(Video uploaded 04/2013)

Transcript

What is “Kai Nai Cha” or “Qi Xing Cha”?

“Kai Nai Cha” and “Qi Xing Cha” are commonly known Chinese medicinal herbal tea for infants and young children. They are usually taken by young children with conditions of crying at nights due to terrors, retention of phlegm-heat and undigested milk stagnated in stomach. The ingredients are mainly composed of Chinese herbal medicine with a cooling effect. So, they are medicines and not ordinary tea. Therefore, advice from a Chinese medicine practitioner should firstly be sought before giving to infants and young children.

My kid suffers from “heat” and “poor appetite”. Can I give him the medicinal herbal tea for infants and young children such as “ Kai Nai Cha” to drink?

Some parents may give their kids medicinal herbal tea to drink due to misinterpretations. They may think rich eye mucus discharge and infrequent bowel movements of young children are due to “heat”, or less intake of milk means “dyspepsia”. In fact, Chinese medicine practitioners follow a set of strict diagnostic methods when making diagnosis. They will not jump to the conclusion that much eye mucus discharge and infrequent bowel movements are direct results of heat or less intake of milk means “dyspepsia”. Therefore, parents should seek medical advice from a doctor if they worry about the health of their kids.

Besides, most of the on-shelf drug products are not clearly labelled with the actual amount of each Chinese herbal medicine and the dosage for children of different ages as well as the side effects. Parents should seek ad vice from a Chinese medicine practitioner before giving their children “Kai Nai Cha” or “Qi Xing Cha” to drink. Do not take medicine without medical advice.

Is there any adverse effect after taking “Kai Nai C ha” and “Qi Xing Cha”?

Although the ingredients of “Kai Nai Cha” and “Qi Xing Cha” are commonly-used Chinese herbal medicines with a mild nature, some of the medicines may still cause adverse effects such as allergic reaction, nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention and pain, palpitation and chest discomfort on individuals of certain body constitutions. Frequent in-take of such medicinal herbal tea may cause adverse outcomes including abdominal distention cum diarrhea, sweating cum tiredness as well as internal organs disturbance. Hence, chronic intake of such medicinal herbal tea by infants and young children without pathological grounds may cause undesirable effects on them or even affect their health. Therefore, parents should seek medical advice from a doctor if they worry about the health of their kids.