Children & babies
Chinese medicine has so much to offer parents and their babies, children and teens.
It’s a natural system of medicine that includes information for helping with acute problems like respiratory infections, as well as sensible and time-tested advice for promoting long-term health and wellbeing.
Raising children with Chinese medicine knowledge
The ancient Chinese revered the Earth and the seasons. They paid attention to the effect of nature’s cycles on the human body. Scholars and doctors have left detailed instructions on how to harmonise with natural rhythms to enhance our health.
Much of this common-sense knowledge is becoming forgotten as we turn to high-tech solutions to our problems. While science and technology have brought amazing benefits, there is also a vast amount of low-tech advice that can help families to care for their health and wellbeing.
I sometimes call this “grandparent wisdom”. The focus is on fostering wellness, preventing illness, recovering well from eposides of illness and also building the potential of each person to become strong and resilient.
Treatments for children
Please feel free to call or email me if you’d like to ask about your child’s condition.
The strength of Chinese medicine is that we view the body in a very different way from Western medicine, so our way of analysing symptoms and diagnosing disease is different, and then of course the treatments are different too.
I use a range of treatments and I adapt them to suit each child, each time they come to the clinic.
Sho Ni Shin – this is a gentle no-needle Japanese technique to open up and clear the energy pathways, drawing out unhealthy energy and nourishing good energy. A full Sho Ni Shin treatment can take 15-20 minutes, but I do a shorter version depending on the attention span and needs of the child, focusing on the areas that need it most. Luckily, when it comes to treating children we say “Less Is More” – which means babies and little ones just need simple instructions.
Qi Gong – this is Chinese energy medicine, similar in some ways to Reiki. Children love receiving Qi Gong treatment – they are usually very open to it and they find it relaxing and nurturing.
Acupuncture – I can use Acupuncture two ways – one is holding the needle just above, or resting on the skin, while directing the energy using Qi Gong techniques. The second way is to use standard acupuncture with the needle passing through the skin. Some parents may be wary of using this form of acupuncture for children, but rest assured most kids are absolutely fine with it and barely even notice it’s happening! The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed they are, and the easier it is.
Sometimes the standard acupuncture therapy is really the right treatment that day and will bring the quickest results. I always work with the sensitivity of the individual child.
The length of treatment depends on the child and their age. Acupuncture for babies is quick – just really touching on each point and only using around 2 or 3 acupuncture points. Wriggly toddlers are the same – just in and out, either while they sit on your lap or playing with toys. From about the age of five or six, they are often OK to lie on the massage table for an adult-style treatment, but still only for a few minutes. The older the child, the longer the session, but always in accordance with the child’s temperament. A child of about twelve years old can normally receive a standard 30-minute session.
Herbal medicine – Some issues are best addressed with some simple herbal formulas. A range of formulas is available for various childhood health issues. Herbal formulas are available in different forms such as pills, powders, water-soluble granules or herbal teas.
Is acupuncture safe?
Acupuncture for children is considered safe when given by practitioners with appropriate training and skill. All health treatments carry some risk, and these risks will be explained to you.
Other therapies
Sometimes I like to refer parents to do other treatments alongside Chinese medicine – such as osteopathy, craniosacral, naturopathy or chiropractic etc. The combined effect of these therapies can be really powerful. If you are already using other forms of natural medicine for your children then please feel free to come along and see how Chinese medicine can help you round out these other approaches.
Chinese medicine and your GP
I see Chinese medicine as “Complementary Medicine”, not “Alternative Medicine”.
What does that mean? “Complementary” means it goes alongside, it fills in the gaps and it has strengths that balance the weaknesses of Western medicine. It is not an “alternative” to Western medicine, meaning it is not supposed to replace Western medicine.
Every parent is well advised to have a trustworthy GP that they can turn to for advice (and sometimes simply reassurance). Having said all that, it can be quite empowering for you, as a parent, to realise that there are also lots of home-care, common-sense and natural ways for you to care for your child’s health.
For further information
If you would like to know how I can help you and your child, please contact me or request a free 15-minute consultation at the clinic.
