Question
A three-year-old child has recently developed tongue ulcers, causing difficulty in eating. What could be the possible causes?
Answer
Tongue ulcers may be caused by damp-heat in the liver and stomach meridians, with symptoms including white spots on the edges of the tongue, ulcers, bitter taste in the mouth, irritability, dark yellow urine, and a wiry and rapid pulse. Treatment should adopt methods to clear heat and drain dampness from the liver and gallbladder, such as using Long Dan Xie Gan Decoction. If caused by heat toxin ascending from the heart and spleen, the tongue surface and body may experience severe ulcers and swelling, affecting eating. In this case, treatment to drain heat toxin from the heart and spleen should be adopted. It is recommended to increase milk intake, avoid eating spicy and hot foods, consume more cool foods, and reduce intake of hot foods.