Pitetti said he didn't know if there were specific areas of the body where acupuncture absolutely shouldn't be used, but "into the neck, into the brain would make me more concerned. Also, when you start to go near major organs, like the heart, or right around the spinal cord, that would make me nervous."
But, he said, "This study should give parents a little reassurance that it's probably a safe procedure, but it should also make them take a hard look at who's doing the acupuncture to make sure that they're reputable and skilled."
And, he added, it would be very helpful for parents if pediatricians were more aware of complementary medicine therapies, as well as the practitioners in the local area.
More information
Learn more about what to look for in an acupuncture practitioner from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
SOURCES: Sunita Vohra, M.D., professor, department of pediatrics, and director, CARE program, University of Alberta, Canada; Raymond Pitetti, M.D., associate medical director, emergency department, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; Jeannie Kang, president, American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine; December 2011, Pediatrics
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