Baby in critical condition after family let her drink monkey bile to treat convulsions
Tuesday, February 22, 2022, 14:20 GMT+7
A nine-day-old newborn baby girl from the central Vietnamese province of Quang Binh remains in a critical condition after her family gave her monkey bile in an attempt to cease her convulsions last weekend.
The baby was first admitted to Quang Binh North General Hospital on Sunday when she was suffering a sudden cardiac arrest and stopped breathing.
Her heart started beating again after receiving emergency medical care.
She was later transferred to Vietnam-Cuba Dong Hoi Friendship Hospital on Tuesday and now remains in a serious condition.
Her family had earlier given her a half spoon of monkey bile on Sunday upon seeing the baby suffering convulsions, according to preliminary investigation.
The baby showed signs of poisoning shortly after drinking the liquid.
This is not the first time the hospital has given emergency treatment to children poisoned by monkey bile, said Pham Thi Ngoc Han, head of the department of pediatrics at Vietnam-Cuba Dong Hoi Friendship Hospital.
There is no scientific evidence proving that monkey bile can help prevent seizures in children, Dr. Han said.
In the meantime, this liquid can cause such poisonings and serious complications on the nervous system, the doctor emphasized.
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