Question
A 7-year-old boy has lost his tongue coating, and his parents are seeking the cause and treatment methods. The doctor recommends treating the cough first before addressing the tongue coating issue, but the parents are confused.
Answer
The disappearance of a child’s tongue coating may be related to heat, tongue inflammation, or spleen and stomach coldness. If the tongue appears red without coating, it may be a sign of spleen and stomach coldness. If there was no tongue coating from birth and no other pathological symptoms, it is a normal phenomenon. If the tongue coating disappears later on, it may be related to digestive and nutritional conditions, and it is advisable to check for the presence of chronic diseases. If there are no obvious pathological symptoms, it is recommended to restore the tongue coating through lifestyle management, such as improving dietary habits.