Oakland, CA – Acupuncture Helps Kids Failing to Thrive

I frequently work with children who are behind the developmental curve. Some may be underweight or short for their age, others may be emotionally behind their peers, and others may have developmental disabilities. Acupuncture and acupressure can boost children’s natural healing and growing processes, supporting the development of bones and muscles, encouraging the digestive system to work more optimally, helping the liver process and filter out remnants of medications that have been given, and encouraging emotional balance.

One young child I worked with had always been underweight and prone to getting infections. At three years old, Sunil was around the 15^th-20^th percentile for weight. His emotional and intellectual development were robust, but his body lagged behind. His parents worried about how and when he would catch up and were sick of fretting about whether every sniffle would turn into a weeks-long illness and further decrease his ability to eat and put on weight.

I assured Sunil’s parents that in cases of chronic weakness, children will sometimes need a few months of treatment to show significant improvement, but children often make real gains. His parents were desperate to support him and they signed up for two months of acupressure treatments.

After the first treatment, Sunil’s parents reported that he had eaten and slept better than they could recently remember. His spirits were good, and his father reported he seemed less constipated. His parents were quite surprised to see positive changes so early. By the third treatment, both his mother and I noticed that Sunil had put on weight. At the fourth treatment, she reported that Sunil had gained two pounds since just prior to our first treatment, representing a 9% increase in body weight.

I’m pleased to report that Sunil gets more robust with each treatment, and his parents now have hope that he will make it through the next several months without illness and with greater resilience.

If you’re a parent seeking greater health, strength, and resilience for your child, please call to schedule your first appointment. I look forward to meeting you!