How to Prepare Your Child for Acupuncture Treatment

For the parent of a child with special concerns, whether those concerns are for the child’s physical, medical, emotional, cognitive, or behavioral well being, there is little literature available that thoroughly addresses the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in pediatric patients. As the clinic coordinator of a medical acupuncture service in a major pediatric hospital, the physicians I work with and I are striving every day to provide information to parents and to other health care providers, in order that we might achieve our goal of de-mystifying the use of CAM in the care of children. Acupuncture is one of the most commonly utilized, yet least understood forms of CAM.

What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine?
Complementary and Alternative Medicine refers to therapies or treatments that fall outside the scope of conventional Western Medicine. When people think of CAM, they typically think of acupuncture, Reiki, guided imagery, massage, and the use of herbal medicine. However, many other therapies fall into the CAM category. Prayer therapy, for instance, is one of the most prevalent forms of CAM utilized, as well as music therapy, pet or animal therapy, and even chiropractic care.

What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture, a commonly utilized form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, is a treatment that has been practiced for over 2,000 years. First used in China, acupuncture employs the use of hair-fine needles inserted into strategic points throughout the body. The points are known as “acupuncture points.” These points work together with one another, interconnected by systems called “meridians,” to help unblock the energy, known as “qi” (pronounced “chi”) in the body and restore balance and energy to the entire system.