5 Reasons Why You Should Bring Your Child in for Acupuncture

One of the most common questions I get from parents when they find out that I specialize in pediatrics is "why would I bring my child in for acupuncture?" My response to that is "why wouldn't you?"

Acupuncture is a wonderful healing modality that works by taking the body out of fight or flight mode (which is what happens when your body is under stress), while also decreasing swelling and inflammation, increasing blood flow, boosting endorphins (the body's feel good hormones) and so much more.

These awesome benefits work well for both adults and children as well.

Children in particular are extra sensitive to acupuncture and get results quickly and very efficiently. Below are my top 5 reasons why I think parents should bring their children in for acupuncture.

1. It's Natural

Acupuncture involves the insertion of teeny tiny needles at specific points along the body in order to elicit a healing response. Because acupuncture works with your body in order to help it function optimally, it is a completely natural medicine. There is no medication being injected, just your body doing what it already does naturally.

2. It's Safe

Acupuncture is a very safe healing modality for your child. All acupuncture needles are single use and sterilized. Once they are used, they are then properly disposed of in a biohazard container. They are solid, not hollow, so there is nothing being injected into the body. Licensed acupuncturists go through thousands of hours of training in acupuncture school, including a thorough clinical rotation and specialized training in clean needle technique, so you can rest assured knowing that your child is not only in good (and thoroughly trained) hands, but that the environment will be clean and safe for them.

3. It's Effective

There are myriad studies demonstrating the effectiveness of acupuncture, and after years of firsthand clinical experience, we can personally attest to its effectiveness. Acupuncture for children is particularly effective for issues such as:

Digestive problems

Anxiety and depression

ADD/ADHD

Asthma

Allergies

Ear Infections and more

4. It Helps Prevent Future Issues

One of the greatest strengths of acupuncture treatments is that it helps to keep the body has healthy as possible in order to prevent potential future problems. This is true preventative medicine and children can absolutely benefit from this.

Regular acupuncture treatments can help your child to have fewer cases of colds and the flu, can prevent digestive issues, allergy and asthma flare ups and more.

And if your child does happen to fall ill, acupuncture can help them to recover faster and with fewer or no complications during their recovery phase.

5. Kids Love It!

Many find this hard to believe, but children really do love acupuncture! Once they try it out, the majority of children love it so much, they will begin to ask for it whenever they're not feeling well (or even when they're feeling perfectly fine!).

As soon as a child understands that acupuncture is a tool that helps them to feel better, they fall in love with it. How cool is that?

The Bottom Line

If you've never considered bringing your child in for acupuncture, I highly encourage you to mull it over. This is especially true if your child suffers from a condition that is causing them to have a poor quality of life. Acupuncture is such an effective, safe and natural tool, kids can and should reap the benefits from it so they can feel better, thrive and live their best and healthiest lives possible.