Baby death in China sparks call for regulation of TCM massage therapists
- Four-month-old girl dies of multiple organ failure after traditional therapy to treat cold symptoms
- Cause of death is still unknown but experts say it is time practitioners had more training
The death of a baby girl in northwestern China has prompted a call for tighter regulations on practitioners of a traditional Chinese therapeutic massage for children.
The four-month-old was taken to a community clinic in Xian, Shaanxi province, on November 30 where she was diagnosed with an upper respiratory tract infection.
She was prescribed a form of massage therapy called paediatric tui na to relieve her cold symptoms, which included a cough. After about 20 minutes of massage, her heartbeat and breathing stopped. The infant was taken to hospital where she died of multiple organ failure, according to Huashang Daily.
An inquest is under way to determine the cause of death but experts are not waiting for the results to urge for better regulations of an industry which requires no medical training and as little as two weeks’ instruction for its practitioners.
The use of tui na – which translates as “push and grab” – dates back to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Industry insiders said the therapy was being offered for children with symptoms as diverse as diarrhoea, fever and even myopia in both hospitals and health clubs.