Acupuncture for teenagers in Ealing

As a mother of teenagers I understand that they need a lot of space and an appropriate support.

They are going though enormous changes in their body; their mind is adjusting and emotions are bubbling. Being a teenager can be a very stressful experience.

Puberty can start as early as 8 years old in girls and 11 years old in boys, their brain does not stop developing until the age of 24 -25 so it can take a good decade for things to form and settle, and they definitely need good support.

Teenage changes according to TCM

Children begin developing into adults governed by their seven (for girls) or eight year (for boys) cycles of Jing (essence).Those times are characterised by strong push of Yang energy, physical and emotional changes. In boys the Yang triggers the production of semen, and in girls it causes the Ren Mai and Chong Mai to fill with Blood, allowing menstruation to begin. All of these changes require balance and a lot of Yang energy, if the body is out of sinc it can lead to delays in onset of menstruation, moodiness, depressive states, or impulsive behavior. Another key feature of puberty in TCM is that during this time, a teenager’s Qi is very open, which could leave them more vulnerable to external disease.

How acupuncture can help teenagers?

Acupuncture can help move the heavy, stuck energy that can manifest as depression, pain, irregular period. Acupuncture can nourish the deficiencies and help settle anxiety, headaches, lack of periods, lethargy. All this without the young person having to open up and talk when they might not have the words to express how they feel or not know where to start. The acupuncture treatment can do gentle work without using any words.

The most common reasons that teenagers come for acupuncture treatment

Anxiety
Depression/Irritablility/Low mood
ADHD/ASD support
Digestive issues
Headaches and migraines
Painful periods (and other menstrual problems)
Sleep problems

Sleep can be a problem during puberty, as they need 9-12 hours to allow body the proper rest. They tend to fall asleep 2-3 hours later in the evening than a young child or an adult, which is normal as the melatonin is not released until that time. It is therefore normal for teens to wake up 2-3 hours later in the morning than a young child or adult.

Acupuncture helps teens to slowing down, letting go, to rest, breathe and unwind when needed. Self-care is an important thing to teach them, it is a skill that gets refined over time and serves them well. I like talking with my patients about selfcare and would try to come up some realistic ideas to adjust their lifestyle gently if that is required. They can use the Healthy Mind Platter created by Dr Dan Siegel, to see if there is a good balance of their activities.

As teenagers tend to be very sensitive I would use fewer points, use paediatric fine needles, or laser pen, very often moxa to help them to ground and center. I have added Bach flower remedies, medicinal mushrooms and homeobotanicals to my modalities of treating teenagers, they can be very beneficial to treating their mental health.

Treating mental health in children using acupuncture

How many treatments would be needed?

The amount of treatments would depend on many aspects, like rapport, communication, what modalities can be used, longevity and severity of imbalances. I would suggest giving 5-10 treatments to see how they respond. Acupuncture is not a quick fix and time need to be allowed, with children and teenagers building the rapport is always a priority, no treatment can be forced on them and modalities need to be adjusted so they feel safe and are able to trust the practitioner.

Confidentiality of acupuncture sessions

As a professional therapist I am bound of strict codes of ethics and safe practice to keep everything confidential. I will not share anything has been told me with anybody else, including the parents. The only exception to this rule is if I am seriously concerned for patients welfare or the welfare of others. If I think it would be useful to liaise with patients G.P or another medical health professional, I will ask patients consent to do this beforehand.

Does the parent stay in the room all the time?

If patient is 16 yo and older paren't don't need to be in the room when being treated, same applies to patients age 11-15, but it is recommended that the parent or legal guardian is in the room for at least the first consultation and treatment. Parent or carer can either stay in the room for none, part or all of your treatment. Youg person can decide what they are most comfortable with and this can change as treatment progresses.

Are you DBS checked?

I hold a valid DBS check certificate, copy available on request.