The Great Mom Debate: Do You Approve of Alternative Therapies (Like Acupuncture) for Children?

Redbook

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

I'm a grown woman who has never even had a massage (weird, right?), much less gotten acupuncture or a chiropractic adjustment done. When my 9-month-old son came down with his 10th ear infection, I became so desperate to end the cycle of antibiotics that I listened to all my mom friends who told me a chiropractor could cure him. In case you're thinking this will be a "And then he was magically cured!" story, I'll make this clear: When the scary lady wrenched my tiny baby's head to the side (making a popping sound like broken bubble wrap)... I freaked out. I think I may have even screamed as I grabbed my baby, my bag, and my pride as I ran right out the door. Yeah, I'm awesome in a crisis.

That was five years ago, and no one in my family has been to see any kind of alternative doctor since. I try to keep an open mind though, even if I don't act on it. When a friend recently told me how acupuncture works wonders for autistic kids, I nodded and silently wondered, "What kid, much less one with sensory processing issues, would let a stranger stick needles all over them?!" But it turns out my friend may be on to something, as a study in the December issue of Pediatrics shows that acupuncture is both perfectly safe and increasingly popular for young children. The researchers simply caution to make sure the acupuncturist has a proper license and a clean facility. I know a lot of parents who are very passionate about acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal remedies, and other "alternative" treatments for their children-yet it's hard for me to forget my negative first (and only) experience.

What has your experience been like? Help me out and let me know what you think:
-No. Why experiment on your children?
-No, but I'm open to it.
-Yes, but they didn't work or had side effects.
-Yes, I've found some that work well! I'll explain in the comments.
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