Pediatric Acupuncture is a perfectly safe and virtually painless treatment that is becoming more and more mainstream. Statistics show that 2.1 million people in the U.S population have used acupuncture for treatment during the last 12 months, which makes up 0.7% of the population. The practice is now being used in pediatric care as more and more medical facilities include it as one of their services. Currently, one third of pediatric pain centers offer acupuncture as a form of treatment.
Acupuncture for children, or pediatric acupuncture, can be used in the treatment of a host of health conditions, and with positive results. Given the nature of how acupuncture works, it is important that trust is established and the patient is comfortable. We have a number of ways to gain rapport and ease anxiety if a child is apprehensive at first.
Also, there are equally effective (and less frightening) treatment methods we could use, such as Chinese cupping, Chinese herbal formulas, homeopathic remedies, acupressure and others. You’ll be surprised. Oftentimes children become at ease with the practitioner and are willing to try some gentle acupuncture.
At our clinic in Boca Raton, we offer acupuncture for children to treat a wide scope of conditions including digestive problems (like colic, diarrhea, tummy ache and constipation), recurrent respiratory problems, immune weakness, allergy and asthma, sleeping problems, skin conditions, ADHD, anxiety and many others.
Digestive disorders
Babies can have weakened digestive systems which can be the cause of a number of digestive complications such as acid reflux, colic, and hernias. Such problems cause discomfort that can affect the baby’s sleeping pattern. All of these conditions can benefit from acupuncture and acupressure, which allow a child’s stomach to develop in a healthy manner.
Anxiety
The use of acupuncture for anxiety is nothing new for adults and it can be just as effective in children. Children’s stress levels increase as they continue to grow and the levels vary from child to child. We offer acupuncture for stress relief, as it works to calm down our pediatric patients. Children with a lot of anxiety and stress experience longer periods of calm with regular treatments.
Asthma
Asthma is known to be a prominent pulmonary disease affecting both adults and children. 8% of patients affected by the disease start experiencing breathing difficulties from the young age of 6. Though conventional medications can be very effective in managing the condition, more people are searching for alternative treatments rather than normal medicinal solutions. One of the main reasons is because they are safe and low risk. Pediatric Acupuncture is particularly popular for treating children with asthma since parents want to keep their children away from steroids and inhalers. Acupuncture works especially well when combined with herbal treatments.
Insomnia
Insomnia in children can be the cause of lethargy, behavioral problems, memory problems and short attention spans. Acupuncture is used to treat insomnia in adults and can work just as effectively in kids. Pediatric Acupuncture is aimed at the underlying problem when used to treat insomnia, which is a totally different approach to administering sedatives to induce sleep.
Bed wetting
Children typically learn bladder control by the age of 5. However, it can cause a lot of anxiety and stress if the child is still having trouble past this age. Bedwetting is an ordinary part of potty training, and it is worth noting that each child develops bladder control at their own stride. Pediatric Acupuncture is effective in treating bedwetting because it deals with the neurological and hormonal issues involved, which often play into the challenge of having dry nights.
Allergies
Children have an especially fragile immune system as it is still developing and can have a reaction for something as fickle as pet dander or pollen. There is a host of conditions that are brought about by allergies such as hay fever, insomnia, behavioral problems, eczema, asthma and digestive problems. The application of acupuncture in the treatment of allergies is very effective and offers speedy relief when used in pediatric patients for allergies. The needle retention time is adjusted according to the child’s age and you would be surprised how well the child takes it.
Pain
A lot of studies have pointed out the success of acupuncture for pain treatment. As a matter of fact, pain treatment is one of the most effective applications for acupuncture as it can treat pain from various health problems such as headache, back ache, abdominal pain, knee pain and shoulder pain. Parents who have taken their children for pain treatment have reported that the treatment is highly effective and offers long-term relief with regular sessions.
ADHD and behavioral disorders
Behavioral disorders in children can develop from different ages. With such conditions, the problem may go unnoticed and thus untreated since the symptoms seem like habits the child will eventually outgrow. However, when noticed in time and treated, the conditions can subside and never be a problem again in the child’s lifetime. Acupuncture functions very effectively when it comes to the treatment of behavioral disorders such as bipolar disorder and ADHD in children. Pediatric Acupuncture works even better when combined with Chinese herbs and sometimes dietary changes play an important factor as well.
There are non-needle options as well!
When it comes to pediatric acupuncture, we realize that there are children who just can’t get around their fear of needles to undergo the process. The good news is that not all treatments involve the use of needles. These treatments, listed earlier, are painless, easy to administer and offer the same results.
What is treatment like?
Our treatments are designed to suit every child according to their individualized needs, ensuring both parent and child are fully aware of the focus of the treatment plan and desired outcomes. Acupuncture is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine that views the body holistically and focuses on the internal energy systems of the body.
We combine our alternative treatment methods with conventional wisdom to ensure each child gets the best care for any condition. This gives your child the first line of defense against any ailment and keeps them away from the negative side effects of pharmaceuticals when such is needed.
Consultations are always free. Give us a call today!
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