Question
A child has been experiencing intermittent diarrhea for nearly three months. Despite hospital IV treatments, the symptoms still recur, and the effects of Western medicine are not significant. How should this situation be properly handled?
Answer
If a child’s diarrhea persists for three months without improvement, it should be considered whether it is due to allergic colitis, abdominal cold, or dyspepsia, conditions that may be related to the mother’s or child’s dietary habits. It is recommended to approach the situation from multiple angles. First, ensure the child stays warm and avoid consuming fish, shrimp, spicy, cold, and overly sweet foods. Adhere to the principle of small and frequent meals, adopt a light diet, and consume foods beneficial to the gastrointestinal tract. Prolonged diarrhea may damage the child’s gastrointestinal function or cause electrolyte loss, so oral rehydration therapy can be considered. In addition, it is suggested to prepare porridge made from millet for the child.