Acupuncture for Children

Here at Washington State Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, we offer acupuncture for the whole family—adults, grandparents, and even kids. Many people are reluctant to take their children to acupuncture because so many kids are afraid of needles, but it’s becoming more and more common, and that’s because the benefits of acupuncture are undeniable.

One of the biggest reasons acupuncture is a good treatment choice for children is that there aren’t any side effects. Kids are often sensitive to medication, and many parents aren’t yet sure what works with their child’s body chemistry or allergies and what doesn’t, especially during adolescence. Drugs are almost always tested on adults, and don’t necessarily work the same way on children, and you’re never sure if some chemical might negatively affect your child’s development mentally or physically. Acupuncture is completely natural, and can be used not only to treat pain, but to treat a host of other problems children especially suffer from, including:

-Sleep problems
-Anxiety
-Fatigue
-ADHD
-Asthma and allergies
-Bedwetting
-Drooling

In 2011 study lead by Dr. Yuan-Chi Lin studied 243 children between 6 months and 18 years of age, all of whom had rated their chronic pain problem as an 8 out of 10, ten being the worst pain imaginable. These children were all forced to stay home from school because of back or stomach pain, headaches, or other chronic pain ailments. After a year of treatment with acupuncture, these children rated their pain an average of 3 out of 10, and had better attendance, sleep, and increased participation in extracurriculars.

There has also been research into using acupuncture to treat amblyopia, or “lazy eye.” A study with 88 children between ages 7 and 13 showed that 42 percent of children who treated their amblyopia with acupuncture correct the problem after three months, as opposed to only 17 percent who used an eye patch.

Here at Washington State Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, we also experience using non-needle acupuncture techniques on children. We offer acupressure, Teishin, and ensin, which are forms of puncture-less acupunture that presses on the same points and achieves similar results without piercing the skin. We also use laser pens, which also stimulate pressure points without needles, and will not burn your skin or produce heat. We've also used herbal patches, ear beads, and magnetic beads on needle-phobic children and other patients. Call us if you're curious about pursuing non-penetrative acupuncture solutions for your child!

The possibilities for pediatric acupuncture are incredible, and no parent should write off such a promising opportunity for treating their child’s chronic pain or other conditions. Call us at Washington State Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine today to talk about seeking help for your children!

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