"The 7-month-old baby was taken to a nearby outpatient clinic because of a cough, and was prescribed a few doses of plasters that did not work, and then did two enemas, after which the child cried very much, and died suddenly the next day." Regrettably, it cannot be said that the child died as a result of an enema, but it is certain that such an "enema" may not be necessary.
In the pediatric outpatient work, I often meet parents who say, "It is too difficult for the child to take medicine, and the needle can't find the blood vessels. When asked about the drugs used in the enema, the parents were also confused, and even said that it was "hypoallergenic Chinese medicine". It's already 2024, is there still someone blindly giving children "enema medicine"? Today we are going to unravel the coat of "enema".
Some "miracle doctors" who advocate enema treatment claim that enemas can treat colds, fevers, coughs, and pneumonia, and the drugs used are also varied, including saline, hormones, antibiotics, antivirals, traditional Chinese medicine, and even traditional Chinese medicine injections.
1. Can enemas really cure diseases? Is it used in regular hospitals?
Yes, just not so often! In the pediatric field, there are roughly three types of situations in which an enema is needed:
1. Clean the intestines: For example, children with megacolon need saline enemas to help with bowel movements because of constipation. In some cases, severe constipation requires salt water to be injected into the intestines to flush out fecal lumps and fecal stones.
2. Special treatment: For example, children with intussusception need to be injected with gas or water from the anus, and the intestines that are trapped in need of gas or water pressure are flushed out.
3. Rectal administration: The most common is Kaiserlu, which squeezes drugs such as glycerin into the intestine to stimulate the rectum and cause defecation, as well as the well-known antipyretic suppositories, which will only be used when the child cannot take it orally or is unwilling to take it orally, and it can only be used once a day. Under the condition of medical supervision, convulsions can not only be treated with chloral hydrate enema, sedation, hypnosis, and anticonvulsants.
Parents often mistakenly think that enema medication is similar to the antipyretic suppository used by children in the anus, which is safer than injections and medicines, but this is actually a misunderstanding.
2. Why is enema not recommended?
1. Rectal administration, the drug is easy to leak, and it is impossible to accurately judge how much the child has absorbed.
2. Some drug stimulation may also cause local ulcers, and if it is an intubated enema, it may also cause intestinal damage, resulting in even intestinal perforation and other risks.
3. Antibiotics can be used locally in very few cases, in the mainland's "Guidelines for the Clinical Use of Antimicrobial Drugs", there is no such way of administration as transanal infusion, and it is rare to see which "anti-inflammatory drug" can be administered by enema in the instructions, and even some drugs that need to be sensitized.
4. Enemas can also easily lead to disorders of normal flora in the intestines and cause secondary intestinal diseases.
5. A large number of drugs are absorbed into the blood circulation through the intestinal mucosa, and the metabolic burden of the liver and kidney increases suddenly, which will lead to kidney failure and liver failure in the baby if you are not careful;
Enemas are really risky, don't joke with your child's body. As a parent, in addition to staying away from these non-standard treatments, do not panic in the face of diseases, reduce anxiety, choose regular hospitals for treatment, and protect the healthy growth of the baby!
Author: Teng Ying
Source: Liaoning Provincial Health Industry Group Shenyang Coal General Hospital
Editor: Nini Ho
Proofreading: Chen Zeming
First Judge: Chen Yan
Review: Xu Jiang