Pediatric Acupuncture to Treat Developmental Delays in Children
While acupuncture is one of the methods of Chinese Medicine, it’s more often thought of as being used on adults.
However, Chinese Medicine also offers pediatric acupuncture, traditionally called Shonishin, which translates as:
Shonishin = Sho (“little”) + ni (“children”) + shin (“needle”)
This Shonishin pediatric acupuncture offers treatment for many common ailments that children experience: colic and inner ear issues, to name a few.
But pediatric acupuncture can provide treatment for more serious developmental delays such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, and even intellectual disabilities and impaired vision. And overall, acupuncture has become a safe and natural way to treat developmental delays in children.
Take, for example, the following studies where acupuncture was performed on children to improve their lives.
Proven Case Study: Pediatric Acupuncture For Autism Spectrum Disorders
As mentioned, one developmental delay in children is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which can include a range of disorders from Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (atypical autism).
While there are many theories and suspicions as to what “develops” or “causes” autism, the Autism Society of America’s recent studies point to genetics.
Major autism symptoms—cognitive insufficiency and social communications— appear around before the age of three and display signs of:
- Aggression
- Hyperactivity
- Temper tantrums
- Short attention spans
Scalp acupuncture has proven to be an effective treatment, according to recent clinical observations conducted by the School of Chinese Medicine. Treating the five common symptoms—”impaired social interaction, delayed verbal communications, behavioral problems, noise sensitivity and food selectivity”—they improved conditions in 97% of 68 adolescents. What’s more, 75% of the adolescents experienced significant improvements.
Proven Case Study: Pediatric Acupuncture for Child Cerebral Palsy
One study by the US National Institute of Health found clear and positive evidence of acupuncture benefiting children with Cerebral Palsy.
In this particular example, a young 6-year-old boy who had little control of his upper and lower body, as well as had difficulty speaking, was stimulated with acupuncture around the scalp and ears once a week, then every other week for 15 sessions.
Here’s how that treatment unfolded:
- Week One: The boy’s speech improved, allowing his physicians to better communicate and understand him.
- Week Two: The boy gained movement in his legs, making him capable of kicking and even standing on one foot.
- Third Session: The boy began talking more and was able to dress himself.
- Fourth Session: Laughed with his physicians while under treatment.
- Fifth session: Strength and social abilities became stronger. He was even able to be physically active and communicate with schoolmates.
After 15 sessions, the patient had fully recovered and from there, only improved further.
Allow Naturna to Help
These are just a few examples of the effects acupuncture can have on a child with developmental delays. And if you’re the parent of a child with one of these conditions, know that we understand and want to help.
Also understand that if your child fears needles or generally does not invite physical contact, Naturna’s physicians carefully develop your child’s trust before even bringing out the tools. We know precisely how to make them feel more comfortable and secure.
Give Naturna a call to discuss your child’s unique needs.
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781770/
https://cmjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13020-018-0189-6
