Pediatric Acupuncture (Shonishin) "Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to prevent illness, balance qi and bring homeostasis back to the body, and shonishin, a needleless treatment, can offer the same benefits to children......"
Shonishin literally translated as “little” (sho) “children” (ni) and “needle” (shin) is a style of acupuncture used on children that developed over 250 years ago in Japan. Recognising the fact that children do not like being needled, this therapy has developed specialised treatment techniques, many of which are non-invasive and thus not uncomfortable or frightening to the child and can be used on newborn babies through to 14 year old children. Similar to acupuncture, shonishin uses the body’s meridians as a guide for blocked qi, but does not use needles, making it the perfect treatment for children of all ages. Because children are not fully developed, their bioenergetic systems are in a “yang” phase. This means that their qi moves quickly and that their organs responsible for creating qi deplete their resources much faster than adults. Because of this, hyperstimulation may occur, which is a catalyst for many health issues in children Shonishin can help the following conditions:
Night terror, sleep disorders
Digestive disorders such as indigestion, diarrhoea, constipation and colic
Respiratory disorders such as nasal catarrh, bronchial asthma or asthmatic bronchitis
Tonsillitis
Bedwetting
Eczema
Stammering/stuttering
Hyperactivity
Weak constitution
The treatment is very quick as children tend to respond rapidly within 20-30 minutes.
Many Children enjoy Acupuncture! We use very small facial needles, children only need a few needles and a short time frame for a treatment. Teenagers especially benefit greatly from receiving Acupuncture. Hormone changes, poor diet, lack of sleep and over-use of screen time can lead to serious issues. These can present in the following way:
Mood Swings
Anger
Anxiety
Self-harm
Depression
Insomnia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Menstruation Problems such as Painful Periods and Pre-menstrual Syndrome
Testimonial (The Child's name has been taken out for privacy reasons)
My son started acupuncture with Katie over a year now, he had been diagnosed with autism aged 3 and then diagnosed with an eating disorder, depression and an anxiety disorder at aged 8, we decided to give acupuncture a try as the therapies he had been receiving weren't helping him to get better . From the very first session with Katie the improvements in my son have been amazing. Katie made us both feel at ease when we first met , she is a very caring compassionate and understanding person ,she listened to everything we had to say about my sons diagnosis and told me she could help my son get better, and she was true to her word, since he started acupuncture and working with crystals he is a totally different child , we have no major issues with food anymore and when he's had 2 little slips Katie's been there to work with him on them , he now sleeps which has been an issue since he was a baby , his anxiety levels are at 0 for the first time ever, his feelings and outlook on life has improved 100% . I believe the work and time Katie has put into my son has drastically changed his life and without her help I'm not sure he'd be where he is now.
Crystal Acupressure - Needle-free Therapy
In 2018 I developed my interest in crystals further by receiving a Diploma in Divine Essence Crystal Healing. In 2019 I went on to become a Master Teacher In D.E.C.H. This really opened my interest in the Crystal Kingdom and how powerful they can be for children. Crystal Acupressure was developed with help from a very anxious child! One particular day in the Clinic I met with a little girl who refused to take her clothes off, didn't want needles and was only prepared for me to touch her wrists and feet and head. She picked up one of my Crystal Tools and asked if I could use this on her instead. I started tapping certain key acupressure points on the wrist that really help to work on the reasons behind anxious feelings. Using the crystal tool gently tapping these on both sides. Then with the larger end of the tool I massaged in a figure of eight around the wrist bones. In massage therapy many years ago one of my teachers told me this was a key area to help children and their emotions. The little girl was now deeply relaxed. To finish the treatment I worked on her ankles using Kidney Acupressure points that work towards relieving fear (plus bed wetting which was also an issue). The treatment proved a huge success. I realised when the little girl left she had chosen my Ocean Jasper Crystal to work with, this crystal encourages a feeling of Joy, helps release negative feelings and aids ease of communication. Since then I now use this tool on many children and have found it to be a really vital part of the therapy, alongside aromatherapy blends on each child. Children are generally very open to therapies and respond quickly.
Testimonial for Crystal Acupressure
From the age of 8 my daughter became very anxious about every day things such as going to school, going on long car journeys, going to friends houses etc. It became so extreme that it began to affect both of us on a daily basis. It came to a point where something had to be done. I messaged Katie and explained the situation. We arranged an appointment for my daughter but she didn't like the sound of needles being used but Katie explained to her that there would be no needles. She would use crystals on her to make her feel better, calmer and less anxious. I remember after her first session, she came out feeling so relaxed and she skipped back into school that day which hadn't happened in so long!!! Over time my daughter has become less anxious and has overcome so many of her fears since attending Katie. She looks forward to her session with Katie once a month and I am so grateful to Katie for all shes done for both of us, xx
My son James Mc Carthy Cooney has been attending Clonmel Acupuncture with the last 9 months. James sees Katie and attends for treatments every fortnight.
James is 17years old and has severe cerebral palsy and is wheelchair bound and needs round the clock care. Since James started coming to Clonmel Acupuncture he has made huge improvements. Katie helps with James’s sinus pressure and the relief he gets is immediate. James also suffers from tight muscles due to his Cerebral Palsy and he gets a lot pain through his neck in particular.
Katie does a lot of work on this area and works on his face, neck and shoulders to relieve his discomfort. I can tell straight away by James the relief he gets.
James goes into Katie before his treatment unable to move his neck from one position and by the time he leaves he can move his neck from side to side. Katie also does a lot of work on James’s Chest. Due to being in a wheelchair kids with cerebral palsy get a lot of mucus build up on the chest Acupuncture works really well in helping with that mucus production and getting things moving. She also applies oils to the skin to help open up all airways. Katie makes up her own remedies to suit the individual client which is a lovely touch to the treatment. Acupuncture also plays a key part in helping with James’s constipation.
It isn’t just benefits of treatments from Acupuncture that’s great it’s the warmth and lovely welcome you get from the minute the door is opened for you at Clonmel Acupuncture and also Katie’s gentle way and how James feels so relaxed with her she seems to connect with him and he always has a smile for her.
James is living proof that Acupuncture plays a crucial part in the helping kids with special needs and it’s brings a huge range of benefits to them.
From a very grateful mum to Clonmel Acupuncture for seeing the Ability in special needs kids not the Disability.
The Rainbow Clinic
My interest in children goes way back to my late teens when I became a horse riding Instructor teaching young children. I have had the privilege of treating and meeting babies, toddlers, children and teenagers through the years here at The Clonmel Acupuncture & Therapy Centre. Some of these children are dealing with very severe conditions. Because everyone is different and each has their own story and personality I felt I needed to create an environment to treat children with conditions ranging from Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anorexia and more. I came up with the Brain Child The Rainbow Clinic in 2019 as a free service to offer a place for me to meet and treat these incredible children, my goal being to help them feel safe, comfortable and confident with me. As each child is unique so too is their treatment. I use all of the above therapies and tailor each to the child. At the Clinic I have been very lucky to have Catherine Hunt and her many years of expertise guiding me with her wisdom. She has very kindly has given me her time. If you would like your child to come along please call us. Each Clinic is held on a Sunday, please see the above post for our next Clinic.