On July 2, six-year-old Tran Phuong Nam of Dong Nai Province, who had diarrhoea, was brought to Dong Nai Paediatrics Hospital for emergency aid because of severe dehydration. His mother, Nguyen Ngoc Phuong, had followed a remedy she had read about on an online forum.
It had recommended a strict regimen with thin rice gruel and salt, and no medicine of any kind, for one week. Five days later, Nam was severely dehydrated. After a 10-day stay at the hospital, the boy's health recovered. Hospital doctors said that he would have died from dehydration if the parents had brought him to the hospital a day later.
Similarly, during a measles outbreak earlier this year, a misleading remedy found online suggested the use of coriander. Many parents bought the herb, boiled it in water and bathed their children in it. However, their children's health became worse.
It had recommended a strict regimen with thin rice gruel and salt, and no medicine of any kind, for one week. Five days later, Nam was severely dehydrated. After a 10-day stay at the hospital, the boy's health recovered. Hospital doctors said that he would have died from dehydration if the parents had brought him to the hospital a day later.
Similarly, during a measles outbreak earlier this year, a misleading remedy found online suggested the use of coriander. Many parents bought the herb, boiled it in water and bathed their children in it. However, their children's health became worse.
Dr Truong Huu Khanh, head of the HCM City Peadiatric Hospital No.1's neurology and infectious diseases ward, said the herb was not useful and that parents must be more careful about listening to rumours about health cures on social media sites and internet forums or through word-of-mouth.
Using these inaccurate remedies could lead to missing the optimal period to treat the disease properly, Khanh said.
Tran Van Dau of Vung Tau City, who had cirrhosis of the liver due to alcoholism, was another unsuspecting patient. He said he had heard about a wonderful remedy offered by a monk from Binh Thuan's Ham Tan District, who had offered him a variety of herbal medicine.
For the first month, he felt better, but then he became worse. Doctors at Vung Tau City's hospital said he was seriously ill. He died after a two-day stay at the hospital.
Like Dau, many people have discovered diet fads and miracle treatments through online forums and websites and by word-of-mouth.Organic rice, for example, has been touted as a treatment for HIV and cancer, and red bran rice a cure for diabetes, gout and other diseases.
Khanh said that the public should consult credible websites like those of hospitals and medical universities for such information.
Using these inaccurate remedies could lead to missing the optimal period to treat the disease properly, Khanh said.
Tran Van Dau of Vung Tau City, who had cirrhosis of the liver due to alcoholism, was another unsuspecting patient. He said he had heard about a wonderful remedy offered by a monk from Binh Thuan's Ham Tan District, who had offered him a variety of herbal medicine.
For the first month, he felt better, but then he became worse. Doctors at Vung Tau City's hospital said he was seriously ill. He died after a two-day stay at the hospital.
Like Dau, many people have discovered diet fads and miracle treatments through online forums and websites and by word-of-mouth.Organic rice, for example, has been touted as a treatment for HIV and cancer, and red bran rice a cure for diabetes, gout and other diseases.
Khanh said that the public should consult credible websites like those of hospitals and medical universities for such information.
