Pediatrician “To Be a Doctor or Not” Lists Everyday “Counterfeit Medicines”

Nicolas Winter is a pediatrician at the Valencian Emergency Room. On her Facebook page, she shares advice for young parents and above all she tries to fight popular myths. His new book: “Does Magic Kiss Exist?” The aim is to separate fact from fiction on myths and “fake drugs”. While waiting for its release, here is a little preview.

Separating fact from fiction, Tobib has made it his trademark. On social networks, about 375,000 people follow him for his pediatric advice. Real name Nicolas Winter, a 36-year-old emergency pediatrician in Valenciennes “Does magic kiss exist?“, illustrated by Leslie Play. The book contains nearly twenty chapters that dissect the truth of “cold snaps” and “fake meds” pediatricians face in emergency rooms and on social networks. Awaiting its planned release March 14, 2024 On , he agreed to reveal some secrets in advance. So, the amber necklace and strangling hair, myth or reality?

Osteopathy and Homeopathy in the viewfinder

One of Nicolas Winter’s hobbies is “fake drugs” or “false drugs” in French: “So called alternative medicine which is not based on any scientific evidence like osteopathy or homeopathy“, reproaches the pediatrician.

Counterfeit medicines are so called alternative medicines which are not based on any scientific evidence like osteopathy or homeopathy.

Nicholas Winter, Pediatrics

According to the Larousse dictionary, osteopathy is a spinal or muscular manipulation technique, and homeopathy is based on the administration of highly diluted substances to treat certain disorders.

Both are heavily criticized by the scientific community, “Especially since they are not even practiced by health professionals“, adds the pediatrician.

However, no proof of their effectiveness exists.”Almost all children go therehe laments, Because people often think of consulting medical disciplines“

Far from being harmless, these practices present risks according to the doctor: “They can cause diagnostic errors and delay the transition to actual treatment“, he explains.

I have already met parents who tell me “my child has reflux, he went to the osteopath 4 times and nothing has changed”: apparently because sometimes the problem is just digestive and nervous system immaturity. So there is nothing to do but wait

“I have already met parents who tell me ‘my child has reflux, he has been to an osteopath 4 times and nothing has changed’: apparently because sometimes the problem is only the immaturity of the digestive system and the nervousness of the child. , so wait. Nothing but” Testifies to a pediatrician.

The fact that these sounds persist in the corridor proves, according to him, “Caregivers are not spared“By these beliefs, and that there is still a long way to go to fight against them.

Amber necklace for toothache?

One of the key accessories for babies first year is the amber necklace. It is known to relieve teething pain, sometimes crying and colic in babies.

For Nicholas Winter, these perceived advantages hide a grim reality: “A study by Paris hospitals calculated 30 child deaths each year due to strangulation from unapproved amber necklaces.“, testifies the pediatrician.

This is enough to raise the hackles of an honest professional:”We see children coming in with bronchitis, and also amber necklaces when they are already in respiratory distress.“

The verdict for the amber necklace is clear: it has a large number on the side of health professionals, who continue to denounce its dangerousness.

A child with acute needs?

Your baby wants a lot of attention from you and often reaches out to carry his arms: what if he was a BABI? A concept from the United States, BABI would identify a child with so-called “intense” needs: hypersensitive, strong expression of emotion, insatiable need for contact… a very active child that would tire his parents.

For the Doctor: “It’s not a dangerous concept but a bit silly.” Because like adults “Every child has their own personality.“. The child demands more attention and is more agitated so it is not a symptom of any pathology and will never be diagnosed by a pediatrician.

There is no risk of child endangerment but for all that “”It’s still putting a label on a kid who doesn’t need it“, Nicholas finished.

Bathing after eating?

Who has never heard that from their parents? “Be careful, don’t go into the water after eating, you will get hydrocution“. But if we go swimming right after eating, do we really risk “hydrocussion” or thermal shock, which causes the risk of drowning?

For the doctor, this warning is also a myth: “It is mainly a myth so that parents can relax after mealshe laughs, But this one, I don’t know if it’s a myth that needs to disappear”

When you stand still for long periods of time and suddenly you stand up and plunge into cold water, you run the risk of pelvic discomfort.

However, be careful before running into the water after filling your stomach and spending a few hours under the sun:When you stand still for long periods of time and suddenly you stand up and plunge into cold water, you actually run the risk of pelvic discomfort.“, Pediatrics concluded.

Should we fear hair strangulation?

A fitting name for a horror film that evokes laughter or horror. “Strangler hair is a phenomenon.”Which might take for a legend but which is not one“, explains the pediatrician.

“It’s not stupid at allIt specifies, It occurs when the mother’s hair often wraps around the baby’s toe and the tightening threatens to necrotize the toe.”

This phenomenon remains rare but should not be taken lightly, a tourniquet formed by the hair can lead to amputation of the associated toe.

To avoid falling into misconceptions, the pediatrician recommends “Always check where the information comes from and who gives it to us: is it a health professional relying on medical consensus?“And to find an elegant interlocutor, the doctor believes the best reaction is to be cautious.”The people who have the answer to everything”

On the other hand, the effectiveness of the magical kiss is a well-kept secret to be discovered in the work of Nicholas Winter, in bookstores March 14, 2024. In the meantime you can get his advice on social networks. To be a doctor or not.