It’s not uncommon for children to use antibiotics multiple times in early childhood for things like ear infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, or other suspected bacterial infections.
While these medications can be greatly helpful for recovering from illness and preserving long-term health, they can have damaging effects on children’s gut function. When our gut function is impaired, it can impact our appetite, digestion, mood, and immune system.
After courses of antibiotics parents may want to focus on restoring gut function to ensure optimal health for their kids.
This is where acupuncture and herbal medicine come in!
How Do Acupuncture and Herbs Support Appetite and Digestion?
There are acupuncture points to support many facets of digestion including inflammation, movement of food through the digestive tract, and absorption of nutrients. These acupuncture points can be used to revitalize gut function after a course of antibiotics, especially in concert with a healthy diet focused on restoring the balance of gut flora. Herbal medicine can support many of the same digestive functions including ability to break down foods, balance out either tendency towards diarrhea or constipation, and reducing inflammation in the digestive tract.
How Do Acupuncture and Herbs Support Mood?
Chinese medicine is well known for its ability to reduce stress and support nervous system health. Acupuncture, acupressure, and herbal medicine can all be used to reduce stress, relieve anxiety, and increase a sense of grounded calm. Additionally, Chinese medicine can be used to support the physical resources needed to process information from the outside world and have a healthy emotional balance.
In some cases, when excess antibiotics are used and digestive ability is impaired, children can be weakened to the point that they do not have the emotional bandwidth to tolerate frustration, change, transitions, or negative emotions. These children can tantrum or spiral out easily because they’re not resourced enough to handle daily situations. Restoring their nervous system health requires supporting their overall gut function and nutrient absorption to strengthen children from the inside out.
How Do Acupuncture and Herbs Support Immune System Health?
Did you know that 70% of your immune system cells are located within the gut? Repeated antibiotics can result in lowered immunity, and acupuncture and herbal medicine can both help to restore appropriate immune function.
How Can We Get Started?
If your child has required repeated courses of antibiotics, get help to restore digestive and immune function, along with emotional regulation, by contacting Inspire Family Acupuncture. Here’s to your health!
