Acupuncture for Children in Portland Oregon

Acupuncture has many great successes for children, from toddlers to teenagers. Many different conditions can be treated with acupuncture on children, including allergies, sinus congestion, respiratory issues, frequent colds, sleeping issues, insomnia, nightmares, digestive issues, night terrors, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), ADD, ADHD, Autism (ASD), anxiety acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, constipation, rashes, skin issues, eczema, cradle cap, teething pain, re-occurring ear infections, body pain,and growing pains. Parents who turn to an experienced acupuncturist often discover great results even for their child’s bed-wetting problem. Several studies show acupuncture works for many youngsters who have wet the bed at night. There are excellent acupuncturists in Portland Oregon, who are very skilled in treating children.

Pre-Teens, teenagers, and young adults will also experience huge benefits from receiving acupuncture for many issues that arise at that point in one’s life. This includes menstruation issues, heavy, light, or painful periods, PMS, emotional or behavioral difficulties, digestive disorders, acne, and the stress of just being a teenager.

Most parents will ask the question “How on earth will my child sit still for acupuncture?” A great acupuncturist realizes that the most important thing is to allow the child to feel that they are in control. Otherwise, the thought of needles will be enough to frighten many children, causing them to cry and squirm. Children respond very well to a combination of acupressure and acupuncture. Starting with acupressure by just pressing the acupuncture points, an acupuncturist can gauge the child’s comfort level. This helps them to get comfortable. Just like adults in acupuncture, it is so very pertinent that they feel safe and secure.

A common first treatment for a kid is similar to an adult in that it is a chance for the patient and practitioner to meet. That initial treatment will typically last from 45 minutes to an hour. If the child has a favorite stuffed animal, the acupuncturist can use the toy to “practice” on first, making acupuncture less scary. The child can even pretend to give acupuncture to their stuffed animal, helping them to feel that they are in control. A child will then be far more willing to allow the acupuncturist to at least put in one or two needles. The acupuncturist always makes sure that the kids feel very comfortable, and again, they don’t feel as though someone will sneak up or surprise them. It’s good to talk with the child about other things, such as their favorite toys, their favorite game, or the acupuncturist and the child can even sing a song together. Sometimes, even simply counting to twenty or thirty while they sit with the needles is enough, then the needles come out. Kids do not need near the retention time or relaxation time with acupuncture needles that an adult would need. Children’s bodies only take a small amount of redirecting to be brought back into a balance. The results can be quite amazing. Children are very fast to respond, and quite often their ailments are vastly diminished after just that initial treatment. Some kids may end up even looking forward to their acupuncture appointments.

Depending on the age and personality of the child, sometimes the parent will do lots of explaining and answering questions, and often it will be a combination of what the child feels and the parent sees. Kids very often enjoy playing while the acupuncturist and parent are all talking and then the practitioner can usually simply transition into treatment by engaging with the child in whatever they are playing with. After talking, a lot of kids are ready to jump up on the treatment table and begin, but if the child seems hesitant or wary, it’s easy to just get down on the floor and play with them at their level while beginning the treatment.

With this in mind, each acupuncture treatment looks slightly different, for it is tailored to meet the needs and ailments each child. Some kids like to sit with the parents on the acupuncture table, while others prefer to recline back like adults and relax. Some children, often the two-to-four-year-olds, just like to play with their toys while they are treated. The acupuncture treatment often consists of acupressure and then one to six needles, depending on the age and comfort level of the child. Usually with kids under nine or ten, the needle will be inserted and only left in for a few seconds and then taken out. Some children will only receive acupressure, and this is alright. Older children and teenagers can receive a treatment consisting of about four to six needles. Often, they will become very relaxed, and end up simply taking a nap.
After the treatment, the acupuncturist will apply earseeds. These are tiny metal balls held on by clear plastic tape that are placed on particular pressure points residing on the outside of the ear. These points can be pressed on in the week following the treatment by the child, and they serve to reinforce what has been done in the acupuncture treatment. This helps to remind the body of the balance that has been created.

For younger children, the earseeds can be applied to other body points, such as points on the legs and arms. These are used as reminders for the parents and they can be pressed on at home, at times such as before bed and first thing in the morning. This also serves that same purpose of carrying over the treatment. Sometimes the acupuncturist can also prescribe a Chinese herbal formula in tincture form, making it easy to give to a child. These Chinese herbal formulas can be very beneficial for conditions such as insomnia, anxiety, digestive issues, ADD, teething pain, asthma, and frequent coughs and colds.

Children respond to acupuncture very well, and they often recover from their health issues quite fast. Children’s bodies are so close to perfect, and sometimes it just takes one or two acupuncture treatments for their symptoms to quickly disappear. Some health disorders will of course take a longer time to treat, but you and your child will hopefully perceive a change and improvement after only the first one or two acupuncture treatments.

For more information about acupuncture for children in Portland, contact a qualified acupuncturist today!

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