“Leaves of three, let them be.” Sounds familiar to many of us, yes? This quote refers to the dreaded poison oak and poison ivy, plants which line the hiking trails and woods of much of the world. To protect themselves from being eaten, these hardy weeds have developed a very effective defense: their shiny leaves are coated in an incredibly reactive oil which causes a severe local, swollen and weeping rash, which often burns but mostly is incredibly itchy.… Read the rest
Category Archives: Children
Spring Allergy Misery: What’s The Best Cure?
Springtime is just starting to warm up in Beijing, and it feels great to be putting away those thick down coats and dusting off those pastel shirts and Easter finery. It also heralds an annual spring tradition in my clinic– patients feeling miserable with sneezing, itchy and watery eyes.… Read the rest
Cough Syrups For Kids: Do Any Work Well?
Coughing is one of winter’s inevitable symptoms for all families. As viruses pass back and forth, the usual runny nose and cough can be very disruptive, especially if it’s keeping both you and your child awake all night. For cough relief, we all have our favorite cough syrups — but which ones actually work?… Read the rest
Getting Some Sun — Without The Cancer
Did you know that as much as 80 percent of your lifetime exposure to sunlight happens before the age of 18? This early sun exposure slowly causes DNA damage and puts us at risk for skin cancer later on. One of the biggest risk factors for developing melanomas is the frequency of sunburns as a child.… Read the rest
TCM and Kids: Which Therapies Are Safe — And Effective?
Many of us have delved into China’s most famous traditions of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), but it’s difficult to know not only which treatments are effective and safe, but which are suitable for your condition. I practice allopathic Western-style family medicine, but I also trained with many alternative medicine doctors in the hippie enclaves around San Francisco, so I am familiar with these complementary medicines.… Read the rest
Pain Relief For Kids: A Guide To Proper Dosing
Treating a fever in a child still uses the same two medicines for decades: ibuprofen (Motrin, 布洛芬) and paracetamol/acetaminophen (Tylenol, Panadol, ). But dosing is actually really tricky, as there are different concentrations for infants and toddlers, and it’s all too easy to give too much or too little.… Read the rest