Chinese medicine can be used on kids as well!

A child is not just a small adult. In biomedicine, we know that children metabolize drugs differently than adults. Take Ritalin, for example. In adults it is a stimulant, however, in children, it is used to counteract hyperactivity. Children are, in a sense, a species all of their own.

According to Chinese medicine, it isn't until around age 6 that a child's meridians are formed. Until then, their energy is more freely flowing, and perhaps a little chaotic at times (does this sound like your young child? ;) ). Because a child's meridians aren't yet formed, an acupuncturist can't massage or needle the same points that they might on an adult.

But don't worry, there's still a lot that can be done to help your child! Just like in biomedicine, there is a pediatric branch of Chinese medicine. A child may be treated using massage (called Tuina - pronounced tweeNAH), acupuncture or herbs (or some combination of these).

Some common complaints for which a child may be treated using Chinese medicine:

*ADD/ADHD
*Colds & Flu
*Childhood Diseases (such as Chicken pox, Whooping Cough, Measles, etc.)
*Allergies
*Asthma
*Eczema

So, even though your child must be looked at differently from an adult, they can still get treatment for the things that ail them!