On May 11, the Pediatrics Department (Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Hospital Dong Hoi, Quang Binh) announced that the department had just received official test results from the National Children's Hospital concluding that an 11-month-old girl was poisoned by lead and arsenic (2 heavy metals) due to using "orange medicine".
Previously, on the afternoon of May 8, the hospital's Pediatrics Department admitted an 11-month-old girl from Hung Trach Commune (Bo Trach District) due to convulsions. Through medical history, it was learned that 2 weeks ago the girl had a fever, and her family gave her a powdered medicine given by a neighbor. A week later, the girl had mouth ulcers, and the family continued to give her the same medicine and clean her mouth with the same medicine but bought at the market.
Baby in critical condition due to "orange medicine"
"Observing the patient's symptoms and examining him, we diagnosed him with lead poisoning due to the use of 'orange medicine', which his family had given him to drink and apply to his mouth. Lead poisoning due to 'orange medicine' has been warned about quite a lot in the northern provinces, but this is the first case to be discovered and diagnosed at the hospital. Because there is no specific treatment, the child was transferred to a higher level on May 9. However, the risk of neurological sequelae is very high. Currently, the child is being actively treated at the National Children's Hospital," said Dr. Pham Thi Ngoc Han, Head of the Pediatrics Department (Vietnam - Cuba Dong Hoi Friendship Hospital).
According to Dr. Pham Thi Ngoc Han, lead is a very toxic substance to health, causing many neurological, hematological, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal diseases. When entering the body, this metal accumulates in the internal organs (especially the bones) for a long time and takes decades to be eliminated. There are many causes of lead poisoning in children, but herbal medicines commonly known as "orange medicine" used for topical application and oral use are the leading cause of severe lead poisoning, leaving serious sequelae, even causing the patient to be disabled for life.
According to Dr. Pham Thi Ngoc Han, to prevent lead poisoning in children, parents need to trust in medically proven treatment methods. They should not listen to unverified word-of-mouth methods, and should not arbitrarily buy and give their children folk medicines of unknown origin and without a circulation license, especially "orange medicine". In addition, they must regularly clean the living environment, limit children's exposure to toys that are not guaranteed in quality and may be contaminated with lead and other heavy metals.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/be-gai-11-tuoi-ngo-doc-nguy-kich-do-dung-thuoc-cam-gia-truyen-185240511073135422.htm
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