Acupuncture to Improve Comfort of Children on a Ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit

Patients randomized to active treatment will receive acupuncture treatment with press needles (small acupuncture needles manufactured with attached bandage that makes the needle flush with skin) at sites GV 24.5 or GV20, Ht 7 or Ht 3, Ki 3, Lr 3, LI 4 or LI 11, Lu 7 or Lu 5, Sp6, ST 36, using up to 15 points per patient three days per week for the duration of mechanical ventilation (maximum of 14 calendar days from the time of the first acupuncture treatment). We will also apply a seed magnet at ear shen men position for 4 hours on treatment days.

Patients randomized to sham treatment will receive sham acupuncture with similarly appearing bandages placed without press needles attached at sites GV 24.5 or GV20, Ht 7 or Ht 3, Ki 3, Lr 3, LI 4 or LI 11, Lu 7 or Lu 5, Sp6, ST 36, using up to 15 points per patient three days per week for the duration of mechanical ventilation (maximum of 14 calendar days from the time of the first acupuncture treatment). We will also apply a similarly appearing bandage without seed magnet underneath at ear shen men position for 4 hours on treatment days.