Why did I decide to work with kids?
Acupuncture and herbs became the number one choice of treatment in our household for my children. After having my first son Finn in 2011 and Julien in 2013 and seeing first hand just how powerful this form of healing truly was, lead me to study with Robin Green, a specialist in the field of Acupuncture paediatrics. I was accepted into her Advanced Training Program in June of 2014 and it has been ongoing ever since. As my children age, so does the desire to work with pre-teen/teenage children. The balance I see that treatments can bring them is heartwarming!
By tapping into our children’s own ability to heal themselves we can influence their health in a very profound way, helping them grow into stronger, healthier, more confident and balanced adults. Acupuncture can treat things like; ear infection, asthma, flu/cold, constipation, diarrhoea, eczema, allergies, low immunity, digestive issues, emotional imbalance, ADD/ADHD, Autism, infant reflux and chronic illness along with many other emotional and hormonal imbalances that our children experience along their journeys towards adulthood.
Can acupuncture help my child? And is it safe?
Yes, it is highly likely that acupuncture can help your child with their health problem. A child’s qi and yang are so abundant! This simply means that they respond to acupuncture really quickly. I often recommend starting out with 4-8 treatments, once weekly, within that time your child should show signs of improvement. Your child’s body can heal itself, and the acupuncture helps them to do just that! Have confidence and trust in your child’s own ability to heal themselves! We will also often incorporate diet, supplements, herbs and NAET clearings if necessary.
Acupuncture for children is completely safe! I have had advanced training in pediatric acupuncture and would never do something to your child that I would not do to my own! I am comfortable and confident working with children and also know what red flags to look for in case a referral to your family doctor is what I feel would be best.
How are you going to get my child to sit still with the needles?
With kids under 8 we don’t retain the needles. We call them “taps” and they are gently tapped in and immediately removed. We don’t refer to them as needles simply because we don’t want the child to feel unnecessary fear or worry. We work with the child, if they are playing on the floor or on their parents lap, we accommodate that. The treatments are much faster than the hour long treatment an adult receives, because a child has such an abundant amount of Qi, they are able to respond much quicker to Acupuncture than an adult would. So the treatment sometimes only takes as little as 10-20min, and they do NOT need to SIT STILL (thank goodness for that right?!)
How Does Acupuncture work?
It is working with your child’s Qi (energy). Helping the Qi to flow smoothly through the meridians (pathways in the body where our Qi, blood and body fluids flow) The needles are reminding the body how to find its balance again, stimulating the child’s bodies ability to heal itself! It’s like a hose getting a kink in it, the water (qi) can’t flow properly, causing all sorts of problems. The “taps” help to get the “kinks” out of the meridians!
How many treatments will they need?
This all depends. How chronic is the health problem? It is recommended to start out with 4-8 weekly appointments. For something like Asthma for example it could take 6 months to a year or longer. Just like treating adults, it is recommended to have maintenance care after the body finds its balance to prevent other health issues from developing.
What can I do at home to make the treatments most effective?
It is always a good idea to follow the dietary recommendations as best you can to help your child in the healing process. As well as any other supplements that are recommended. Often times massage will be used and it is a simple technique that parents can do at home daily to support their child. TRUST, in your practitioners intent to help your child on this journey, your child’s bodies ability to heal ITSELF and in yourself for being the best parent you can be…..thank you for that! We also have guidelines to go over with your child before their first appointment, for example, we refer to the needles as “taps” to avoid any negative or scary thoughts towards the treatment!