Children are our life and as parents, we will do anything to prevent them from suffering. There are times when medication is not the answer to alleviating discomfort within our children because of the side effects and reactions that may occur. As a mom of two little boys, and as a Holistic Medicine Practitioner, I know firsthand the benefits of holistic treatments. Becoming aware of what our children are consuming, including medications, is vital in protecting our children’s immune systems.
Acupressure is a form of therapy similar to acupuncture that is part of the comprehensive medical system of East Asian Medicine. According to this study, acupressure has been known to alleviate symptoms in children including stomachache, nausea, high fevers, toothache/teething, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and more. Acupressure is a technique where you use either a thumb or pointer finger to press on a specific area, similar to an acupuncture point, on your child’s body.
The points we choose are measured by proportions and landmarks within the body. When performing an acupressure point, it is important to find the areas of tenderness, press down with firm pressure, and do clockwise circular motions while instructing the child to breath deep for 5-10 breaths. If the child is not old enough to be instructed to breathe, you can hold each point down for a total of 10-30 seconds.
Children are the most likely to feel the benefits of acupressure faster than adults because they have an exorbitant amount of energy. In East Asian Medicine, we call this “Yang” energy and this energy can help a child to heal faster. Often they do not need to receive acupuncture needles, but rather acupressure can be just as effective.
I’ve walked through the most common pediatric acupressure points that I use in my practice. And if you click here, you can see a video of me performing acupressure on my son.
Yintang
Located on the forehead just an inch or so above the eyebrows at the center of the face
Benefits – Calms the mind, helps with ADHD
PC6
Located on the wrist, three fingers below the inside center
Benefits – Relieves hiccups, acid reflux, calms the mind
LI4
Located along the top of the head
Benefits – Good for teething, neck pain, toothache
SP6
Located in the center of the ankle, three fingers from the inner ankle bone
Benefits – Used for sleep disturbances, anxiety, gas and constipation
LI11
Located on the outside of the arm at the crease of the elbow
Benefits – Used to reduce high fevers
LIV
Location – located at the end of the crease between the big and the second toe, in line with the knuckle of the big toe
Benefits – Treats digestive disorders, childhood night terrors and insomnia
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