Question
My child, who is three years old, does not want to eat anything in the morning. When I give him food, he gags. At nursery, he says he only wants to eat rice and not vegetables, and he gags when I give it to him. However, after school, he eats a lot without gagging. Sometimes he has this problem, and sometimes it gets better. I’ve seen two traditional Chinese medicine doctors who said everything was fine and advised not to force him to eat. A couple of days of not eating is okay. He eats normally at home and can eat a lot when he likes the food, but recently he started gagging again, and I don’t know what’s going on.
Answer
I’ve seen a TCM doctor before, who advised not to force him to eat and that it’s okay to occasionally fast. It’s recommended to give him a light diet, eat small meals frequently, and consume foods that are easy to digest. It might be appropriate to take supplements like Danggui Baizhu Powder or probiotics to improve his appetite. Avoid cold foods. Keep an eye on him and see a doctor again if necessary.