PAEDIATRIC ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture is a safe and established treatment for a large number of health conditions. It is a time-honoured Oriental system of healing with a clinical history of over 3000 years, and which applies the principles of Classical Chinese philosophy to Medicine and sees mankind as an integral part of nature.

Acupuncture recognises a vital energy known as Qi which lies behind all life forms and life processes.  Qi flows throughout the body in channels or meridians and collaterals and it is on these channels that acupuncture points are found.

By looking at the internal conditions of the patient and using their subtle diagnostic skills, the practitioner aims to correct imbalances in the body through the insertion of a few very fine needles into specific points on the body.  The treatment focus is on both manifesting symptoms, the ‘Branch’ and the determined root cause, the ‘Root’.

Points chosen are unique to each individual’s health and will stimulate the body’s own powerful healing and rebalancing response from the inside out, to help restore a person to a state of good health and emotional wellbeing. 

How long has Acupuncture been used with children?

Paediatric Acupuncture has been a practiced speciality within Acupuncture for over 1000 years and it is widely practiced throughout the world.

One of the key ancient teachers of Chinese Medicine, Sun Simiao, wrote - ‘There is no Dao among the common people that is greater than the Dao of nurturing the young’.

When children are treated, particularly in the first and second cycles of life, ages 0 to 7 and 7 to 14, core foundational health is strengthened which impacts their whole life. This is why Paediatric Acupuncture holds such importance in clinic.

 There is growing clinical evidence supporting acupuncture with children, and many health professionals are recommending children to acupuncture – please see https://paediatricacupuncture.com/for-parents/ for more information and research.

Some common symptoms treated by acupuncture include: 

• anxiety, depression, stress

• nausea, digestive issues

• allergies including eczema, asthma

• headache and migraines

• ear pain and glue ear

• musculoskeletal pain

• fatigue, lingering virus

• sleep issues; night terrors; bedwetting

• teenage acne, puberty

• immune system support

• neurobehavioural - ADD, ADHD

• neurological - Cerebral palsy

Benefits of Acupuncture for your child or teenager

Acupuncture is a gentle and effective holistic approach to supporting your child from newborn to child to teenager.  Every mental, physical, emotional or behavioural symptom is viewed as your child’s vital energy (Qi) being out of balance, and in this light there is little an Acupuncturist cannot treat and support with, from a cough to sleep issues, constipation to asthma, digestive weakness to bedwetting, weak immunity to seizures, exam stress to chronic depression, colic to night terrors. Your child is treated holistically throughout.

Benefits include (as detailed by the leading body for Paediatric Acupuncture - HOPA).

 -       Helping reduce your child’s reliance on medication, for example steroid medications used in the management of asthma and eczema, or antibiotics in the case of recurrent infections - this is of course, always done in communication with other medical professionals

 -       Play a key role in illness prevention, supporting your child to remain healthy and happy

-      Effectively treat a wide range of mental-emotional conditions in your child – such as anxiety, low mood

-       Effectively treat a wide range of childhood physical conditions, some of which conventional medicine is often unable to help – for example chronic fatigue syndrome (possibly from viral exposure). Sometimes a child does not have any noticeable symptoms other than they simply don’t appear to be thriving. Acupuncture strengthens each system, supporting children to be stronger and happier physically, mentally and emotionally.

What will happen in an acupuncture treatment?

The first meeting has two key areas of focus - developing rapport with your child, who may well be nervous if it is their first time at a treatment, and reaching a Chinese Medicine diagnosis of the location and type of imbalance in the body.

A detailed case history will be taken through asking you, as the parent, and the child if old enough, questions about your child’s health and health history. Alongside this your child will be asked about their own lives - pets, school ..etc - this often relaxes the child, as well as informing the diagnosis, for in Chinese medicine your child is seen holistically. At times a pre-treatment phone call or zoom may be necessary to discuss the child’s needs beforehand.

Through the use of subtle, refined observation and touch, a diagnosis and treatment plan is determined.  With older children tongue and pulse diagnosis will also be used.

 With some conditions it is necessary to first clear the symptoms and then address the diagnosed root, however this will all be discussed with the parent, with guidelines on the time frame and regularity of treatments needed.

The treatment given will be a combination of needle and non-needle techniques and unique to each child and their needs. At each stage of the treatment your child will be explained exactly what will be happening and nothing is ever done without their feeling comfortable to ensure it is a positive experience.

Are all children needled?

Treatment techniques and approaches are different to adults due to the nature of their years and the quicker way they mostly respond.   While each treatment approach is unique to your child’s nature and needs for effectiveness, it is of equal importance that their experience is positive.  

The vast majority of children accept acupuncture, especially when practised in a ‘child friendly’ way.   Even children who do not want to be needled in the first few appointments, are then often happy to be needled some treatments in, once the relationship is built.  However, there is a small percentage of children for whom using needles is not the best approach – it may be your child is hypersensitive, or has ADHD or Autism, or is simply fearful of needles due to a possible past experience with a vaccination or in hospital.   Paediatric Acupuncturists therefore need to be able to draw on many additional Non-Needle techniques to fully meet your child and support them. 

Below are the treatment techniques which may be used with your baby, child or adolescent in clinic –

Needle Acupuncture

The needle approach used is very ‘child friendly’ and an almost pain free technique of inserting the needles.  The energy of children is extremely accessible, enabling quicker responses and also impacting my approach to needling.  A few key points to highlight when Rebecca uses acupuncture with children are –

-               very few needles are used

-               The needles are ultra-fine

-               The time the needle is inserted varies according to age - with children up to around 7, the needles are inserted and then immediately withdrawn.  As the child grows in age and also ability to remain still, needle retention time increases.  With teenagers it will be similar to adults, around 15-20 minutes.

Non-Needle Acupuncture Techniques

As shared above, I have a number of non-needle techniques to use where needed.  These may be a treatment on their own or combined where needed, or in addition to Needle Acupuncture.

PAEDIATRIC TUINA

This is a safe, effective, systematic medical approach which uses a variety of movements on different parts of the body.  These include stroking or tapping to stimulate a physiological or emotional response, depending on the focus.  The series of moves used will be unique to your child’s needs, and are all done on easily accessible parts of the body, such as the hands.   Rebecca will teach you how to do these on your child between treatments to support their healing process.

Paediatric TuiNa was born out of a mother’s innate intuition to touch, and therefore the moves are simple and easy - babies and children usually love it.

This technique is mostly used on babies and children up to 7, however, may occasionally be used with an older child.  It may be a treatment on its own, or combined with needles, moxibustion or aroma massage.

SHONISHIN

Japanese Shonishin has been practised for around 400 years and is another non-needle technique, despite the meaning of `Shonishin` being ‘little needle’.

The technique is practised using various tools to tap or stroke different areas on the body and is gentle, light and non-invasive.   It can, like TuiNa, be used as a treatment on its own or in combination with other techniques, and can bring profound changes in a baby or child as well as supporting teenagers on the autistic spectrum.

AROMA MASSAGE AND ACUPRESSURE

There are many therapeutic essential oils which can be used safely to support your child’s health.   If appropriate Rebecca will create a unique blend in relation to oils and dilution for your child and apply this through massage to certain areas with combined acupressure to selected points.  You may also be given blends to use at home with instructions. 

 Rebecca has been working with essential oils therapeutically as a fully qualified Aromatherapist for almost 30 years, and uses only highest grade, organic essential oils.

MOXIBUSTION

This is an ancient technique which involves warming selected acupoints or areas using a herb called moxa, also known as mugwort.   This is needed where there is energetic cold in the system, and the moxa will be applied to those areas to bring warmth and movement.

It is mostly applied with a long cigar looking stick which is burnt and held close to certain points or areas.  With older children and especially teenagers, loose moxa may be applied to the needle.

CUPPING

Cupping, like many other techniques, has been used for centuries within Chinese Medicine as an effective therapeutic medium.   

 This is an effective technique which helps support the body in clearing, for example, a cough or cold, or helping move the energy where there is stagnation, for example, where there is pain.

 With children, silicone cups are used which are easily manipulated to create a vacuum and placed on the area needed.

PRESS SEEDS and PELLETS

These are applied to specific acupuncture points on the body or the ear and offer gentle stimulation.  Depending on what is used, they will have different effects – for example using silver will help clear energy that needs movement, while gold will tonify an area low in energy.

These may be used in clinic, or will stay on your child to go home (if age appropriate), or I will give you seeds and instructions to apply and use at home - for example with a child with a cough for use at night, or a child with constipation.

HOME TREATMENT

There is much that can be done between treatments to support your child.  Paediatric Tui Na, Shonishin, Aroma Massage and using Seeds are all methods that you may be taught to do at home with your child.  These techniques greatly benefit the child both through supporting their health between acupuncture treatments as well as, of course, receiving your touch.

Guidance on lifestyle and diet are also given where appropriate.

OUR PAEDIATRIC ACUPUNCTURIST