I usually only treat ages eight and up, because children under eight may be a little too weak. Acupuncturists are all trained in techniques to treat children. When I went through my clinical internship, I did treat a two year old baby with herbs and what not, but inserting a needle into a baby is like inserting a needle into a cat. It could be dangerous, and you could end up with bad side effects like permanent nerve damage. Most acupuncturists will not do that. I have four children of my own with a fifth one on the way. I have treated my four children with acupuncture and herbs since they are my own children, but I stay in the room with them. It is not a safe thing. There is a danger of the kid rolling over on top of that needle and causing a problem. Herbal medicines work wonderfully with children for acute illnesses. Pill swallowing may be a problem for them, so I have cooked up formulas with different herbs. I have treated children with chronic problems, too. I have treated children for retardation to help their skills. Acupuncture can be done under the age of eight, but make sure the practitioner is in the room. There is no rule about that, but treating a child under eight is probably not a good idea unless you're definitely in the room watching the child.
