TCM for babies or children isn’t the most common thing to be done in Singapore, when our child is sick, the first thing we do is rush for the family doctor or to the nearest hospital if it’s an emergency. But TCM treatment for babies and young children is increasingly gaining popularity.

Chinese herbs are prescribed in individualized formulas which are custom written to suit the needs of each child. These formulas typically consist of anywhere between four and fifteen herbs. Many herbs have anti-bacterial or anti-viral properties while others work to promote the body’s innate ability to heal and recuperate. Herbal formulas can be very effective in the treatment of acute illness as well as in preventing illness when there is a history of chronic infections and antibiotic use.

There are a number of ways that Chinese herbal medicine can be dispensed for children under the age of eight. TCM for babies include pills, powders, and teas. Any liquid form of Chinese medicine may be effectively administered with an eye dropper.

Also, during consultations, the Chinese physician will check on your child’s eye and tongue, which is what is done in adults as well, so you can prepare your child for that so he/she will not be so scared at the clinic.

Additionally, according to euyansang.com.sg,

In TCM, the body’s immunity depends on “”healthy energy””, or Zheng Qi. Zheng Qi flows throughout the body and defends it against external pathogens.

Zheng Qi is closely linked to the functioning of the body’s organs. “”Each organ has its own Qi (energy) and it contributes to the overall Qi in the body,”” Physician Zhang Ruifen of Eu Yan Sang Clinic at Jurong East, Sembawang and Serangoon explains. Well-functioning organ systems contribute to strong Zheng Qi, which makes one less likely to fall sick.

In healthy adults, all organ systems should be working properly. However, children’s Lung and Spleen systems are weak. This compromises overall immunity. In addition, a weak Lung system increases the likelihood of respiratory illnesses, while a weak Spleen system makes one prone to digestive illnesses. This is why children often catch colds and have stomach upsets.

To boost a child’s immunity, TCM for babies or young children focuses on tonifying the Lungs and Spleen systems.

A busy herbal pharmacy in one of Beijing’s TCM hosptials showing different herbs used in tonic preparations.

Tonification is a therapeutic treatment that nourishes and replenishes the qi, blood, yin and yang of the human body when they are deficient or weak. It is applicable to one or several of the organs, or one of the qi, blood, yin and yang, or the weakness of all of them as a whole. This is a method, unique to TCM, to sustain and restore the harmony of the body. Although Chinese medicine has a rich philosophical and theoretical background, it has also spawned many practical treatments that can relieve human suffering from a minor irritation to a potentially life-threatening situation. Methods of tonification may include the use of diet, herbal preparations and acupuncture.