Can Children Receive Acupuncture Treatments?

Acupuncture, which involves the insertion of needles, is a therapy that can be used for children over the age of eight. From infancy to adolescence, children of all ages can benefit from this relatively non-invasive treatment, as it helps to stimulate the central nervous system and encourages the body's natural healing abilities. Studies have shown that acupuncture can be just as effective as medication in treating certain conditions in children. However, further research is needed to draw appropriate conclusions about its effectiveness. A Cochrane review by Glazener et al.

found that acupuncture may offer some benefits compared to simulated acupuncture and a combination of pharmacotherapies, although the number of study participants was too small to draw any definitive conclusions. Butkovic et al. discovered that laser acupuncture was just as effective as metoclopramide, an antiemetic, in children undergoing general anesthesia. The incidence of vomiting in the first 24 hours after surgery was 25% in the laser acupuncture group, compared to 85% in the placebo group. Vas et al.

conducted a randomized trial comparing the effects of acupuncture with those of transcutaneous neurostimulation (placebo) in 123 participants with chronic neck pain. The patients were between 3 and 12 years old and all underwent strabismus surgery and received laser or simulated laser acupuncture before and after surgery. Somri et al. randomly assigned 90 children from 4 to 12 years of age undergoing dental surgery to receive acupuncture using a needle insertion group or intravenous ondansetron (IV) or intravenous saline as controls. Diener et al.'s study showed that acupuncture may not provide additional benefits to patients.

However, most acupuncture professionals also make recommendations for healthy eating, exercising, and reducing stress which can help to alleviate symptoms. Overall, acupuncture can be a beneficial treatment for children over eight years old. While further research is needed to draw definitive conclusions about its effectiveness, studies have shown that it can be just as effective as medication in treating certain conditions in children.