Key Takeaways
- Acupuncture for kids is safe and effective, though historically underused due to children’s fear of needles.
- Finding a qualified pediatric acupuncturist is crucial to prevent potential injuries from improper techniques.
- Studies show significant pain relief in children after acupuncture, with improved school attendance and quality of life reported.
- Acupuncture can treat various conditions in children, including headaches, anxiety, and sleep problems.
- Mild side effects may occur, but severe issues only arise from inexperienced practitioners, emphasizing the need for trained professionals.
Acupuncture for Children: A Safe and Effective Pain Management Option
Why Has Acupuncture Rarely Been Used on Children?
Up until now acupuncture has rarely been used on children because kids are usually afraid of needles and the process can be terrifying for them. But some creative doctors have started to demonstrate to kids that these needles won’t hurt them by doing acupuncture techniques on the child’s parents first in front of them. This establishes a level of trust between the doctor and young patient.
What is Acupuncture?
A practice of inserting thin needles into the body at strategic points to treat a slew of health issues.
Finding a Qualified Pediatric Acupuncturist
The key point to make about children receiving acupuncture therapy is that you must find a practitioner that is trained and skilled in this unique technique because severe injury could result if acupuncture is not performed properly. The last thing that you want to do for your child that is already in pain is to cause more pain.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
The theory behind acupuncture is that energy flows throughout the body along various channels called meridians. The traveling energy is called qi. Qi is not always able to move through the body freely (free movement is the ideal condition) so chronic illness can result until the blockages are removed. Acupuncture removes harmful blockages and allows energy to start flowing freely again. It does have benefits for children.
Recent Studies on Acupuncture for Children
Pain Management Study at Harvard-Affiliated Children’s Hospital
- Conducted by Dr. Yuan-Chi Lin, this study examined 243 children (ages 6 months to 18 years) suffering from conditions such as migraines, endometriosis, and chronic pain.
- Before treatment: Average pain level = 8/10
- After one year of acupuncture: Average pain level = 3/10
- Parents reported improvements in school attendance, sleep quality, and participation in hobbies.
Additional Research Findings
- In a separate study, forty-seven children were examined and 59% of children showed improvement after acupuncture treatment.
- Studies on acupuncture for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Cerebral Palsy are ongoing, but results have yet to be published.
- One-third of pain centers for children in the United States offer acupuncture to children to help with pain management.
What Conditions Can Pediatric Acupuncture Treat?
- Headaches
- Nausea and reflux issues
- Sleeping problems
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Extreme fatigue
- Asthma
- ADHD
- Menstrual pain in teens
- Drooling
- Bedwetting
- Bone pain and disorders
Possible Side Effects
Most side effects reported are very mild but some severe side effects that have been experienced by children receiving acupuncture therapy from inexperienced practitioners have been physical deformity, nerve function loss, and infection. Please note that this was from inexperienced doctors that made mistakes during treatment. Mild side effects included:
- Bruising
- Crying
- Discomfort
- Nausea
- Temporary numbness at needle injection site
How to help my child succeed with acupuncture therapy?
As a parent, caregiver, or guardian, you want what is best for your child which is why you are looking into treating their pain with acupuncture in the first place. So what can you do to help ensure the treatment is successful?
- Show that you trust the doctor in front of your child to help them to build a trusting relationship with the doctor, too.
- Be perfectly calm during the process, your child will take cues from you so if you are nervous your child will be nervous too.
- Talk to your child during the therapy and keep them engaged with you in conversation or silly stories. Just be careful to not have the child talking or moving around too much or it will affect the therapy.
- Try introducing Acupressure therapy first if your child is deathly afraid of needles until you can mentally work them up to accepting therapy with needles.
Should Your Child Try Acupuncture?
Acupuncture cannot replace traditional medical treatments in all cases. For instance, diabetics will still need insulin even if they undergo acupuncture treatments because this therapy does not treat diabetics. Acupuncture has been successful in treating many forms of chronic pain in children and adults across the nation. We encourage you to research and check out if acupuncture may be a good fit for your family!
