Acupuncture for Kids

Acupuncture Eases Kids' Pain, Anxiety

Children and needles might seem an unusual pairing, but doctors say a growing number of families are choosing acupuncture, in which thin needles are inserted into specific points on the body and manipulated by hand or with electrical stimulation with the goal of restoring and maintaining health. It's often performed when standard medicines or therapies don't work, have too many side effects or need a boost.

Acupuncture is increasingly being prescribed and performed by physicians in such traditional Western hospital settings as Children's. Last year, an analysis in the journal Pediatrics concluded that acupuncture was safe for kids "when performed by appropriately trained practitioners."

Officials at pediatric hospitals estimate that at least a third of U.S. pain centers for children offer acupuncture alongside traditional treatments. The federal government's National Health Interview Survey, which last asked about acupuncture in 2007, estimated that about 150,000 children were receiving the needle treatment annually for conditions such as pain, migraine and anxiety.

"People will often bring it up before I bring it up," said Jennifer Anderson, an anesthesiologist at Children's who also is a licensed acupuncturist. "I often treat patients with chronic issues," such as nausea and abdominal pain. "It's very helpful."

The American Academy of Pediatrics acknowledges that more young patients are undergoing acupuncture and other alternative therapies, and an article in its journal, Pediatrics, says a growing number of pediatric generalists and subspecialists are offering these services. It also urges doctors to seek information on such practices when families express interest, evaluate them on their scientific merits and pass information to parents.

To read the entire report, click here.