Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a medicine adapted to children aged 0 to 10.
TCM can be used as a preventive and/or complementary therapy to conventional medicine, particularly in the case of chronic disorders.
TCM practitioners help little patients suffering from digestive problems, sleep disorders, recurrent infections (ear infections, bronchiolitis, coughs...) or even food or seasonal allergies by means of pediatric Tui Na massage and acupuncture.
During your consultation, the therapist will determine the most appropriate treatment for your child.
"TCM for children" at the Clinique Naturelle with Eric ZhaoASCA and RME certified therapist.
Tuina massage for children
Pediatric Tuina, also known as Xiao er Tuina. Translated as "massage of the little ones", it enables children from birth to around 10 years of age to receive Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment without the use of needles. It's a gentle method adapted to children.
What's it all about?
It's a simple, painless, effective and above all safe technique designed to stimulate the organs and blood circulation through a combination of massage and gentle, regular movements (pushing, grasping, rubbing, pinching, kneading) along the meridians and on certain areas of the body.
The benefits of Tuina for children
The effectiveness of pediatric Tuina is remarkable for common ailments, but it is also very effective in curing and relieving children's pathologies such as :
- Digestive disorders
- Constipation
Reflux - Colic
- Coughing
- Fever
- Ear infections
- Sleep disorders
- Restlessness
- Growth spurts
- Loss of appetite
- Muscular torticollis
- Childhood diseases (chickenpox, whooping cough)
- Skin problems
How does the session work?
During the first session, the therapist discusses with the parent the imbalance(s) observed, the child's complaints and lifestyle habits. He then establishes an energy balance by observing his tongue, measuring his pulse and palpating his abdomen.
Following this anamnesis, the therapist asks the child to sit or lie down on the massage table, and then sets up the treatment protocol.
Sometimes, for a few days after the session, the therapist may advise parents to continue the treatment at home by massaging specific points.
The therapist generally recommends 3 sessions for optimum results. For toddlers, 30-minute sessions are sufficient.
The effects of Tuina are rapidly visible.
Parents attend all sessions.
Pediatric Tuina - Baby massage
A few explanations
Acupuncture for children
At what age can my child receive acupuncture treatment?
From birth, a baby can receive acupuncture treatments and continue to do so throughout childhood and adolescence. Treatments are adapted to the child's age. A child just a few weeks old will not receive the same treatment as a 10-year-old.
As children have a lively vital energy, the results of acupuncture on them are generally very rapid.
How does the session work?
During an initial consultation, the therapist takes an anamnesis of the child and establishes an energy balance by observing the child's tongue, measuring the child's pulse and palpating the child's abdomen.
The acupuncturist takes the time to talk with the parent, and ask the questions necessary to establish the child's state of health. How did your pregnancy go? Your childbirth? Has your child been ill since birth? What are his or her eating habits? How does he sleep? Do you have a family medical history?...
After this anamnesis, the therapist installs the child. Depending on the child's age, he or she may be alone on the massage table or sitting on the parents' lap.
The therapist then places very fine needles on certain strategic points. But unlike acupuncture for adults, there is no pause for the needles. They are quickly removed.
In general, it's best to start acupuncture treatment as soon as your child shows signs of any kind of infection (earache, runny nose...). Treating your child as soon as symptoms appear increases the effectiveness of the treatment.
Children can also receive acupuncture treatments as a preventive measure, to increase their resistance to future infections.
Is it painful for my child?
n their first year of life, children are often unaware of the gesture. For older children, it's important to explain and reassure them. When the needles are inserted, they may feel a slight tingling or heaviness in the area concerned, but nothing more. It's more surprising for parents than painful for children.
How many sessions are required?
Unlike adults, children don't have strong, ingrained energy imbalances. Their energy is much more vivid than that of adults, so results are faster.
The number of sessions, and their frequency, depends on the severity of the symptoms, their evolution and the child's state of vitality. Generally speaking, 3 to 5 sessions are required.
When can I use acupuncture for my child?
Acupuncture can be used to treat a number of disorders suffered by children, such as :
- Digestive disorders (diarrhea, constipation)
- Sleep disorders
- Influenza-like illness
- Skin problems (psoriasis, eczema)
- Allergies (food or seasonal)
- Asthma problems
- Anxiety disorders
- Concentration problems
- ENT problems (ear infections, sinusitis)
- Vaccine side effects