Triple Heater Energy and Your Child

The triple heater energy and your child denotes a functional concept which comes from the Chinese medicine system.

Even though there is not a corresponding organ in the body, the triple heater reveals the principle of balance when it comes to energy distribution and management.

The triple heater meridian runs from the outer tip of the fourth finger and runs up the forearm and arm to the neck, encircles the external ear and ends on the temples on the side of the head.

This trajectory makes the triple heater energy circuit the link between the pericardium and the gall bladder meridians.

This figure shows how your child's triple heater energy system fits in with the other three contributing circuits, the liver, the gall bladder, and the pericardium. The puzzle pieces are meant to show some of the collective functions of these four organ and energy circuits according to the Chinese medicinesystem.

From an energy perspective, the triple heater works in concert with the others, meaning your child's energy system will seek to balance and maintain all four of these circuits in the context of the whole system.

According to the Chinese medicine system, the following functions are attributed to your child's triple heater energy:

Since the triple heater energy is more of a location related concept, the symptoms that relate to it will be more closely associated with the organs which make up the upper, middle and lower heater areas.

These correspondences are shown below in the following figure.

The triple heater energy circuit does have a correlation with your child's sense of their external energy boundary with the outside world or with other people.

Sometimes an imbalance will manifest in a child who either cannot stand to be around other people or in certain public places (like a large store or auditorium), or they feel uncomfortable if they are not with someone in close proximity, like a parent or a sibling. This has to do with boundaries and the triple heater can be a useful way to help a child adjust these "settings".

In most cases, however, the triple heater circuit plays more of a supportive role in the treatment strategies I choose with the kids I see in my office.

The overall picture of what's going on with your child at any age is a useful goal to keep in mind. The concepts of energy priority and distribution are ones that I think all parents should know.

In addition, being able to anticipate the next steps in your child's development can also give you an advantage as you help your child navigate through challenges that may come their way. If you haven't already explored the other organ and meridian circuits, be sure to read aboutthe liver,gall bladderandpericardium energydynamics and how they can affect your child.