Pediatrics
Acupuncture can be an excellent tool for treating a myriad of pediatric ailments. Karl and Marcie both treat kids from infancy through their teenage years.
Some common conditions we treat in infants and toddlers are:
- Colic and reflux
- Trouble sleeping
- Constipation
- Frequent colds or illness
- Chronic cough
- Teething pain
Some common conditions we treat in children are:
- Headaches and migraines
- Sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma
- Seasonal allergies
- Chronic constipation or diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Chronic pain (link to pain page)
- Sports injuries (link to orthopedics page)
- Concussions
- Trouble sleeping
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Dental pain
Some common conditions we treat in adolescents are:
- All of the above, plus:
- Menstrual pain or menstrual irregularity
- PMS
- Hormonal acne
- Stress
- Depression
- Post-operative pain
- Dental pain
- …and many other conditions
Acupuncture and associated therapies have been shown to
- Release endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals
- Improve circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids
- Stimulate and rebalance the central nervous system
- Regulate heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension
- Reduce local and systemic inflammation
- Regulate the neuro-endocrine system and how parts of your body communicate with each other
- Reduce stress and anxiety
What to expect:
Our pediatric and adolescent acupuncture appointments are very customized to your child/teen’s age and comfort. For very young children, treatment does not use needles but consists of acupressure, magnet therapy, cupping or moxa as needed, or touch needling (no needle insertion or pain.) As children grow, we gradually start to introduce the idea of acupuncture needles – for most children this happens around age 6 or 7, but we find some younger children are fine with receiving acupuncture, and some children are more comfortable waiting until they are a little older. Children respond very quickly to acupuncture and acupressure treatment so their sessions are shorter – usually 20-30 minutes for a follow-up. Starting at age 13, we begin booking them for the full adult-length sessions (50-60 minutes for a follow-up.)
With infants and toddlers, we request parents stay in the room the whole time.
With children, we request parents stay in the treatment room for the first session, and after that the parent can decide whether to be in the room during treatment or not. We do require parents to be on site during all pediatric sessions, even if you don’t choose to be in the treatment room.
With adolescents, we request parents be on site for the first session – you and your teen can decide whether you will be present in the treatment room or not. For follow-up sessions, we do not require the parent to be on site during the session, provided the adolescent is comfortable and all consent forms have been signed by the parent.
The treatment plan for a child or a teen is very dependent upon what they are seeking treatment for and how long it has been going on. We will work with you and your child at their first visit to solidify a treatment plan based on their unique situation. If you’d like more of an idea as to frequency of visits prior to that first consultation and treatment, feel free to give us a call and we can let you know our preliminary thoughts.