Patient's question:
A 2.5-year-old child has a bowel movement only once every three days, and the stool is large and hard; they are also reluctant to have a bowel movement. Please provide a solution.Doctor's answer:
Hello: The child's condition is a symptom of constipation. Constipation is a type of digestive system dysfunction, classified under "accumulated heat in the heart and spleen" in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM treatment for this condition has certain advantages, but it is not as simple as using purgatives. Frequent use of purgative medications is not beneficial for establishing healthy gastrointestinal function.Children with this condition are often frail, and frailty often leads to weak gastrointestinal function. Therefore, establishing healthy gastrointestinal function in the child is the fundamental principle of treatment.
In terms of diet, it is advisable to avoid excessive high-protein liquid diets, such as milk, as this is not conducive to exercising the child's gastrointestinal function. Instead, consuming rice-based foods is recommended, as rice is beneficial for the stomach. Examples include millet porridge, corn porridge, and rice porridge. It is best not to add too many beans to the porridge, but you can include ingredients like Chinese yam, lily bulb, lotus seeds, taro, and pumpkin.