Pediatric Acupuncture

Infants and children benefit from acupuncture and East Asian Medicine!

Just like adults, children benefit from acupuncture for a wide range of symptoms and conditions. It is however a little different than what most adults are used to at their own acupuncture sessions.

1) In pediatric acupuncture we often don’t even need to break the surface of the skin!

All acupuncturist have their favorite modalities, one of mine is an advanced form of acupuncture called shonishin. Shonishin is a Japanese style non-insertive form of pediatric acupuncture. I maintain and expand these skills by traveling to Japan to learn more with the greater international pediatric acupuncture community.

I also practice pediatric tuina which is the Chinese medicine way around using inserting needles for children.

Both the Japanese and Chinese methods understand that it is best not to scare children with needles. At some point, children will likely want to try a very tiny painless needle but that isn’t something I push.

These modalities work because a young person’s Qi is superficial and hasn’t necessarily stagnated into the typical points where we find them in adults.

If you have ever kissed an owie and your child has somewhat miraculously stopped crying…you have experienced this first hand. It’s not that the child was faking it, it’s that Qi follows intention.

2) Pediatric acupuncture treatments are often fast,

Children and infants are in a rapid state of growth, their Qi circulates faster and it doesn’t typically need quite as much guidance as an adult. My hands are trained to stop and to continue based on what they feel.

3) The therapeutic relationship is really important.

As a pediatric acupuncturist I take my time, there is plenty of space to talk, play, draw pictures, get into some stickers, have the Alexa play favorite songs or even fart sounds. Whatever your kid needs to feel welcome, relaxed, and a little engaged. The second they start to really feel their treatment sink in…they typically want to come back to it.

This is doesn’t tend to happen for kids who have to be convinced by their parents that this is all a good idea. The kids that benefit the most are the ones that decide on their own that they like what’s going on in the clinic. I do my absolute best to give them a plethora of options that they could try and ample space to feel comfortable with them. I’m a mother of 5…I kinda like kids and they typically like me back.

What goes on in the clinic?

Shonishin - Japanese pediatric acupuncture that has needles that do not break the surface of the skin. They are large, typically somewhat blunt, and can be shaped like fish or a little gingko leaf.

Moxibustion - Dried mugwort (an herb) that is either burned near or on the surface of the skin. Typically direct moxa is only used with older children. Indirect moxa however is pretty lovely at just about any age. I love moxa for children experiencing anxious feelings, those who are grieving, and for those that are wetting the bed. The moxibustion I use is of an incredibly high caliber. It has notes of cinnamon and sweetgrass.

Tiny little sticker needles - I know it makes no sense that you would ever want a sticker with a needle on it on your body for any amount of time. They are however virtually imperceivable, and oh goodness they work fast. Teething toddler? Ear ache? Cough? Any sort of pain? Let’s try a couple of stickers.

Cupping and Gua Sha - They are different, but for kids I use them fairly similarly. They are my “go to” for coughs that just won’t quite go away.

Tuina and Shiatsu - Massage techniques one from China, the other is from Japan…they both work incredibly well for treating children for a myriad of issues. Pediatric Tuina was actually the primary method of treating children in China before modern needles.

Herbal formulas - There is a Chinese herbal formula for pretty much everything. There are multiple Chinese formulas for pretty much everything. Worried that your child might not take the formula? I have some fun work arounds. The only formulas that work are those that the patient takes.

Diet and lifestyle - TCM nutrition shows us how to make a daily impact on your child’s conditions. You can almost always count on me for a good recipe to incorporate some of these ideas.

Acupuncture (that does break the skin) - Typically reserved for older children or if we are working on a condition that would respond best with insertive needles like scalp acupuncture. I use the absolute smallest ridiculously thin needles that are actually made and my technique is excellent. These are facts.