At Inspire Family Acupuncture we work with many families whose children have eczema. Some of these cases involve severe long-term eczema where recovery can require several healing modalities and many months. However, some cases of eczema that are less severe and more recent can be transformed relatively quickly with the help of acupuncture.

Meet Bobbie

Bobbie was a 14-month old child when her mother brought her in for acupuncture. She had had eczema since around six months old which correlated with beginning solid foods. Her mom had already taken her to see allergists and dermatologists and discovered that Bobbie was allergic to peanuts and pineapple. Mom thought Bobbie might be sensitive to other foods as well. The eczema was the worst from six months to a year old. Mom had been using hydrocortisone for a while to manage the eczema but wanted to cut back on using the topical steroids. Mom had been managing Bobbie's eczema by limiting foods, using Eucerin and Vaseline, applying hydrocortisone to the hot spots of eczema, and dressing Bobbie only in cotton.

Acupuncture Diagnosis and Treatment

According to Bobbie's other symptoms, feeling her pulse, and looking at her tongue, we diagnosed Bobbie with a digestive and skin weakness as well as chronic inflammation. We began to treat these conditions using acupressure. We also recommended that mom add fermented foods into Bobbie's diet and add a probiotic containing the strain L. Rhamnosus which has been shown to help with prevention and treatment for allergic skin conditions. Overall, Bobbie came in for five acupressure treatments over the course of two months.

Results

Bobbie's eczema at her fifth and last appointment was better than it had ever been. Overall her skin looked clear throughout her whole body, except for one small area on her shoulder that she continued to periodically scratch. Mom was really pleased with the results and opted not to schedule any follow-up visits given that Bobbie was doing so well.

Conclusions

We are so pleased to have supported Bobbie's family to help Bobbie's skin inflammation become under control. Acupressure and acupuncture are highly effective modalities for lessening overall inflammation while enabling children to feel more calm in their bodies. We would have loved to continue to work with Bobbie to strengthen her underlying digestive system issues. At the last treatment session mom mentioned that Bobbie took a food sensitivity test and was highly reactive to many of the allergens on the list. A longer-term treatment with acupressure along with some gut healing herbs and supplements would help Bobbie heal from these conditions. However, mom wanted to use other approaches to support her daughter and we always respect families' wishes.

Is Acupressure Right for Your Child?

Acupressure can be a highly effective and soothing modality for many children dealing with allergic conditions. If you are wondering whether acupressure might be right for your family, give us a call at Inspire Family Acupuncture and we will be delighted to chat with you about your needs. Here's to your family's health!