When it comes to insufficient qi and blood, many people do not think of children. After all, those with insufficient qi and blood appear listless and weak, while children are usually full of vitality. However, in my 40 years of clinical practice focusing on growth and development, I have found that many children actually suffer from insufficient qi and blood.
Children with insufficient qi and blood generally exhibit the following symptoms:
1. Particularly sensitive to cold, with cold hands and feet, pale complexion, lacking any rosy hue.
2. Unformed stools, frequent abdominal pain, which improves slightly with warmth.
3. Poor digestion, bloating, and prone to diarrhea.
4. Frequent nighttime awakenings; some children over 5 years old may still wet the bed, possibly related to insufficient yang.
5. Weak constitution, often falling ill, easily catching colds or coughing.
6. Pale tongue with a swollen body, and some older children may have scalloped edges on the tongue.
7. Lacking energy, feeling lethargic, unable to muster enthusiasm for activities.
8. More introverted and timid, quiet, often lacking a sense of security, and tend to cling to others.
9. When crying, their voice is soft and lacks strength.
10. Slow growth, with height and weight not meeting standards.
If a child exhibits these symptoms, it indicates that their qi and blood are rapidly depleting! It is essential to nourish their qi and blood during spring. With sufficient qi and blood, children will have vitality and can grow healthily.
To boost a child’s qi, combine longan with one other ingredient
When it comes to boosting qi, people often think of Huang Qi (Astragalus). However, if you also want to nourish blood, longan is an excellent choice! Longan can nourish the heart and spleen, benefit qi and blood, and help children sleep soundly, calming the mind.
Longan and Red Date Tea
Preparation: Prepare 10 dried longans, 5 red dates, and a bit of rock sugar, then boil them in water to drink as tea.
Effects: Nourishes qi and blood, strengthens the spleen, and calms the mind. When children sleep well, their growth hormone secretion can double, aiding in their growth.
However, if a child’s height is significantly below average, relying solely on this dietary therapy may not be sufficient; comprehensive adjustments are necessary.
Insufficient qi and blood make it difficult for children to grow taller
Recently, I treated an 8-year-old boy. His parents reported that he was growing particularly slowly, currently standing at only 122 cm, much shorter than his peers.
This child also had poor eating habits, was picky and had a poor appetite, with unformed stools and restless sleep, often dreaming. While other children enjoyed playing outside, he preferred to stay indoors, always lacking energy and complaining of fatigue with minimal activity.
I observed that the child’s complexion was sallow, lips pale, and tongue pale, all signs of insufficient qi and blood. Additionally, he frequently fell ill, which over time damaged his spleen and stomach, depleting qi and blood, leaving him with no excess energy to grow taller or gain weight, resulting in a slower growth rate.
For this child’s condition, the treatment approach was to strengthen the spleen, boost qi, and replenish qi and blood. I prescribed a traditional Chinese medicine paste, while advising the child to eat easily digestible, warming foods, exercise more, and sleep early.
Accompanying Massage:
Push the Three Points: Use the thumb or index finger to push from the wrist towards the elbow, performing 100-300 times to warm and nourish qi and blood, improving sallow complexion and weakness in hands and feet.
Pinch the Spine: Use a pinching technique along both sides of the spine from bottom to top, pinching three times and lifting once, for a total of five repetitions, to harmonize yin and yang, strengthen the spleen and lungs, and promote growth and development.
Strengthen the Spleen Meridian: Rotate the thumb in a clockwise direction on the fingertip for 300 times to strengthen the spleen and stomach, boost qi and blood, and improve picky eating and poor appetite.
After about 10 days of treatment, the parents reported an improvement in the child’s appetite and complexion.After 2 months of treatment, the child’s appetite, bowel movements, and sleep improved significantly, and he grew 1.9 cm, achieving excellent results.
I am Professor Ju, a pediatrician with over 40 years of clinical experience, specializing in children’s height, spleen and stomach health, and constitution adjustment. If your child has these issues, feel free to reach out, and I will help assess your child’s condition.
