A study done by the Children’s Hospital of Boston followed children for a year while they were treated with acupuncture for painful conditions such as headaches, back pain and other illnesses that caused them to experience moderate to severe pain. At the end of the study 70% of the children reported that they benefited from the treatment.

The recommended acupuncture treatment for children over the age of 8 is the same as an adult receives with the fine needles that are inserted at different points of the body. These needles are placed into designated acupuncture points which are responsible for flow of energy or Qi. Acupuncture works on the premise that the body can and will heal itself if the Qi is able to flow freely. Once the energy blockages are removed, the body will heal itself in time.

For children under the age of 8, or any child who is unduly fearful of needles, there is an acupuncture procedure which is called Shonishin. This is a session that is performed with instruments that are tapped or pressed over the acupuncture points. This method incorporates brushes, magnets, light electrical stimulation and cupping in its session and takes about twenty minutes to perform. The tools used in Shonishin are rounded, not sharp and are massaged on the child’s skin; they and made of silver, gold, or stainless steel. Great example of Shonishin instrument is a silver teaspoon. This method wields the same results without the use of needles. It is even safe to use on infants. Shonishin is Japanese in origin and was developed several hundred years ago in southwest Japan.