Boost Your Children’s Health with powerful Chinese Medicine (0-18 years)
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August 1, 2024Turning Anxious Kids Into Calm Kids With the Help of Chinese Medicine
In today’s world, more than ever our children are increasingly anxious and stressed. I see it daily in my work, both as a primary school social worker and an acupuncturist. There isn’t one single solution, but by combining Eastern and Western medicine, and a loving family, we can help our children manage these big emotions. In this blog we will explore anxiety in children through the Western medical model and Chinese medicine and how they can work together to help our children feel relaxed.
In this blog:
Signs and Symptoms
According to the Royal Children’s Hospital, signs and symptoms of childhood anxiety include:
- Avoiding everyday situations.
- School avoidance.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Headaches or stomach pains.
- Being preoccupied.
- Overplanning.
- Changes in appetite.
- Seeking reassurance.
- Tantrums or meltdowns.
Related Chinese Medical Symptoms
As far as Chinese Medicine is concerned there are a list of related symptoms:
- Difficulty in regulating strong emotions.
- Mild low mood.
- Agitation or anger.
- Restlessness.
- Difficulty in relaxing or ‘switching off’.
- Hyperactivity.
- Worse during school terms.
- Difficulty in thinking clearly.
- Retreats into their ‘own little world’ when things become difficult.
- Difficulty in expressing feelings.
- Changes from feeling anxious to feeling low or sad.
Prevalence
Everyone feels anxious sometimes – it is a normal emotion for people of all ages. Research studies have estimated that approximately 13.6% of Australian children aged between 4-11 years have a diagnosed mental illness, with anxiety and ADHD being the two most common illnesses in this age group. Studies estimate that half of all mental illnesses experienced in adulthood begin before the age of 14.
Causes
Biomedical view
There are various reasons children become anxious:
- Trauma or significant stressful events such as frequently moving house or school, parents fighting or arguing, the death of a close friend or family member, becoming seriously ill or injured.
- Exams or bullying at school.
- Life transitions such as starting school, puberty.
- A family tendency towards anxiety.
- Unknown causes.
Chinese medical view
The Chinese Medical view of wellness is based on balance and harmony. When anxiety is too high, there is an imbalance in a child’s emotional state. With the holistic view, a child’s emotions are not isolated to just their feelings. A child’s environment, diet, genetics, family, friends, school, and physical health all interconnect with their emotions. Chinese medicine will also consider the child’s personality and temperament when examining the causes of emotional distress.
Treatments
When our emotions are out of balance or anxiety is in excess, we need to reach out for support. Anxiety is an issue if it is ongoing and it impacts your child’s life and prevents them from participating in daily activities, such as eating, sleeping, playing with friends, and going to kindergarten or school.
Biomedical and Psychological Treatments
Firstly, it is important to see your GP, as your doctor can write up a Mental Health Treatment Plan and write a referral for you to access extra support. At the moment, people with a Plan can access up to 10 Medicare subsidised appointments with a qualified health care professional such as a psychologist or mental health social worker.
The Royal Children’s Hospital recommends medications such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors not be used as a first-line treatment except under exceptional circumstances and these medications are not licenced under the TGA for anxiety treatment. The Hospital provides clear guidelines on the use of such medications.
Another option is to ask to see a paediatrician, particularly if you have other concerns for your child or a paediatric psychiatrist.
Chinese Medicine
Both Chinese medicine and Biomedicine agree that if parents are experiencing problematic anxiety, it is important that parents get support to manage their mental health too. The benefit of viewing a child as an individual with unique needs is that the treatment will be specifically designed to meet their needs. Also, the holistic nature of Chinese Medicine will provide clues where we as parents can help our children feel calmer and more settled.
Shonishin (acupressure)
Shonishin is a Japanese-style paediatric treatment. Instead of acupuncture needles, different metal tools are used to brush and tap different acupuncture points, channels or meridians. This technique is more like acupressure than acupuncture.
Chinese Herbal Medicine and Lifestyle
Chinese herbal medicine, tonics or teas may be prescribed to help support your child’s wellbeing. Lifestyle adjustments, including sleep routines and specific food options, may also be discussed and recommended on your individual child’s needs and temperament.
Help mange your child’s symptoms
Allied Health
Conversations with your child’s teacher and wellbeing staff can also be beneficial. Other considerations can include other allied health professionals to support your child’s overall health.
Sleep
A regular sleep routine makes such a difference to a child’s mental wellbeing, development and growth. Recommendations from the Sleep Health Foundation suggest:
- Newborns 0-3 months have between 14 to 17 hours of sleep
- Infants 4-11 months have between 12 to 15 hours of sleep
- Toddlers 1-2 years have between 11 to 14 hours of sleep
- Preschoolers 2-5 years have between 10 to 13 hours of sleep
- School-aged children 6 to 13 years have between 9 to 11 hours of sleep
- Teenagers 14 to 17 years 8 to 10 hours of sleep
Chinese Facial Massage
Chinese Children’s Shonishin Facial Massage
Parent Resources
Parenting support from reliable sources, including the PPP Parenting Program. This is a FREE online pareting program that offers support and guidance for parents who have children experiencing anxiety. The Fear-less program helps parents build their child’s resilence. Another resources is the Raising Children’s Network website. Along with age and stage information, their is a guide to the Step Ladder Approach which may assist in reducing anxiety, including separation anxiety.
