Question
My son is two and a half weeks old, and he is particularly small and thin. He has been taking traditional Chinese medicine for a year, and the doctor said his spleen is not good. However, his feces are yellowish lately, and it looks normal. Why isn’t he gaining weight, and are there any side effects from always taking small doses of traditional Chinese medicine on the child?
Answer
If a baby has poor spleen and stomach health, it is recommended to have a light diet and not overeat. Appropriately giving him soups made with Chinese yam, Job’s tears, and lotus seeds can help strengthen the spleen. Consider traditional Chinese medicine regulation, combined with massage and acupoint therapy. Additionally, increasing physical activity can boost the baby’s own immunity. The key to regulating a baby’s spleen and stomach lies in cultivating good eating habits, such as not eating too much, adding complementary foods at regular intervals, and giving the baby food suitable for his age. Avoid eating milk within one hour before bedtime or after falling asleep to reduce gastrointestinal burden. Non-pharmaceutical therapies like massage can be used to help regulate the baby’s spleen and stomach. Try to minimize the use of medication.