Children's Treatments

 

Acupuncture and Children’s Conditions

Some people are unaware that babies and children can be treated using acupuncture.

In China it has been used for thousands of years to improve children’s health and aid recovery from a wide range of illnesses and medical conditions.

It is considered a speciality, and requires specialist training and knowledge due to the differences in childrens physiology, pathology & semiotics. Acupuncture can help avoid or reduce the need for medication in many cases and can work safely in conjunction with conventional medicine, where a combined approach is appropriate for the child. As a practitioner of Paediatrics it’s amazing to see the effects that acupuncture can bring when working with children’s conditions. Please see below for just some of the conditions I have seen & treated in our clinic.

 

How do we treat children?

There are a number of methods that are very effective for the treatment of various children’s problems and in our experience the children respond very well to them. These methods include Acupuncture, Moxa, Tui Na (Chinese Medical Massage) and also dietary & lifestyle advice.

Each child has an individual treatment plan and therefore different methods are suitable for different patients, some find acupuncture works well, others might need a more delicate approach with moxa and painless point stimulation, others Tui Na (Chinese Medical Massage) or perhaps a little of each.

Treatments are suitable for all ages from babies to teenagers.

Acupuncture

Usually four to six points are chosen and very fine sterile, needles are inserted into the relevant points. This may cause a slight pricking sensation, much less than an injection or immunization. Some children cry a little, but are easily comforted after the needle is removed. It all happens very quickly, just a minute or so. Usually the child can stay on the parents/guardians lap while the treatment takes place, a nice safe place to be.

The treatment technique for children is very different than that of adults, the needles are inserted, manipulated and removed immediatly in one movement or on rare occassions, more so for older children and teenagers, they are retained (left in the patient) for a short time.

Saftey Infomation

The practice is very safe and the practitioner has undergone an extensive training for over five years and is fully lisenced and regiatered with the BACC, therfore folllowing all the standards and safe codes of practice. Also all needles are pre- sterised and are disposed of after single use.

Moxa

Moxa therapy also uses acupuncture points but instead of inserting needles into the points they are heated up by a smoulding herb stick known as moxa, it is prepared from the herb "mugwort" (Artemisa vulgaris).  The herb is rolled into a cigar shape, lit at the end and directed onto the acupuncture points. It is a very relaxing and pleasant sensation and a great alternative for the more sensitive child. Also it is great for all cold conditions (where child has pale face and suffers from cramps and colic)

TuiNa

Tuina (Chinese Medical Massage) also uses acupuncture points which are gently stimulated by hand. Since the pediatric tuina techniques are simple, parents can also learn and practice some of the techniques themselves and help the child's healing process by repeating the treatments at home.

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can offer help with many common pediatric complaints, including:

 

 

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