As an acupuncturist, I often talk with parents who are desperate to help their kids with digestive problems. The good news is that acupressure, herbs, and massage provide many ways to get children’s sensitive digestive systems working well again. One four-year-old boy came to see me with persistent constipation. Matthew’s parents told me that he’d been having trouble with digestion since he was an infant. They had tried a variety of home remedies that didn’t help that much. As he got older, Matthew became very particular about when and where he would have bowel movements, and his parents described it as an “ordeal” to make sure he was at home in the right place at the right time in order to do so. If the family was traveling, it was possible that Matthew would go several days without going to the bathroom and would suffer from abdominal pain. When I met Matthew, I showed his parents some massage techniques that they could use on his lower back to support his digestion on a daily basis. I provided Matthew with a full-body shonishin treatment, which is a Japanese style of acupressure designed to support kids’ overall health. I gave Matthew acupressure on specific points that support the digestive system, with a focus on the function of the large intestine. I was thrilled to learn that the morning following the appointment, Matthew immediately had a bowel movement upon waking. For several days after that first treatment, Matthew had a bowel movement twice a day, which was unprecedented for him. The family is still working with him to ensure that he becomes emotionally comfortable with going to the bathroom, but his parents now feel confident that with the massage techniques and some periodic acupressure work, they won’t need to worry about his constipation anymore. Are you a parent wondering about whether Chinese medicine can support your child? Give me a call and we can find out if pediatric acupuncture is right for your family. I look forward to hearing from you!