With different companies
producing the same over-the-counter
Chinese medicines, Leung reminds
parents to pay attention to where the
medicines are manufactured and
make careful choices.
However, Gianna does not
encourage the use of over-the-counter
Chinese medicines, simply because the
consistency of the compound might not
be the same. “The compound is like
a cocktail. It’s not specific. It treats a
whole spectrum of ailments, so it is not
specifically for that child,” she adds.
Proprietary Chinese medicines
for children are generally rather mild,
and so are prescribed herbal formulas
for children in general. According to
Gianna, TCM practitioners tend to
reserve herbs that have strong flavours
–
bitter, sour, pungent – for adults.
“
Kids usually don’t need such strong
herbs,” she says.
Tan Yip agrees, and says that
although children tend to fall sick
more easily, they are simpler to treat
compared to adults and are also more
responsive to treatments. But to get
the safest, most effective treatment, he
says, “It is best to seek advice from a
practitioner to identify the body type
of the child – yin or yang, hot or cold.
Only after identifying the body type
can we make sure the treatment is the
best for the child’s health.”
...
managing
overall, holistic
health conditions is
key to TCM.
East v West
Many professionals from both Eastern
and Western medical approaches see
value in the other side and respect
some of the different approaches and
treatments they each provide. But,
patients should take care when trying
to mix their approaches at home.
Both Gianna and Leung note that
while it is acceptable to take Chinese
medicine and Western medicine
together on the same day, they
recommend keeping a minimum two-
hour break in between. “If the parents
are concerned, wait for four hours,”
Leung says.
However, Dr Tan Chin Hor, who
has been practising family medicine for
over 30 years, believes it is best not to
mix Chinese and Western medicines.
And he emphasises, “You should
always have a proper consultation with
a qualified TCM practitioner before
taking any Chinese medicine.”
Family physician Dr Lee Heung
Wing also adds: “I’m not against
TCM. It has a long history, so we
have to give it due credit. But you
have to make sure you are seeing a
registered practitioner, and don’t take
proprietary Chinese medicine. I think
it is fine if someone wants to take
TCM to improve their overall health
and well-being.”
The TCM practitioners we
spoke with agree that while TCM
is effective in treating ailments
such as the common cold, coughs,
stomach pain, colic, vomiting and
constipation, there are times when
parents should take their child to
the hospital instead of a Chinese
medicine practitioner: for example,
if they were suffering from external
injuries such as broken bones or
dislocated joints, or if they were
experiencing massive and continuous
vomiting, high fever or convulsions.
So, is traditional Chinese
medicine the right course of
treatment for you child? While
it seems that there’s a place for it
alongside the Western approach,
parents must act responsibly when
deciding which treatment to pursue
for which ailments. “At the end of
the day, the parents have to make a
decision about what they should do,”
Gianna says.
April 2013
57