Question
My 3-year-old son has severe bad breath. He weighs only 23 pounds. I want to know the cause and its impact on his body.
Answer
When milk food accumulates in the stomach, especially if there is bad breath and acid taste in the morning upon waking up, this may be a sign of retained milk food, a condition known as high retention. If a child has bad breath and acid taste in the morning, it might be due to retained milk food. In such cases, reducing the amount of food or temporarily skipping a meal can help restore gastrointestinal function. For bad breath caused by dyspepsia, symptomatic anti-inflammatory medication such as pepsin, multi-enzyme tablets, lactase, and tannic acid protein can be used. If vomiting is severe, fasting for 12 hours should be considered, followed by gradually resuming normal diet with sugar water and rice porridge. Severe dehydration requires timely fluid replacement.