test results that can assist in diagnosis to the first meeting.

How is medical acupuncture for children performed?

A treatment of medical acupuncture for children, as in general, lasts a few minutes and sometimes just a few seconds. During the treatment, needles are inserted at various points in the body as needed. If medical acupuncture for adults is considered a relatively gentle and almost painless treatment, this is even more true of medical acupuncture for children. These are sterile, delicate needles. The younger the child, the more care is taken in choosing thinner needles. The number of needles inserted is appropriate, and of course the severity of the problem is also taken into account, so that the treatment is effective.

Which children is Chinese acupuncture suitable for?

Chinese acupuncture for children is suitable for the vast majority of children. As noted, this is a gentle treatment tailored to the child’s age and condition. That said, if a child has a very strong fear of needles and refuses to accept the treatment, it’s not advisable to insist. Insisting can worsen the phobia and also create stress in the body, which would make the treatment less effective. It’s possible to wait with the treatment until the child is a little older and ready to try, and then go ahead with the treatment.

Shai Davids is an experienced practitioner with extensive experience treating children and infants, with many successes at the clinic.

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