Shonishin: Japanese Paediatric Acupuncture Stephen Birch Shonishin (children's needle therapy) is a style of acupuncture used on children that developed over 250 years ago in Japan [Yoneyama, Mori (1964)]. 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. Specialised instruments have been developed for treating children, and great care has been taken in adapting the use of acupuncture and related techniques for the treatment of children. In this article the author briefly discusses some of these methods and presents a couple of cases to illustrate their application.
Lurking Evil - Changes That Happen When You Treat Children Julian Scott This is a case history outlining the deep changes that can occur when a sick child receives acupuncture. The patient is a 13 months old boy seriously ill with asthma, who was already on heavy doses of steroids and who had had seven 10-day courses of antibiotics in the previous 5 months. The case history covers his road to recovery through a healing crisis which led to no further attacks of asthma.
Safety in Numbers: What Practitioners Reported about Adverse Events and Treatment Reactions Following 34,000 Acupuncture Sessions Hugh MacPherson, Kate J Thomas, Stephen Walters and Mike Fitter This is a report on the survey (commissioned by the British Acupuncture Council) on the relative safety of acupuncture. Its main finding is that acupuncture is safe in the hands of competent practitioners. 574 practitioners took part in the survey over a 4 week period in May 2000. Results showed that there were no serious adverse events in 34,407 reported acupuncture treatments, 43 indicating an underlying serious adverse event rate of between 0 and 1.1 per 10,000 treatments. A total of 43 significant minor adverse events were reported, at a rate of 1.3 per 1000.
Tui Na in the Treatment of Children Rosey Grandage The author outlines the advantages of tui na treatment for children by highlighting its non-invasive nature, and that specific massage techniques can be taught to parents to do at home. A number of case studies illustrate the combination of massage and qi gong used in treatment.
Three Cases and a Plea June Tranmer This is written by a practitioner who feels passionate about treating children, and which is very much from the perspective of personal experience. She encourages the use of acupuncture, acupressure, tui na, herbs, moxa, cupping and other adjunctive therapies. Examples of three case studies show how these techniques can be used in practice, as well as how to involve parents in the use of simple techniques at home to help their children maintain their health. Read the whole article
Continuing Professional Development: A Pilot Study Emma White This paper presents the findings from a survey conducted on behalf of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC). It was conducted among 121 members in June 2001. The aim of the survey was to assist the BAcC to prepare a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for members which takes account of the CPD members are already doing as part of their busy practices, and which also takes into account the acupuncture tradition. This paper sets out the survey design and then goes on to report on three aspects of the survey.
A Case Study Ann Bradford This case study shows how simple techniques such as acupuncture, acupressure and tui na were used successfully in the treatment of a child diagnosed with congenital nephrotic syndrome. The author explains how parents who are taught simple acupressure and massage techniques were able to participate in their child's treatment. The case shows how simple techniques given frequently can have very beneficial effects, even in such complex cases as this, and how such beneficial effects also extended to the family, who felt included and necessary in the treatment of their son.
Emerging Eclecticism Angela Llewellyn This article examines the elements of medical eclecticism revealed in the developing practices of eight acupuncturists working in the south of England. Further, a consideration of their different understandings and insights into the processes involved is undertaken, concentrating in particular on issues of change and continuity, attitudes to biomedicine, interactions with patients and their expectations, and the influence of practitioners' spirituality on their work. The article also hopes to throw some light on the dynamics involved when an ancient oriental medicine is transplanted into a competitive, multi-cultural western social and medical environment.
The Healing Space: My Transition into Acupuncture William Weinstein Written by an acupuncture student, this article explores the space for education created by the educator being analogous to the healing space that the acupuncturist, or acupuncturist-educator, must create for the patient, this being the healing space. It is full of wonderful thoughts and insights.
Gateway Clinic Service Audit Dominique Joire The Gateway Clinic is a Chinese medicine specialist centre within the National Health Service (NHS). It offers acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, dietary advice and qi gong classes. The emphasis is on helping people to help themselves; preserving their autonomy and quality of life. Listening to the patient’s perception of the problem is considered essential to the process. This represents a new pioneering approach to the many complex health issues of today. In this audit, which looked at patient satisfaction within the clinic, a simple questionnaire based on SF-36 was used. Some questions were added about the most important symptoms seen in Chinese medicine and about patients’ satisfaction with the service and comments. The audit is well illustrated with graphics and has an interesting appendix containing the final comments from patients.
Back Issues 
