Acupuncture for Children

Acupuncture is a form of treatment that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. TCM teaches that energy flows throughout the body and that imbalances in that energy flow cause illness. In acupuncture, practitioners stimulate acupuncture points, usually by inserting needles into the skin, in order to restore the balance of energy. Consult your doctor before beginning an acupuncture treatment program for you or your child.

Traditional Acupuncture for Children

Childhood is the most “yang” phase of the human life cycle, according to TCM, and children’s qi moves more rapidly than that of adults. Because of this, illnesses occur more quickly, and children’s bodies are easily overstimulated. In the 1700s, a form of acupuncture for children called “shonishin” became popular in Japan. This method uses acupressure and non-inserted needles at traditional acupuncture points, and treatments usually last for briefer periods than acupuncture treatments for adults.

Modern Pediatric Acupuncture Techniques

Shonishin is still practiced today in Japan and elsewhere. Advances in technology, however, have enabled acupuncture practitioners to develop new techniques and technology for pediatric acupuncture. According to a 2008 review published in the "Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology," electrostimulation and laser acupuncture might be as effective as traditional, more invasive methods. The authors noted that these tools might be preferable for use with children who are frightened of needles and can't tolerate traditional acupuncture treatments.

Pediatric Conditions Treated with Acupuncture

Acupuncture can be used to treat a variety of issues in children, from night terrors to eczema. A 2008 review in the "Scientific World Journal" reported strong evidence in support of acupuncture as a treatment for postoperative nausea. The authors of the review noted that results have been slightly less conclusive in support of acupuncture for nausea after chemotherapy in children, although some benefit seems to occur. Other ailments for which acupuncture has been studied include bed-wetting, chronic or acute pain, and neurological disorders.

Considerations

Pediatric acupuncture often employs less invasive techniques than traditional acupuncture, however, when needles are used, they have been shown to frighten children. Other adverse side effects are rare, and the risk level of using acupuncture is low, similar to that of penicillin. The authors of a 2008 study published in the "Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology" note that the use of acupuncture needles in children is questionable because the mechanisms behind acupuncture are not well understood in Western medicine.