All parents please beware of Herbal Basic TCM located at 727 Havelock Road. My son age 4.5 years old has health history of bronchitis and sensitive nose. On 23 Jan 2017, the childcare center called to inform us that my son is running a fever 38.2 C and was slightly coughing too. We brought him to Herbal Basic clinic for his conditions to be treated. On the way to the clinic, I gave my son Paracetamol to relieve his fever (to prevent him from running a high fever as his temperature was already 38.2 C). When the TCM physician knew I gave my son Paracetamol, she scolded me for giving my son medicine as it would suppress his fever. However, I told the physician that my son's fever was 38.2 C an hour ago. The TCM physician firmly told us not to give my son any western medicine as she would use TCM treatment (bio-light to treat fever and cough and nose spa to treat cough only), my son was having sore throat as well. The bio-light treatment required 3 conservative days for my son to be at the clinic.
The physician told us that my son may cough badly during day 1 night and or day 2 night which is common for bio-light treatment and she told us only give one dosage of Paracetamol and use the TCM massage oil (to treat cough) at night.
Day 2 (24 Jan) - My son still having fever (his temperature fluctuate between 37.5 to 38.5 C), his cough and sore throat didn't get better. The physician told us children having fever for 3 days no need to be worry, no need to give western medicine as their young body is fighting with the infection. That is the way to build the child's immune system so that he can be stronger and not fall sick easily in future. However, I told her that my son was coughing very badly (almost every few seconds cough) in the night and all family members can't sleep well. After hearing this, she told us to give 1 dosage of cough mixture to my son at night (day 2) to relieve his cough so that all of us can sleep. We listened to her instruction (and continue to give 1 dosage of Paracetamol at 2nd night as my son still has fever).
Day 3 (25 Jan) - My son's conditions still no improvement and his fever 38.7 C in the late morning. We brought him back to the TCM clinic and the physician examined my son's throat and nose, used stethoscope to check his chest and back and said no wheezing sound when breathing and his lung was fine. His conditions haven't developed into bronchitis yet. But she said that since there was no improvement after three days of bio-light and nose spa treatment, she suggest we send our son to consult a western doctor for antibiotics. She acknowledged that my son's conditions had worsen (by then his fever was 39.2 C) and the TCM clinic will close on 26 Jan due to Lunar New Year and open only on 31 Jan. The TCM clinic can't continue to treat my son's conditions to full recovery.
On that afternoon, we brought my son to see a pediatrician at a hospital as he may need a blood test. The pediatrician used stethoscope to examine his chest, she could hear that my son was breathless and suspected his lungs got problems and ordered for a blood test, urine test and x-ray for my son. She diagnosed my son having lungs and throat infections (based on blood test results) and phlegm were found trapping in his lungs (based on x-ray results). The pediatrician told us that my son needs to be admitted to hospital immediately for treatment. She questioned us what took us so long to seek medical attention because his conditions were not developed over just one night. We told her about the TCM treatment over the last 3 days and she confirmed there is no scientific proof on using bio-light to treat fever and cough. My son was warded on 25 Jan late afternoon and on the same night his fever shot to 40.2 C.
26 Jan - Till today my son is still having high fever 39.6 C and is treated in the hospital. We as parents have diligently bring my son to the TCM clinic for treatment, trusted the physician and willing to be scolded by her during consultation. The TCM physician gets to enjoy her Lunar New Year and my son (including us as parents) have to spent our Lunar New Year in the hospital.
We learnt our lesson hard at the expense of my son's health. We hope to share our experience with you so that you can avoid what we had went through in our TCM journey and by the way TCM treatments do not come cheap.
The physician told us that my son may cough badly during day 1 night and or day 2 night which is common for bio-light treatment and she told us only give one dosage of Paracetamol and use the TCM massage oil (to treat cough) at night.
Day 2 (24 Jan) - My son still having fever (his temperature fluctuate between 37.5 to 38.5 C), his cough and sore throat didn't get better. The physician told us children having fever for 3 days no need to be worry, no need to give western medicine as their young body is fighting with the infection. That is the way to build the child's immune system so that he can be stronger and not fall sick easily in future. However, I told her that my son was coughing very badly (almost every few seconds cough) in the night and all family members can't sleep well. After hearing this, she told us to give 1 dosage of cough mixture to my son at night (day 2) to relieve his cough so that all of us can sleep. We listened to her instruction (and continue to give 1 dosage of Paracetamol at 2nd night as my son still has fever).
Day 3 (25 Jan) - My son's conditions still no improvement and his fever 38.7 C in the late morning. We brought him back to the TCM clinic and the physician examined my son's throat and nose, used stethoscope to check his chest and back and said no wheezing sound when breathing and his lung was fine. His conditions haven't developed into bronchitis yet. But she said that since there was no improvement after three days of bio-light and nose spa treatment, she suggest we send our son to consult a western doctor for antibiotics. She acknowledged that my son's conditions had worsen (by then his fever was 39.2 C) and the TCM clinic will close on 26 Jan due to Lunar New Year and open only on 31 Jan. The TCM clinic can't continue to treat my son's conditions to full recovery.
On that afternoon, we brought my son to see a pediatrician at a hospital as he may need a blood test. The pediatrician used stethoscope to examine his chest, she could hear that my son was breathless and suspected his lungs got problems and ordered for a blood test, urine test and x-ray for my son. She diagnosed my son having lungs and throat infections (based on blood test results) and phlegm were found trapping in his lungs (based on x-ray results). The pediatrician told us that my son needs to be admitted to hospital immediately for treatment. She questioned us what took us so long to seek medical attention because his conditions were not developed over just one night. We told her about the TCM treatment over the last 3 days and she confirmed there is no scientific proof on using bio-light to treat fever and cough. My son was warded on 25 Jan late afternoon and on the same night his fever shot to 40.2 C.
26 Jan - Till today my son is still having high fever 39.6 C and is treated in the hospital. We as parents have diligently bring my son to the TCM clinic for treatment, trusted the physician and willing to be scolded by her during consultation. The TCM physician gets to enjoy her Lunar New Year and my son (including us as parents) have to spent our Lunar New Year in the hospital.
We learnt our lesson hard at the expense of my son's health. We hope to share our experience with you so that you can avoid what we had went through in our TCM journey and by the way TCM treatments do not come cheap.