Question
A two-and-a-half-year-old child has a bowel movement every three days, and the stool is thick and hard; they also do not want to defecate. Please provide a solution.
Answer
The symptoms of constipation in children are considered a disorder of gastrointestinal function, known as ‘heart and spleen accumulation of heat’ in traditional Chinese medicine. While Chinese medicine treatment has certain advantages for this condition, it is not recommended to simply use laxatives, as long-term use may have adverse effects on gastrointestinal function. These children usually have weaker health conditions and relatively weak gastrointestinal function, so establishing good gastrointestinal function in children is the fundamental principle of treatment. In terms of diet, it is advisable to avoid excessive high-protein liquid diets such as milk, as these are not beneficial for training the child’s gastrointestinal function. It is suggested that some porridge-like foods, such as Job’s tears porridge, corn porridge, and millet porridge, can be consumed, but it is not recommended to add too many legumes to the porridge. In addition, foods that are beneficial for the gastrointestinal system, such as yams, lilies, lotus seeds, taros, and pumpkins, can be included.