How do the body constitutions of children and adults differ? （4）

In clinical practice, I often come across children who suffer from throat pain, mouth ulcers, or other discomforts after indulging in excessive amounts of greasy, fried foods or snacks like biscuits. Concerned parents frequently inquire, “Has my child consumed too many snacks and become ‘overheated’?” However, this is not entirely accurate. These children typically exhibit a constitution referred to as “Heat-Stagnation Type.”

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From our previous discussions on children’s constitutions to the last article, I have highlighted that the functions of children’s spleens and stomachs differ significantly from those of adults. While children’s spleens and stomachs are still developing, they are crucial in meeting the demands of rapid growth and development. However, these functions are also more susceptible to external factors, with improper feeding practices being a common concern.

Two Scenarios of Improper Feeding:

• Overeating: This places an excessive burden on the spleen and stomach, leading to food accumulation over time.

• Undereating: This can hinder growth and development, potentially resulting in shorter stature or being underweight compared to peers.

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How Does the Heat-Stagnation Constitution Develop?

The heat-stagnation constitution is primarily linked to improper feeding habits. Children with this constitution often maintain unbalanced diets, favouring greasy, fried foods. Such foods can be particularly detrimental to spleen function, causing prolonged strain on the digestive system, poor digestion, and food accumulation. Over time, this condition leads to stagnation in the spleen and stomach, generating heat and resulting in the heat-stagnation constitution.

Characteristics of Heat-Stagnation Constitution

Definition	Resulting from uncontrolled eating habits, leading to a weakened spleen, poor digestion, and food accumulation in the stomach, which gradually transforms into heat.
Formation factor	Uncontrolled eating habits, a preference for certain types of foods (e.g., greasy or fried items).
Physical characteristics	Generally thin
Daily physical condition	Facial redness, especially in the afternoon or at night. Prone to irritability. Often thirsty, with a preference for cold drinks. Sleeping issues with sweating on the head. Dry stools, yellow urine.
Dietary habits	Good appetite. Preference for greasy, spicy, fried foods. Poor self-regulation. Feel uncomfortable obviously after consuming “dry heat” foods
Characteristics of growth and development	Poor physical development. Height and weight below normal levels. Intellectual development may lag peers.
Impact of the external environment to the body	More susceptible to illness in hot weather or high temperature environment
The impact of disease progression after infection	Prone to mouth ulcers, colds and constipation In illnesses affecting other systems, symptoms often present as heat-related, such as persistent high fever

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Daily Wellness Routine

（1）Dietary Adjustments

A. Reduce the overall food intake appropriately, aiming to eat only 70% full during meals.

A. Limit snacking by avoiding foods high in fat and sugar that can overload the digestive system, such as chocolate and fried fries.

C. Include more light, easily digestible, and cooling foods into the daily diet to alleviate stomach heat and reduce intestinal heat. Examples include tofu, bitter melon, winter melon, and mung beans.

（2）Acupoint Massage

Four Horizontal Creases (Si Heng Wen) Acupoints

Location: Found on the palm side of the hand, at the horizontal creases of the first joints of the index, middle, ring, and little fingers.

Method: Parents can grasp the child’s fingers with one hand while using the other hand to apply pressure and rub the four horizontal creases for 2–3 minutes.

Benefits: Aids in strengthening the stomach and alleviating food stagnation.

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