Patient's question:
The baby is three years old. Recently, they didn't pay attention while eating and consumed extremely cold and greasy foods, which led to nausea and vomiting again. It is said that nausea and vomiting can be caused by either damp-heat or cold-dampness. How should one distinguish between them?Doctor's answer:
The dampness pathogen rampant in the stomach and intestines, leading to abnormal transformation and recurrent diarrhea, is known as damp-heat type infantile diarrhea. The cold pathogen rampant in the stomach and intestines causes cold-dampness to obstruct the spleen, where the spleen fails to transform dampness, resulting in cold-dampness type infantile diarrhea. To prevent the recurrence of nausea and vomiting, it is essential to protect the child from cold, especially the abdomen, particularly the navel area, to avoid exposure to cold and consuming extremely cold foods.Distinguishing between damp-heat type infantile diarrhea and cold-dampness type infantile diarrhea primarily lies in the former's heat excess, which causes the child to experience thirst and desire to drink, along with red fingers and yellow tongue coating. The latter, characterized by cold-dampness, is an yin pathogen that does not deplete fluids, so the child will not feel thirsty but may experience a bland taste in the mouth, with a white tongue coating. Thus, identifying the specific type of diarrhea in the child is crucial to confirm the appropriate treatment plan.