There are a number of different techniques we use for your child, depending on their symptoms and their temperament. We’re used to working with all kinds of children so there is no need to worry. They don’t even need to sit still!
The symptoms we treat include: digestive problems (constipation, diarrhoea, tummy aches and pains, colic, wind, very smelly poos and wind, fussy eater), immune weakness (constant colds, flus, chronic coughs, recurrent ear infections, recurrent upper respiratory infections, UTIs, asthma), Skin conditions (eczema, school sores, rashes), sleeping problems, ADHD, troublesome teething, myopia related symptoms and more.
The techniques we use include: Acupuncture, Shonishin, Moxibustion, Chinese herbs and diet therapy.
Acupuncture
The same principles apply for children as they do for adults, however, children only need a quick in and out insertion of the needle rather than pins being left in for 10-15 minutes. The needles are fine and quick and the child hardly notices them at all. The other important point to note is that not many points are needed either because their Qi (energy) is so new and is easily restored to balance. For example, on a baby, I’d use one to four insertions which would take a second or two each. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s enough to create a powerful result.
Another example: A lady came to me with her six-month-old who had recently started solids. He had been very constipated that day and she was very concerned. I inserted the needle quickly and painlessly to ST-36 (two points on the front of the leg). I advised that she cut dairy out of his diet for a while and instead have chicken broth to get calcium and other minerals. Her child wasn’t constipated again after that. He only required the one treatment and the diet change.
For acute problems only one or two treatments may be required. However, there can be underlying deficiencies that can be strengthened and improved. This process takes longer, usually a month or two.
To read about acupuncture in more detail click here.
Shonishin
This is a non-insertive oriental medicine technique to improve the health of your baby and children. Shonishin is such a gentle yet effective technique that babies and children love to receive. It literally translates as “Children’s Needle Therapy”. No needles are used, instead, small metallic tools gently rub, scrape and tap the skin. This is all that’s needed to stimulate their growing energy channels, which in turn have incredible effects on their organ systems. Shonishin can treat a number of conditions from the very early stages of life to around five years of age.
Babies and children are different to adults in that their meridian (energy) system is developing and growing just as much as their physical organs are, and so a completely different form of treatment is required. A treatment involves your child sitting on your lap (unless they are older and are happy to lie on the treatment table) whilst their whole body is worked over with the gentle techniques.
The treatment can take any where from five minutes to fifteen minutes depending on the size of your child and how hyperactive they are. Your child doesn’t need to sit still. They are followed around the room receiving the treatment on the go if necessary. For an acute illness, the child will need two to three treatments in the one week as they respond quickly to energetic treatment. If the illness is chronic, which tends to be the majority of cases, the child will need treatment one to two times per week for two to three months.
As well as being good for physical conditions, it’s effective for emotional issues such as children who have been through a divorce or separation. It’s also effective in treating children who have had many falls or been in car accidents, have had tummy upsets regularly or don’t have a good appetite, are hyperactive, have autism or had many ear infections as a toddler.
If you’d like to read about moxibustion click here… we use this therapy to strengthen your child’s constitution and they love it because it feels nice and warm.
The diet and lifestyle advice we offer really works wonders. Chinese medicine has a particular way of looking at diet that is different to western nutrition. However, it works brilliantly. If you’d like to read a bit about this click here.
Rebecca Mar Young, Co-Director of the Red Tent and acupuncturist, is the lady who treats children. Click here to read about her. You may also wish to read up on some of her client’s success stories.
Web Child (Jan 2012) wrote about Rebecca and her passion for treating children with acupuncture, how and why it works. Read it here.