Acupressure for Kids

Acupressure for Kids

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Acupressure is a simple, easy way to help your child maintain a healthy immune and digestive system. 

  • Acupressure can be done while bathing, massaging, nursing or dressing the child for bed.
  • Acupressure can be used at home or on the go to help with negative symptoms.
  • Acupressure can be done one to three times a day on kids but should not be done for longer than 15 minutes.
  • Gently massage the acupressure points in small circular motions.
  • Don’t spend more than 30 seconds on any one pressure point.

Areas of Focus

Liver 3 (Tai Chong): It’s considered a one-stop healing point for many commons problems.

Location: On the fleshy webbing between the big toe and the second toe, on top of the foot.

Helps Treat: headaches, dizziness and vertigo, insomnia, congestion, eye pain and swelling, and depression.

In Eastern Medicine: It’s said to spread Liver qi (distention and pain along channel, PSM, sighing, moody depression); nourish Liver blood and Yin (cools blood, eyes and tendons); and sedate Liver Yang and extinguish wind (epilepsy and mouth deviation).

Large Intestine 4 (He Gu):

Location: In the fleshy webbing between the index finger and the thumb.

Helps Treat: neck pain, nasal obstruction, toothaches, sore throat, body aches, breathing problems, dizziness, cold, fever, and arm pain, abdominal pain, and constipation.

In Eastern Medicine: It disperses wind — regulating the skin surface for sweating or to stop sweating; liberates channel and connection vessels; relieves pain and calms spirit (antispasmodic); and clears lung heat. 

Spleen 6 (San Yin Jiao): 

Location: Three finger-widths above the inner ankle bone.

Helps Treat: digestive issues, skin disease, insomnia, headaches, dizziness, and lower-body pain.

In Eastern Medicine: It strengthens the spleen and transforms damp; spreads Liver qi (abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea); benefits the kidney; and supports and tonifies blood. 

Stomach 36 (Zu San Li): Along with the different symptoms this location helps treat, it also improves immune function and overall body strength.

Location: Four finger-widths below the kneecap and one finger-width towards the outside of the shinbone.

Helps Treat: constipation, gastric pain, vomiting, hiccups, diarrhea, and leg pain.

In Eastern Medicine: It benefits the stomach and spleen (gastric pain, vomiting, diarrhea); harmonizes intestines and disperses stagnation (constipation and diarrhea); tonifies qi and blood (strengthens weak conditions — acute/chronic dizziness and fatigue); dispels pathogens and prevents diseases; and courses wind and transforms damp.