Tiny needles, major benefits: acupuncture in child health

Acupuncture, a millennia-old technique of traditional Chinese medicine that involves the insertion of fine needles into specific points of the body, has gained growing acceptance in Western medicine as a complementary therapy for various conditions. In the pediatric context, however, its application remains limited, with utilization rates ranging between only 1.78% and 5.34% in some regions. This low adherence contrasts with the growing body of evidence suggesting benefits of acupuncture in conditions such as cerebral palsy, nocturnal enuresis, tic disorders, amblyopia, and pain reduction in children. Given this scenario, it is essential to better understand how acupuncture is being used in pediatric clinical practice, which conditions are being treated, and in which medical specialties this therapy is finding greater application.

This retrospective study aimed to investigate patterns of acupuncture use in the pediatric population at a general hospital in China, specifically analyzing clinical indications and distribution across different pediatric specialties. The investigators collected data from acupuncture consultations performed at the Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, from January 2015 to December 2020. The methodology included systematic analysis of electronic medical records, collecting information on admission numbers, primary diagnoses, and consultation history. Only pediatric cases that actually received acupuncture treatment were included; those without acupuncture therapy were excluded.

Diseases were classified according to the international ICD-11 system, allowing a comprehensive analysis of the distribution by organ system and medical specialty.

The results revealed a comprehensive picture of pediatric acupuncture application. During the six years analyzed, 624 cases of pediatric acupuncture consultations were recorded, representing 3.01% of the department's total consultations and 0.7% of all hospitalized pediatric cases. The distribution by sex showed male predominance, with 374 boys (59.93%) and 250 girls (40.07%), a ratio of 1.5:1. Patient age ranged widely, from 13 minutes after birth to 14 years.

The study identified 55 different types of pediatric diseases treated with acupuncture. The five most frequently treated conditions were peripheral facial palsy (25.96% of cases), diarrhea (12.66%), reduced limb mobility or decreased muscle strength (7.85%), postoperative abdominal distension (5.93%), and Guillain-Barré syndrome (5.77%). As to the distribution by organ systems, nervous system diseases predominated widely, representing 68.43% of cases, followed by respiratory system disorders (7.69%) and neoplasms (5.61%).

Analysis of the distribution by medical specialty revealed that pediatric neurology and intensive care were the areas that most frequently requested acupuncture consultations, totaling 449 cases (71.96% of the total). Other significant specialties included general surgery, pulmonology, orthopedic surgery, hematology, and neonatology. This pattern suggests that acupuncture is being recognized as a valuable therapy for complex neurologic conditions and intensive care in pediatrics. Particularly notable was the application of acupuncture in serious conditions such as severe encephalitis and myelitis, as well as in the management of postoperative complications, especially abdominal distension and intestinal obstruction.

In terms of safety, no serious adverse events such as pneumothorax, organ injury, or infections were documented. Mild and transient reactions, including local bruising or mild pain at the needle insertion site, were observed in only 3.8% of cases and resolved spontaneously within 24 to 48 hours without need for medical intervention.

The clinical implications of these findings are substantial for both patients and healthcare professionals. For families, the results offer reassuring evidence that acupuncture can be a safe and effective therapeutic option for a wide range of pediatric conditions, especially those involving the nervous system. The low incidence of adverse effects, combined with the efficacy observed in conditions such as facial palsy and postoperative complications, suggests that acupuncture may serve as a valuable alternative or complementary therapy to conventional treatments. For healthcare professionals, the study demonstrates the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration between acupuncturists and pediatricians in developing treatment protocols.

The concentration of cases in neurology and intensive care indicates that these specialties may particularly benefit from integrating acupuncture into their treatment protocols. In addition, the efficacy observed in managing postoperative complications suggests that acupuncture may help reduce hospitalization time and improve patient recovery.

The study has some important limitations that must be considered when interpreting the results. Because this is a retrospective analysis, detailed information was not collected on acupoint selection, treatment methods, needle retention time, or specific types of needles used. In addition, data on treatment efficacy and patient follow-up outcomes were not included. The analysis was limited to a single medical center in China, which may restrict the generalizability of the findings to other cultural contexts and health systems.

Despite these limitations, the study provides valuable preliminary observational data on the patterns of acupuncture use in hospital pediatric care. The investigators emphasize that prospective studies with randomized designs or matched groups are needed to isolate the therapeutic effects of acupuncture from confounding factors. The establishment of standardized clinical guidelines specific for pediatric acupuncture remains an important need to promote its broader adoption and ensure evidence-based treatment protocols.