Acupuncture for Pediatrics NYC

Acupuncture is a safe and effective option for children as early as 1 week old. Colic is the condition when a baby cries uncontrollably for no apparent reason. Often the culprit is gas. While colic goes away on its own typically after 6 months, studies show that acupuncture dramatically speeds up recovery. It can help to make your baby (and you) more comfortable during those early weeks or months.

Allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever), food allergy, and eczema, are common for kids and adults alike. An allergen is any chemical substance of non-microbial origin that triggers an immune response in your body. An immune response is when your immune system, thinks the allergen is a foreign invader and overreacts by producing antibodies that produce an allergic reaction. Allergies, can be managed through proper treatment and prevention. Acupuncture is incredibly effective at helping mediate the symptoms associated with seasonal allergies and other allergic reactions. In fact, in 2015 The American Academy of Otolaryngology Clinical Practice Guideline recommended acupuncture for patients with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) who were interested in non–pharmacological solutions.

It’s no fun when your child complains about a sore tummy. The digestive system is very delicate, and even slight changes to diet or lifestyle can throw the whole system out of balance. Acupuncture can help by improving current digestive function as well as setting the stage for more consistent and regular digestive health. For more information about acupuncture for digestive health, click here.

Asthma can range from mild to the more severe cases where an individual is unable to engage in a variety of daily activities. Asthma can develop at any time but is most commonly seen in children under the age of eight. In a randomized control trials, acupuncture was shown to significantly increase children’s and adolescents peak expiratory flow, as well as reduce asthmatic symptoms.

As crazy as it sounds, acupuncture can actually stop your little one from wetting their bed. Also called enuresis, Traditional Chinese Medicine views bedwetting as a problem with one’s kidney and urinary bladder. Enuresis is an unconscious release of urine, most commonly occurring when young children are asleep. It can often be linked to emotional trauma, anxiety, and constipation. However, with a combination of Chinese Herbs and regular acupuncture treatments, bedwetting can be reduced significantly. Acupuncture helps reduce general anxiety and constipation, while the Chinese Herbs can bring back the child’s kidney energy back to a normal flow.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a common developmental disorder that affects roughly 3-9% of school–age children. ADHD affects a child’s ability to function in any social setting, whether that be at school or at home. The majority of children that have ADHD will continue to experience symptoms into their adult lives, so learning how to manage their symptoms early on can help as they age. Symptoms of ADHD include inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, inability to finish assigned tasks and forgetfulness. Currently, scientists are unsure of what causes ADHD, but various treatments such as acupuncture have shown promise in managing its symptoms. Acupuncture is able to focus the mind and rebalance the body, helping reduce symptoms of ADHD without any adverse side effects and can easily be incorporated with other treatments like medications and psychotherapy.

While anxiety and stress are a normal part of childhood, sometimes these feelings become overwhelming for young people. Acupuncture, can soothe the nervous system and improve blood flow to the proper organs, helping to decrease the body’s natural stress responses, which not only will regulate physical health, but also decreases the release of stress hormones like adrenaline. The benefits of acupuncture for stress and anxiety are supported by research done at Yale University’s School of Medicine with a blind, randomized control trial showing that acupuncture treatment can be effective for people experiencing regular stress and anxiety, as well as symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

For children with muscle pain and soreness, they are likely to feel relief after just one session, and continue to feel a relief of their pain for days after the treatment. Regular acupuncture treatment is key to maintaining pain relief but the good news is that children often require less acupuncture than adults to achieve long term relief. This is because vital energy is stronger when we are younger. We essentially heal faster. For more information about acupuncture for pain relief, click here.