Children's Health
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine have, in the last two decades, become a well accepted part of health care for many Australians. However, it is only fairly recently that people in the West have realised that these therapies are also tremendously effective at treating childhood illnesses.
According to Chinese Medicine the underlying cause of many early childhood problems relates to poor digestion, and the inability of the child to fully digest food or to eliminate waste from the digestive system. By strengthening the child’s digestive system, many of the child’s symptoms can be corrected. Newborns in particular, are most often treated for digestive problems, such as colic, constipation, nappy rash and abdominal pain as a direct result of their immature digestive systems.
Alternative to Antibiotics...
A wide variety of childhood ailments respond well to acupuncture allowing us to avoid the overuse of antibiotics and other medical procedures.
Some of the complaints we successfully treat in children and adolescents are:
- Poor weight gain in infants
- Poor immunity (getting regular colds and flu’s)
- Asthma
- ADHD
- Teething
- Bedwetting
- Difficulty sleeping
- Fussy eaters
- Ear aches
- Runny noses
- Sprains & sporting injuries
- Poor concentration and
- Exam stress
Children can be treated at the Centre or in the hospital in conjunction with current medical care.
So how does it work?
Unlike the needles used for inoculations, acupuncture needles are incredibly fine. The child usually feels nothing and is often so relaxed by the acupuncture that they fall asleep during the treatment. Sometimes, depending on the mobility of the child, it isnt necessary to use needles at all. Instead massage or a small amount of pressure using a special gold rod is sufficient to achieve the desired therapeutic outcome.
How long will it take to treat?
Generally speaking, the longer an ailment has been present, the longer it will take to treat. With children it often happens in a much shorter period of time than in adults, as their bodies are less polluted with toxins resulting from incorrect lifestyle, stress and dietary factors.
Please note that in some situations treating the mother actually treats and assists the child.
Acupuncture can also be very effective for treating post natal depression and mastitis.
Incidentally, it can also be used to treat infertility and any pregnancy related disorders eg morning sickness, gestational diabetes, hypertension..