Will Acupuncture Help Your Kid Or Totally Freak Them Out?

When it comes to kids and acupuncture, the first thing you should do is a little bit of research. Make sure to look for someone who is not only licensed in acupuncture, but specializes in kids specifically. Once you've done that, get excited—because there are two big benefits to kids' acupuncture. The first is that acupuncture works just as well on kids as it does on adults, and the second is that the needles don't have to be left in nearly as long for kids to absorb the benefits. "Disorders that are common to children such as common colds, cough, flu, allergies, asthma, digestive disorders, anxiety, depression, and adolescent-related hormone imbalances are all treated very successfully by acupuncture," says licensed acupuncturist and mom Jill Harrison. "When my daughter was an infant and she had a fever, I used needles and successfully lowered her temperature. Now that she is 6, I use acupuncture, herbal medicine, and cupping to help her treat all of the common ailments that kids get."

Tiffany Jackson, N.D., adds that acupuncture is great for kids because it's typically customized to fit each child's needs and temperament. "All aspects of a child's health are taken into consideration such as diet, digestion, sleep, energy, and immune function," she says.

An additional benefit of acupuncture for kids is that it's an excellent way to relieve painful symptoms without medication, which typically comes with a number of side effects that are especially hard on kids. Benjamin Katholi, M.D., a doctor at Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, recommends acupuncture for everything from sleep problems to stomachaches. "We can address multiple symptoms in a single treatment just by different point selection," he explains.

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https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/benefits-of-acupuncture-for-kids