Children's health

THE CAUSES OF CHILDHOOD ILLNESS

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognises several different groups of causes for the disorders of childhood:

• External factors from the environment
• Chronic conditions due to incomplete recovery from an illness
• Emotional factors
• Food, e.g. feeding too little, too much, irregular feeding, unsuitable milk, too early weaning, weaning on unsuitable foods or food allergies -“Children’s Spleen often insufficient”
• Miscellaneous factors, including overexertion, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, over-stimulation, poisons, toxins (including food additives), birth trauma and heredity.

THE SPECIAL FEATURES OF CHILDREN’S DISORDERS

According to TCM, there are several major differences between adults and children:

• Tendency to overheat and develop a fever - “Children’s Yin often insufficient”
• Undeveloped immune system that puts them more at risk of developing infections - “Organs are fragile and soft, Qi easily leaves its path”
• Children become ill easily, and their illnesses quickly become serious
• Quick response to treatment and rapid recovery from illnesses - ”Yin and Yang organs are clear and spirited. They easily and quickly regain their health”
• Weak digestive system that can be easily overstrained -“Children’s Spleen often insufficient”
• Easily affected by strong emotions
• Strongly affected by the mother, so that the child may manifest the mother’s disorders - “Treat the mother to treat the child”

Pediatrics developed as a specialised branch of TCM during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The texts that were written during this period were the product of many generations of Chinese physicians skilfully adapting their methods to the diagnosis and treatment of children. Over the centuries that followed, there has been continuing growth and refinement in this area, as modern scientific methods of diagnosis and research have been applied.

Chinese Herbal formulas for children have been designed for the relief of respiratory disorders, digestive problems, failure to thrive and general weakness, skin eruptions and infections, disorders of behaviour and sleeping, urination disorders and teething.

Fast, non-retention methods of acupuncture are often used with children, as well as Laser acupuncture and moxibustion which is very popular. At Bayside Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Clinic, we also apply the Japanese methods of Shonishin pediatric acupuncture and massage techniques.