Drank milk - need for med check?

[Qiuyue]

Hi

Me, my wife and our now 3 year old son lived in China for 2 years and recently moved back home.

My son drank a lot of milk (no milkpowder though), and reading about the latest crisis I am wondering whether we should take him to a doctor for a check.

Maybe you expats and other folks who are still in China have discussed this amongst each others. Are there any suggestions given in general by foreign hospitals/doctors in China for example?

[md1101]

the harmful substance in the milk there is called melamine and while classified as relatively harmless to adults, it does seem to have a greater chance of having a harmful affect on under two year olds - namely to their bladder of kidneys (such as kidney stones). Try here for more info.

Current parents of children who drank the affected milk are being told to get their children's kidneys checked. Obviously a doctor would have the best advice so I'd suggest you take your child in for a quick check up. Doctor will probably say you've got nothing to worry about.

Edited September 26, 2008 at 06:58 AM by md1101

[liuzhou]

If you are worried, go for checks. If I was worried about my kid's health that's what I would do instead of asking on an internet talkboard!

[flameproof]

If you are worried, go for checks.

Yes. We just had a case in HK, a 10 year old boy who drank 0.5L a day fresh milk got kidney stones.

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=361398

If they kid can talk they are in some cases easy to notice:

Blood in your pee (very light though, hard to notice)

Urge to pee more often

Pain when pee

Pain around kidneys

And remember to send the bill to the Chinese government as they promised to take care of the cost.

[simonlaing]

Western brand, (usually European Parmalatt style milk doesn't seem to have any cases.

I also heard it also has to do with the weight of your child, the less weight the more dangerous the exposure could have.

Also look at the brand that you have been giving your kid.

I agree with other posters better safe than sorry get it checked out at a hospital. Kidney stone can be treated I think.

Good Luck,

Simon:)

P.S. now they say milk product foods could be affected as well. like Chinese milk chocolate. (though Oreo says they don't use milk in their cookies. so that is a relief I think.)

[Luobot]

In related news ...

A Japanese food corporation has recalled five products after determining they contained the chemical melamine that has been blamed for the deaths of four children and sickening thousands of others.

...

Chinese officials on Thursday pull the popular White Rabbit candies thought to contain contaminated milk.

...

Hong Kong officials said Friday that a type of Heinz cereal and wasabi crackers were recalled after they were found to contain excessive melamine.

Edited September 27, 2008 at 10:37 PM by Luobot
added link to "white rabbit" article

[Luobot]

If you're missing your milk protein, how about some nice, fresh, wholesome eggs ...