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Acupuncture in Pediatrics
Mindy Brittner1, Noemie Le Pertel1, Melanie A Gold1
1Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Population and Family Health, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY.
Insights
Acupuncture research in children is limited compared to adults. This review covers acupuncture
Area of Science:
- Integrative medicine
- Pediatric health
- Complementary and alternative medicine
Background:
- Extensive research exists on acupuncture for adult conditions.
- Limited studies investigate acupuncture's use in pediatric populations.
- Understanding acupuncture's role in children requires focused review.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the history and philosophy of acupuncture.
- To examine the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in children and adolescents.
- To highlight pediatric conditions studied in high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Main Methods:
- Literature review of acupuncture in pediatric populations.
- Focus on studies examining effectiveness and safety.
- Emphasis on high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Main Results:
- Acupuncture history and philosophy outlined.
- Evidence on pediatric acupuncture effectiveness and safety summarized.
- Key pediatric conditions investigated in RCTs identified.
Conclusions:
- Acupuncture shows potential for pediatric use, but more research is needed.
- Safety and efficacy data in children are less robust than in adults.
- Further high-quality RCTs are crucial for establishing pediatric acupuncture guidelines.
Abstract:
There has been extensive research on the use of acupuncture in adults with a wide array of conditions. Much less research has been conducted on the use of acupuncture in children. In this article, we review the history and philosophy of acupuncture, and the literature on its effectiveness and safety in children and adolescents, giving special attention to the pediatric and adolescent conditions that have been most studied in high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
