1. Overview
Founded in 1956, the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Children’s Hospital of Fudan University is an academic and clinical department specializing in integrative pediatrics through the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western medicine. Designated as a National Clinical Key Specialty, the department operates multiple specialized clinics and has established the only pediatric nephrology ward in Shanghai dedicated to integrated Chinese and Western medicine. Care focuses on the evaluation and long-term management of pediatric endocrine, metabolic, and developmental conditions through a structured integrative care model.
Accreditation & Major Initiatives
- National Clinical Key Specialty, Ministry of Health (2011)
- Shanghai-Fudan Pediatric Medical Alliance
Full-network implementation of coordinated diagnosis and treatment using integrated Chinese and Western medicine (2021)
- Flagship Hospital for Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine
Selected as a leading development unit in Shanghai (2021)
Specialty Clinics
The department provides targeted, disease-oriented clinical care for a broad range of pediatric conditions through the following specialty clinics:
- Integrated TCM-WM Subspecialty Clinic
Designated as a Shanghai Municipal Outstanding Traditional Chinese Medicine Specialty
- Adolescent Gynecology Clinic
- Pediatric Nephrology Clinic
- Pediatric Obesity Clinic
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Clinic
- Tic Disorders Clinic
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) External Therapy Clinic
including Acupuncture, Tuina Massage, Physiotherapy, Herbal Acu-Point Application, etc.
- Chronic Cough Clinic
- Pediatric Gastritis Clinic
In collaboration with the Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, the department has jointly established the only pediatric nephrology ward in Shanghai dedicated to integrated Traditional Chinese and Western medicine, delivering coordinated diagnosis and treatment through an integrative care model.
Awards & Recognition
Selected national and regional awards include:
- National Science and Technology Progress Award (Second Prize)
- Shanghai Science and Technology Progress Award
- Science and Technology Progress Award, Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine
Leadership in Clinical Standards
The department has led the development of clinical guidelines and expert consensus statements on integrated Chinese and Western medicine for pediatric conditions. including, but not limited to, precocious puberty, enuresis, and childhood obesity. It continues to advance the standardized development of pediatric diagnosis and treatment with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine.
2. Tests & Procedures
The department adopts a combined approach integrating internal and external Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies, applied flexibly according to clinical needs.
- Internal Therapies
Oral administration of Chinese herbal medicine, including multiple hospital-prepared formulations with long-standing clinical use, developed based on the clinical experience of nationally designated senior Traditional Chinese Medicine physicians, for pediatric conditions such as precocious puberty, chronic cough, constipation, and enuresis.
- External Therapies
Acupuncture, Herbal Application , Auricular Acupressure, Cupping, Moxibustion, and Acupoint Irradiation Therapy.
3. Conditions Treated
The department provides integrative Chinese and Western medicine care for the systematic diagnosis and management of common and frequently encountered pediatric conditions.
Endocrine, Growth, Pubertal, and Metabolic Disorders represent a core focus of clinical practice, with established expertise in the comprehensive management of Precocious Puberty, Adolescent Gynecologic Conditions including Menstrual Disorders in Adolescence, and Childhood Obesity, emphasizing individualized assessment and long-term management.
Neurodevelopmental and Neurobehavioral Disorders constitute another major area of care, including Tic Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Sleep Disorders, with integrative treatment strategies tailored to developmental and functional needs.
The department also manages a range of Neuromuscular and Functional Conditions, such as Facial Paralysis (Bell’s Palsy), as well as Immune- and Infection-Related Conditions, including Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections. In addition, care is provided for Feeding and Appetite-Related Disorders, including Anorexia, through an integrative Chinese and Western medicine approach.