Question
My child is 4 years old and has been having bowel movements every three days recently. Before each bowel movement, they always complain of stomach pain, as if they have stool that won’t come out. When asked about the pain, they say it’s on the left and right sides of the navel. The stool is as hard as sheep dung at the beginning, followed by loose, soft, and shapeless material at the end, making it rough. There is no pain for a day after defecation, but then it starts again. After taking ‘Enterococcus faecalis and Bifidobacterium longum granules’ from a small clinic for two days, the symptoms seemed to improve and they didn’t complain of stomach pain, but it returned after taking only two days’ worth. What is this condition, and what kind of medicine should I give them?
Answer
This situation is likely due to poor functional intestinal twisting in children, which is caused by excessive water elimination and is related to the child’s diet. The best treatment for this condition is to use traditional Chinese medicine for regulation, such as raw rehmannia, ophiopogon root, scutellaria root, and sesame seeds. It is also appropriate to drink honey water and avoid spicy foods, junk food for children, and eat more vegetable juices. Encourage a regular schedule for bowel movements. I hope my explanation is helpful to you, and wish your child a speedy recovery!