Integrative Health Centers Acupuncture Blog

The phrase “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is certainly true, but have you ever taken a moment to think about why these old dog can’t be trained. With age comes wisdom, acquired experience, and greater self awareness. You would think that the proverbial “old dog” would actually be the first to learn a new trick, be able to learn it faster, and maybe even improve upon its methodology as opposed to his younger counterpart. Sadly, this is not so, and for all of the advantages that comes with experience the tragedy is the brain is less plastic and less apt at processing new information.
Unfortunately, this proverb also holds true for humans as it does for canines. In fact brain function on average begins to decline at around age 30 for most of us. Nevertheless, the other side of this parable, the training of children is very fascinating. Acupuncture and infantile Tuina have an amazing capacity for exploiting the plasticity of children’s brains. In my most recent case dramatic results were achieved within the first treatment, with the child being able to bring both of her hands to midline, something she had been unable to do for the first two years of her life. There is an almost 1:1 ratio with the amount of effort that you put into the patient’s care and the curative effect that you achieve. This makes treating these young patients so rewarding. With further treatment she quickly began to develop her course motor skills, gain cognitive abilities, became more aware of her own body as well as her environment, and gain some measure of independence and the desire to do things for herself. The treatment process over the last two months has been extremely exciting to watch, and our hopes for the future and her continued improvement remain high. The only individual that has not benefited from her treatment is her stuffed giraffe whom she is now able to shake and maim with even greater vigor then before. But honestly isn’t that what stuffed animals are for?!?
Though it is hard not to dwell on your own cognitive decline and your decreased ability to “learn new tricks”, it is a pleasure to watch these young pups expand their horizons and push the boundaries of their abilities. The role that acupuncture and infantile tuina can play in this process for those children with cerebral palsy is pivotal, and the sooner treatment is administered the better.

Brian Jackson, L.Ac. 30.06.09