In recent times, there has been a significant increase in the number of young patients with colds visiting our clinic. The primary concerns for parents revolve around two main issues: their children’s inability to gain weight and their susceptibility to frequent illnesses.
These parents commonly believe that their children have weak immune systems, leading them to become sick shortly after coming into contact with ill peers. This cycle repeats almost monthly, with children losing weight rapidly whenever they get sick, causing distress to the parents. Therefore, while bringing their children for medical visits, parents also hope to enhance their children’s health, ensuring that they can eat well while also strengthening their body constitution and disease resistance.
When it comes to the matter of children not gaining weight, there are several misconceptions among parents.
Other than those with congenital diseases causing underweight , many parents are keen to understand why their child isn’t gaining weight. They wonder if it’s due to inadequate feeding.
However, in today’s era of abundant food resources, a child’s lack of weight gain isn’t always due to poor diet. Sometimes, the issue is the opposite, where excessive intake prevents normal growth. This often stems from the spleen and stomach’s inability to effectively absorb nutrients.
Some parents might argue, stating that their child eats plenty at every meal, and questioning how there could be an issue with the spleen and stomach ?
Misconception 1: The child isn’t consuming food adequately.
As mentioned, in this era of abundant food, a common misconception is that children are undernourished because they’re not eating enough. The direct evidence is children eating plenty but slowly gaining weight and frequently falling ill. In response, parents rush to supplement their child’s diet, often relaxing dietary restrictions further. However, this usually exacerbates the issue. Young children’s spleens and stomachs are still developing and are relatively fragile. Coupled with a lower digestive capacity than adults, overeating can overburden the spleen and stomach, preventing them from functioning properly. This leads to unabsorbed nutrients accumulating in the body, creating food stagnation or phlegm dampness, which does not support healthy growth.
Misconception 2: How should the diet be supplemented for weight gain?
Taking into account each child’s unique physique, particularly the strength of their spleen and stomach, is crucial. Children’s digestive abilities are inherently weaker than those of adults, and nutrient-rich, greasy foods can overload the spleen and stomach, hindering the digestion and expulsion of food. This strains the spleen and stomach, leaving no capacity to support growth. Therefore, children in their growth stages generally do not require special nutritional supplements, unless they have congenital diseases. A balanced daily diet with appropriate exercise is adequate for healthy growth.
From the perspective of TCM, children who fail to gain weight can be mainly categorized into two groups: those with an excess condition in the spleen and stomach, and those with a deficiency.
1. Spleen and Stomach with Excess Condition:
A common trait among these children is unregulated eating. Whether due to a preference for certain foods leading to overeating, an inability to discern hunger from fullness, or parents not controlling their diet due to fear of undernourishment, excessive eating causes food accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to difficulty in digestion and expulsion, resulting in internal dampness, phlegm, or food stagnation, directly affecting spleen and stomach function. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the generation of qi (vital energy) and the body’s disease resistance originate from the spleen and stomach. Hence, when the spleen and stomach are impaired, not only is qi and blood production affected, hindering normal growth, but the child’s disease resistance is also weakened, making them prone to illness.
2. Spleen and Stomach with Deficiency:
These children typically have a small appetite, primarily due to weak spleen and stomach function, unable to handle too much food. Eating slightly more can cause stomach pain or immediate diarrhea, with food being expelled from the body before nutrients can be absorbed. Similarly, when the spleen and stomach cannot absorb sufficient nutrients, the child lacks the foundation for generating necessary qi and blood and resisting diseases, thus unable to grow normally and fend off illnesses.
Conclusion
Children are in a crucial stage of growth and development, and their physiological functions have not fully matured to that of an adult.
Nevertheless, due to their rapid growth, a well-balanced daily diet can sufficiently support their healthy development, negating the need for specific supplements or specialized diets.The key is to choose easily digestible and absorbable foods based on the child’s spleen and stomach condition, which greatly benefits their health.
If you are unsure about your child’s spleen and stomach condition, seeking the help of a professional doctor to assess their constitution is definitely a prudent choice, far better than indiscriminately feeding them unsuitable foods.
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