Acupuncture is a safe and effective method of treatment for children. Treatment of children involves rhythmic stroking, rubbing, tapping, and pressing the skin to give different kinds of gentle stimulation. Traditional Chinese herbs are particularly useful in the treating of childhood illnesses.
A child who is unwell is a concern for any parent and it can be emotionally and physically tiring. Even healthy children are extremely vulnerable to common viruses, allergies and illness. Often children are unable to communicate their discomfort accurately. Anti-biotics are used more and more frequently today for the treatment of childhood disease. We are all aware of the dangers of the abuse of anti-biotics and the development of stronger more resistant strains of bacteria.
Traditional Chinese Medicine can be used in the treament of many childhood illnesses including the following:
- Asthma
- Tonsillitis
- Sore Throat
- Bed wetting
- Eczema
- Dermatitis
- Acne
- Earache
- ADHD
- Red, sore, itchy eyes
- Conjunctivitis
- Myopia
- Headaches
- Emotional disturbances (nightmares)
Acupuncture for Children
Children respond well to acupuncture, they generally have strong energy and whilst they can get unwell very quickly they can also recover very quickly. The aim of acupuncture is to restore the child’s own vitality, strengthen their constitution and help their natural systems develop. Good health in childhood is the foundation stone for a long and healthy life. Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments reduce the risks of recurrent problems that could develop into more chronic lifelong conditions.
The technique for treating children is very gentle. Needles are not always used. They are generally only used when the child reaches the age of seven or eight or in the treatment of specific illnesses. Instead the acupuncture points are massaged, rubbed and tapped. Auricular acupuncture is often used. This involves the taping of seeds at certain points in the ear which represent different organs of the human body.
Where a treatment requires needles, there are generally only a small number of needles used. Usually between 2 and 4. Insertion of the needle can cause a slight prick but this is much less than the pain of an injection. During a treatment I will need to gently manipulate the needle. This may feel tingly or a little sore and sometimes there may be a few tears. Treatments for children are much shorter than for adults. They are much more responsive to acupuncture as their bodies are so young and dynamic. Treatments will often produce results fairly quickly with none of the side effects that prescription medicines can sometimes produce.
Chinese Herbal Medicine For Children
Chinese herbal medicine has been developed, tried, tested and in most cases proving to be affective. Herbal medicine has been in use for over 2,000 years. Herbal medicine for children aims not only to treat the symptoms but also to strengthening the bodies and minds of the child thus ensuring overall health.
Asthma and diabetes are some of the ailments and long-term conditions that respond well to Chinese herbal medicine. Chinese herbal remedies are effective because they are prescribed individually and are custom written for the specific needs of each child. Each formula can have anywhere from four to fifteen herbs and many herbs have anti-bacterial or anti-viral properties.
Chinese herbal medicines for your children are normally given to you in powdered form (older children may be given capsules). These powders can then be mixed in a drink, an apple sauce or mixed with some honey to disguise their taste. You will be given directions on the amount and number of doses for each day. Chinese herbal medicines are made from dried extractions of natural botanical material (roots, stems, leaves and plants). Many of these herbs can be found in modern day medicines. The powders are made and packed in modern sterile laboratories.
The Treatment
Treatments are kept brief. Generally speaking the older the child the longer the treatment. The clinic is child friendly with colourful surroundings, toys and books to help distract and keep children content during the treatment.
As all parents are aware young children have short attention spans and get bored very quickly. Initial Chinese medicine assessments and treatments usually last over one hour. In the case of young children this is not possible. In order to reduce the amount of time spent in the clinic parents are asked to complete a Patient Registration Form and a detailed medical history for the child and to submit the completed form a couple of days before their child’s appointment. After reviewing the completed documents I may contact parents by telephone before the treatment to discuss the medical history and the symptoms further.
