First of all, why would you want to bring your child in for treatment? Acupuncture and craniosacral therapy are very effective and safe treatments for children’s health. They benefit a wide range of children’s health issues ranging from colic and constipation to poor sleep and behavioural issues to recurrent ear infections and asthma, and much more. They can also be beneficial for children with autism, focus issues such as ADD and ADHD, and sensory processing disorders. To find out more about the specific treatments offered to children and some of the health benefits, read the children’s health page here.
Planning for the first visit
Here are a few tips to help your first visit go smoothly:
If your preschooler or school-aged child will be coming in for acupuncture, it is wise to avoid use of the word “needle” whenever possible, since it tends to be associated with the discomfort of immunizations. Acupuncture needles are much finer and are inserted only very superficially and briefly for children, so they feel much different (infants and young toddlers rarely ever cry when receiving acupuncture). In clinic, I generally use the term “whiskers” or “taps.”
If you are coming with a toddler or preschooler, feel free to bring an iPad or tablet with you or have shows handy on your phone for your child to watch. Children don’t need to stay perfectly still during treatment, but this age group tends to be very active, and having something to watch tends to allow them to relax and be comfortable sitting for longer periods of time.
If your child has a special stuffy or doll at home that they like to sleep and play with, they are welcome to bring the stuffy to the appointment. The stuffy will provide comfort and familiarity for your child, and at the end of the treatment, I can show your child how to do some of the non-needle techniques they experienced on their stuffy; or if they are nervous the first time, sometimes the stuffy goes first. Many children love this opportunity to play doctor for their stuffies.
If you have an infant and are coming for a craniosacral therapy treatment, be prepared to breastfeed, or have a bottle on hand if you are bottle feeding. It is very common for infants to get hungry during the treatment and craniosacral therapy can be done very easily while they are feeding.
And please come prepared to stay with your child for the entire duration of the treatment.
What to expect after the treatment
Acupuncture and craniosacral therapy are both very calming to the nervous system, so children may feel relaxed and possibly sleepy after treatment or they may be hungry, so it’s good to have a snack and drink on hand for after if necessary.
Children generally have great sleeps for several nights after the treatment as well as better digestive system function. Many short-term issues for which treatment is sought resolve within a few weeks of treatment. More long-term issues may take a few months of weekly treatment to respond, but rarely reoccur once they have resolved.
Have any questions? Please contact us
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