Why do children who eat well still appear thin? Do children also have sub-health like adults? 

Dr. Hou Jianghong from Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine tells us that they do! Children also have sub-health! However, many parents are not aware of it. For example, bad breath, grinding teeth, abdominal pain, irregular bowel movements, fatigue, restlessness during sleep, night frights, yellow urine, and irritability, etc. These are all manifestations of sub-health. The physical signs of sub-health include: pale or white spots on the face, dark circles under the eyes, dull hair, bloating, red lips, poor tooth growth, hot and peeling hands, excessive sweating, rough or itchy skin, white spots and thin nails, and thinness. Prolonged sub-health in children often affects their growth, development, and immune function, resulting in insufficient height and weight, susceptibility to colds, prolonged coughing, recurrent tonsillitis, and recurring asthma attacks. Therefore, children's sub-health should not be ignored!

Many parents have this question: "We give our children good food, why are they still thin and always sick?" Dr. Hou Jianghong says that there are several reasons that can cause sub-health in children:

1. Poor spleen and stomach function. Parents think that feeding their children with fatty and greasy foods is a way to show love, but these unhealthy diet habits and irregular eating patterns are actually the most common factors causing sub-health in children. Because the spleen and stomach function of children is not fully developed yet, an unhealthy diet will increase the burden on their spleen and stomach, leading to imbalances in their digestive system.

2. Some acute or chronic diseases can also lead to a sub-health period for children, especially after recovering from an infection. At this time, the child's body is still in the process of recovering, and their vital energy and spleen and stomach have not fully returned to normal, which is known as the "recovery period" in traditional Chinese medicine.

3. Frequent use of various antibiotics may cure the disease, but it can also damage the body's vital energy, especially the energy of the spleen and stomach, causing imbalances in their digestive system.

4. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the invasion of external pathogenic factors can also damage the spleen and stomach, causing the body to fall into a state of sub-health.

5. Some children have a weak constitution with weak spleen and stomach function since birth. Prolonged sub-health in children can lead to repeated upper respiratory infections, and these recurrent infections further contribute to the sub-health status, forming a vicious cycle.

When a child is in a state of sub-health, Dr. Hou Jianghong reminds parents to pay attention to the following points in their daily lives to keep their children away from sub-health:

Firstly, in terms of diet, do not give children too much fatty and greasy food, fried snacks, etc. It is important to have a diversified diet for children, including whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. When recovering from illness, many parents feel sorry for their children and prepare high-calorie and high-protein food for them. However, at this time, the child's spleen and stomach have not fully recovered and they require a light diet.

Secondly, the use of antibiotics should be cautious. When children have repeated colds or other illnesses, refrain from pursuing a quick recovery by using antibiotics indiscriminately and excessively. It is important to stimulate the child's own immune system and treat them based on principles such as regulating the spleen and stomach, promoting digestion, and clearing heat. Parents can also choose Chinese patent medicines such as infant spleen-tonifying powder, cough-relieving and digestive oral liquid, and Wang's Baochi pills.

Lastly, exercise is also essential. Swimming is a great form of exercise for children as it involves the movement of the whole body and can improve gastrointestinal motility.

If parents observe that their children are in a state of sub-health, it is best to consult a doctor for systematic traditional Chinese medicine treatment.