Question
Can covering a child with a woolen blanket cause a fire in the body? Can children use a woolen blanket?
Answer
In daily life, parents may notice that children often experience ‘upfire,’ which can lead to symptoms such as colds, fever, coughing, sore throat, constipation, and deep yellow urine. In severe cases, it can even lead to conditions like pneumonia and myocarditis. The modern medical explanation of ‘upfire’ is inflammation, often caused by various bacteria and viruses attacking the body, or due to children’s indigestion and dysfunction in excretion. When food residue remains in the child’s body without being timely excreted through bowel movements, it can accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract over time, producing toxins and harmful substances. These harmful substances can lead to inflammation within the body, thereby lowering immunity and making the body susceptible to external viruses. Children with ‘upfire’ often suffer from conditions like tonsillitis and pharyngitis. During the natural immune response, they are more susceptible to external pathogens such as wind-cold and various viruses, leading to diseases like colds, mumps, and chickenpox. Therefore, ‘upfire’ is a latent cause within children’s bodies that requires timely treatment. Since children’s organs are delicate and their organ development is not yet mature, direct purgation can seriously harm children’s gastrointestinal function and lead to dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Clinical treatment often employs traditional Chinese medicine due to its lack of toxic side effects and its stable treatment effects. In addition to choosing the correct medication for treatment, it is also important to pay attention to dietary adjustments in daily life for children, eat more vegetables and fruits, pay more attention to water supplementation in spring, do more outdoor exercise, and fundamentally eliminate the causes of ‘upfire.’ There is no need to worry; ensure warmth and avoid catching a cold.