Alternative Holistic Health Care For Children

--Traditional Chinese Medicine Pediatrics

By Li Hua, L. Ac. TCMD.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pediatrics has long history. TCM pediatrics was mentioned in Chinese ancient documents when it was War Times (475BC – 221BC). TCM pediatrics thinks children normally are pure Yang body. Usually, their liver is hyperactive and their spleen is weaker. Generally, their heart is over active and their lung is fragile and their kidney is deficient. Their physiological characters are delicate organs, insufficient Chi and shape, and vigorous vitality. Their pathological characters are rapid pathological changes, clear nimble organs Chi, and liable recovery.

During children’s growing, their body and physiological function have several leaps from quantitative changes to qualitative changes. In the stage of fetus (from impregnation to birth), the pregnant women should balance mood, avoid radiation, prevent infection and have simple life. In the stage of newborn infant (from birth to the 28^th day), the infants should stay in an isolated, warm, and quiet room. Their mothers should feed them on time to set up their body clock, and avoid their skin injury. In the stage of infancy: (1) From the 28^th day to 1 year old, the babies gradually lose the immunity they have got from their mother. They are easy to get disease. So the supplementary foods should be added. And they should receive more sunshine and get immunizations on schedule. (2) From 1 to 3 years old, the children grow slower than before. Their physiological function is getting well. They are getting more teeth. Their languages and action skills, and thoughts are developed quickly. Because they go out more, they have more chance to get diseases. The lung and spleen are easy to be sick. Indigestion, malnutrition, allergy and asthma are the common problems after stopping nursing with milk. (3) From 3 to 7 years old, the nerve and mind are developing quickly. They are curious to the things around them. There are many accidents happened due to their curiosity or their ignorance. It should prevent from getting poison, falling down, twisting muscle and joints or bone broken. But their immunity is getting higher than before. In the stage of youngster (from 7 to 12), the children’s brain shape is coming up to the adult’s level. Their ability of comprehension, analysis and physical strength are improved. They are adapting themselves to the circumstances of schools and society. They are stronger than before to resist diseases. The illnesses they may get are similar like adults.

Diet is part of TCM. TCM thinks food and drinking can give people energy and also can bring illness to people. For example, if the children get the same food every day, they may malnutrition due to unbalance nutrition. If the children over eat nutrition, they may have indigestion problems. Generally, if the children eat properly, they will not get digestion problem. If the digestion system is normal, their immunities will be strong. The children will not get sick easily. If children’s digestion system is abnormal, they couldn’t get enough nutrition from the food and drink. They also couldn’t absorb the vitamins and minerals well that may influence children’s immunity. TCM usually treat health problems from their roots. I would regulate the children’s digestion system and make it function well with acupuncture, TuiNa (Chinese medical massage) or Chinese herbs. At the same time, it may be to add vitamins and minerals to take care of the symptoms.

It is true that children are nervous to acupuncture. That is reasonable. Because the needle used by western medicine is thicker and there are medicine liquids injected into the muscle, which cause pain. Acupuncture needle is as thin as hair. When acupuncture needle is applied into the certain acupoints, there is no pain or tiny pain like mosquito biting that child should stand. For children, needless acupuncture or quick acupuncture will be used that means not keeping needles in the acupoints. Sometimes, finger needle (acupressure, to use finger instead of needle) is used. Additionally, is it safety for children to take Chinese herbs? TCM points out that foods and Chinese herbs are the same source. It is recommended that children take Chinese herbs directed by TCM doctors. TCM with five-thousand-year history has provided abundance of methods to treat children naturally. If children use western medicine early or often, it may build up the resistance in children’s body system. For children, winter is good time to reinforce their nutrition. So children will grow well in spring and summer and will be not easy to sick. Children are our flowers, the sun at eight or nine o’clock in the morning, and our future.