Question
When a child is in the acute stage with low fever or no fever, accompanied by runny nose, cough, sore throat, or loss of appetite and nausea, how should one handle the increase in sialase index caused by hand, foot, and mouth disease?
Answer
During the acute stage of the disease, if a child experiences low fever or no fever, along with symptoms such as a runny nose, cough, sore throat, or loss of appetite and nausea, consider using the “Yin Chiao Powder” formula for treatment. This formula helps to disperse wind and relieve the exterior, clear heat, and detoxify. If high fever persists and there are dense blisters appearing in the mouth, hands, feet, buttocks, and limbs, use the “Qing Wen Bai Du Drink” formula to clear heat and detoxify, cool blood, and stop diarrhea. For severe cases with persistent high fever, frequent coughing, and respiratory distress as complications, use the “Yi Jiao Xiang Huang Wan He Shen Fu Tang” formula to enhance the body’s constitution and stabilize the condition. In the recovery phase of the disease, for children with dry mouth and sore throat, add Sheng Di Huang (raw rehmannia) and Lu Gen (herbaceous peony root) to the “Sha Shen Mai Dong Soup” formula to nourish yin and produce moisture, clear heat and moisten the throat. If blisters appear in the child’s mouth, select traditional Chinese medicine preparations such as Xigua Shuang (watermelon powder), Bing Po San (ice borax powder), or Xi Lai San (cinnabar powder) to apply on the affected areas of the mouth. For severe cases of hand and foot blisters, use medications such as Ru Yi Jin Huang San (Ruyi Golden Powder) and Qing Dai San (indigo powder) after mixing them with sesame oil for external application on the affected blister areas.