Question
A 13-month-old baby is restless and keeps moving around during sleep, crying and restless, diagnosed by the doctor as having food retention. Parents are asking how to solve the problem of food retention and what appropriate medication to take.
Answer
Treatment for food retention should start with dietary adjustments, reducing the amount of food consumed, initially eating easily digestible foods such as rice porridge and noodle soup, and then gradually introducing protein-rich foods after some time. The traditional Chinese medicine “Children’s Digestive Pill” is effective in treating symptoms such as abdominal pain, loss of appetite, irritability, crying, and constipation caused by food retention. However, it should be used under medical guidance and should not be taken for a long period. Additionally, increasing outdoor activities and sunlight exposure aids digestion, and foods like hawthorn, yam rice porridge, and white carrot porridge can be consumed for nourishment.