Pediatric anorexia
Release time : 03/20/2025 09:30:02
Some mothers have mentioned that their baby has been refusing to eat for some time, even showing resistance to eating. In fact, this is what we refer to as infantile anorexia.
Childhood is a critical period for the growth and development of an individual, and the absorption of nutrients is particularly crucial during this stage. However, pediatric anorexia impedes the intake of nutrients.
What is Pediatric Anorexia? Let's take a look.
Pediatric anorexia nervosa refers to a condition where children experience prolonged loss of appetite or reduced food intake, commonly occurring in children aged between three and six.
Generally speaking, the main symptoms of pediatric anorexia include vomiting, loss of appetite or aversion to food, constipation, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and hematochezia.
Pediatric anorexia is often caused by poor dietary habits, as well as deficiencies in trace elements and a variety of chronic diseases.
Let's take a closer look at what pediatric anorexia is. 1. The majority of anorexia cases are related to poor dietary habits.
Poor dietary habits such as excessive snacking, drinking large amounts of beverages before meals, and distraction during eating (e.g., listening to stories while eating or watching television while eating) can disrupt or inhibit the secretion of gastric acid and digestive enzymes, resulting in reduced appetite in children.
2. The Harmful Effects of Parents' Persistent Forced Eating.
These parents often worry too much about their children's lack of nutrition, slow weight gain, too small food intake, etc., and force their children to eat.
It greatly affected the mood of children, created the illusion that "eating equals suffering", and gradually formed a conditioned reflexive refusal to eat, and eventually developed into anorexia.
3. A variety of acute and chronic diseases, often accompanied by anorexia.
Systemic diseases such as tuberculosis, collagen diseases, anemia and some chronic infections, gastrointestinal diseases such as peptic ulcer, acute and chronic hepatitis, chronic enteritis, liver dysfunction, hypertension, acidosis, uremia, cardiac dysfunction and digestive tract congestion, as well as diarrhea and chronic constipation for various reasons are common causes.
4. Long-term use of drugs may cause anorexia in children.
Such as erythromycin, chloramphenicol, sulfonamide drugs and aminophylline.
Excessive consumption of vitamin A or vitamin D can lead to poisoning and can also cause anorexia in children.
5. Zinc deficiency can also lead to anorexia.
If a child with anorexia cannot find other explanations, blood zinc or hair zinc concentrations can be measured.
To avoid childhood anorexia, parents need to cultivate good eating habits in their children. Before meals, they should not eat snacks, concentrate on the meal, and not have a biased diet or picky food.
Parents should also pay attention not to force their children to eat, in order to avoid the child's fear of eating and resulting in anorexia.
Symptoms of Childhood Anorexia: In children, the growth and development process requires a significant intake of nutrients, which primarily rely on food supply.
However, some young children exhibit prolonged refusal to eat or a lack of appetite. This condition is known as childhood anorexia nervosa.
A child with anorexia can affect the absorption of nutrients. Parents must be vigilant for signs of anorexia in children to take timely measures to treat it early.
Let's take a look at the symptoms of anorexia in children.
Pediatric anorexia nervosa primarily manifests as decreased appetite in children, a refusal to eat. In addition to this, symptoms of anorexia nervosa in children may include frequent vomiting, constipation, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding.
Pediatric anorexia is in fact not a disease in itself, but merely a symptom.
Pediatric anorexia, also known as gastrointestinal dysfunction, is a common condition in children.
Pediatric anorexia nervosa can present with a variety of symptoms, which not only reflect functional or organic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract but also frequently occur in other systems, especially in central nervous system diseases and mental disorders as well as various infectious diseases.
Symptoms of Pediatric Anorexia include: stagnant food, the child does not want to eat, or the food is tasteless, refuses to eat, and has a thinner appearance. However, the mental state is normal, and there are no abnormalities in defecation and urination.
Spleen and Stomach Qi Deficiency: The patient exhibits poor spirit, a pale complexion, and anorexia or refusal to eat. Upon slight food intake, the stool contains undigested residues or is irregular in form, often accompanied by excessive sweating. Additionally, the tongue coating appears thin and white.
Gastrointestinal Yin Deficiency: The patient exhibits symptoms such as dry mouth, prefers drinking more than eating, skin is dry and lacks moisture, has constipation, and presents with scanty tongue coating and a reddish tongue.
Due to various reasons, the symptoms of pediatric anorexia vary: 1. Anorexia caused by improper feeding in breast milk or formula, characterized by vomiting, a sour taste in the mouth, abdominal distension, fecal odor, and a red tongue with a white greasy tongue coating.
The child often vomits acidic and rotten food residues, with a pressing abdominal pain that can be felt upon palpation. There is foul-smelling feces, a white greasy tongue coating, and frequent occurrence of dark or sticky fingerprints.
2. Phlegm-dampness proliferation type anorexia, children with thin or flabby physique, loss of appetite, vomiting phlegm and saliva, diarrhea, pale complexion without luster, white greasy tongue coating, slippery pulse, light red fingerprints.
3. Cerebral stasis inducing spleen injury type loss of appetite, the child's complexion is yellowish, muscles are thinning, mental restlessness, unwilling to eat, aversion to food, sleep grinding teeth, abdominal pain with distension, irregular defecation, blue spots on the sclera, white patches on the face, and white spots on the lips and mouth.
The etiology of pediatric anorexia nervosa is that the baby with pediatric anorexia nervosa does not like to eat, and even resists eating. Therefore, it is often found that the nutrient intake is insufficient, which will affect the normal growth and development of the baby.
The etiology of pediatric anorexia is multifaceted, and the treatment approaches vary depending on the underlying causes.
Therefore, only by targeting the root cause can we effectively cure pediatric anorexia.
Pediatric anorexia nervosa, a condition characterized by prolonged loss of appetite and reluctance to eat in children, is most commonly seen in children aged 1 to 6.
Anorexia nervosa is primarily characterized by symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, and hematochezia.
These symptoms not only reflect functional or organic diseases of the digestive tract but also frequently appear in other systemic diseases, especially in central nervous system diseases and mental disorders, as well as in various infectious diseases.
Therefore, it is necessary to inquire about the history of illness in detail and closely observe the changes in the condition, and to make correct diagnoses and treatments for the original diseases.
1. Most cases of anorexia nervosa are related to poor dietary habits.
Excessive snacking, drinking large amounts of beverages before meals, and distracted eating (such as listening to stories or watching TV while eating) are bad habits that can disrupt or inhibit the secretion of gastric acid and digestive enzymes, leading to decreased appetite in children.
2. The Harm of Persistent Forced Eating by Parents.
Parents often overly worry about their children's nutritional deficiencies, slow weight gain, and reduced appetite, forcing them to eat.
This greatly affects the child's mood, leading to the illusion that eating is a form of torture, and gradually developing conditioned reflexive refusal to eat, ultimately developing into anorexia.
3. Chronic and acute diseases often accompany anorexia.
Virus hepatitis, tuberculosis, intestinal parasitic infection, anemia, etc., are all diseases that may cause anorexia.
Therefore, if children have anorexia, they should find a doctor for diagnosis and treatment in a timely manner, and should not use drugs indiscriminately to avoid delaying the condition.
4. Zinc deficiency can also lead to anorexia.
If a child with anorexia cannot find other explanations, blood zinc or hair zinc concentrations can be measured.
Treatment of childhood anorexia Pediatric anorexia not only reduces children's weight, but also affects children's height growth.
Many parents have explored ways to treat anorexia in children, but there are many causes of treating anorexia in children. The causes of anorexia in children are different, so the treatment of anorexia in children is different.
Therefore, the treatment of anorexia in children requires symptomatic treatment based on the cause of the disease.
If the etiology is dietary indiscretion, it is necessary to correct the unhealthy eating habits and focus on restoring the child's digestive function. A traditional Chinese medicine formula can be prescribed for the child to take orally, aiming to enhance appetite and strengthen the spleen.
If the cause is deficiencies in trace elements or diseases, parents need to supplement trace elements for their children and actively treat the disease so that the child can recover as soon as possible.
Treatment methods include: 1. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) internal administration, which encompasses the treatment with decoctions and preparations of TCM.
Tang solution can be used with modifications of the Jin Zheng Qi San formula, commonly including processed Atractylodes rhizome, Perilla frutescens, Pea flower, Agastache rugosa, Pinellia ternata, Citrus aurantium peel, fermented malt, chicken of gall, and bran. For patients with epigastric fullness and abdominal distension, it is advisable to add Radix Trichosanthis and Magnolia officinalis.
For patients with damp-heat obstruction, add coix seed.
Individuals experiencing nausea and discomfort should be given the addition of Amomum villosum and Cyperus rotundus.
Chinese patent medicines can be used for the treatment of accumulation syndrome, such as Huaji Keliu Tang and Xiaoshi Jianer Tang.
2. Acupuncture Therapy: The method involves pricking the Sifu point and performing routine disinfection. First, bleed by pricking out fluids until bleeding occurs. After three days, repeat the procedure.
3. Acupuncture injection therapy: 1mg of Vitamin B12 can be administered to both Zusanli acupoints through injections.
4. Tuina Therapy: Methods such as pushing the spleen meridian, separating the abdominal Yin and Yang, counter-rotating the Neiguan (Inner Eight Diagram), massaging the abdomen, and pinching the spine are utilized for treatment.
5. Topical Application Therapy: The "Stomach-Opening Powder" is made from the grounded powder of traditional Chinese herbal medicines such as Huanglian, Shenqu, Zhi Ke, Mu Xiang, and Chen Pi, which are used for external application on the navel area to treat stomach issues.
6. Supplementing Zinc: Dissolve 10mg of zinc sulfate in a syrup and feed the child daily once or twice at 1-2 times.
If the blood zinc level is checked, 2-3mg/kg·d of zinc sulfate can be used. The treatment should last for 1-3 months.
Zinc can regenerate taste buds cells quickly, improve the sensitivity of taste buds, and enhance digestive function. It has an effectiveness rate of over 90% in children with zinc deficiency.
In addition to cooperating with treatment, parents should gradually correct the child's poor eating habits to effectively avoid aversion to food.
How to prevent and treat aversion to eating in children? A child with aversion to eating often exhibits a lack of appetite or anorexia for a long time, showing no interest in food.
Food is the main source of human nutrition, and getting enough nutrition is very important to the growth and development of children.
Therefore, parents should actively take measures to prevent anorexia in children.
So, let's take a look at how to prevent and treat anorexia in children.
1. Eat regularly and properly control snacks.
2. Limit cold drinks and sweets.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that cold drinks damage the spleen and stomach, while Western medicine believes that it can reduce digestive tract function and affect the secretion of digestive juice.
Eating too much sweets will also affect your stomach.
These two types of foods have a strong satiety effect and affect eating a full meal, so you must be restrained.
3. Reasonable mix of diet.
Each meal requires a combination of meat, vegetables, and grains, as well as dry and wet ingredients.
4. Pay attention to cooking methods.
After weaning, the child's digestive ability is still relatively weak, so the food is required to be cooked fine, soft and rotten.
As we get older, our chewing ability increases, and the processing of meals gradually tends to be coarse and neat.
5. Ensure adequate sleep, moderate exercise, and regular bowel movements.
A reasonable living system can induce, mobilize, protect and promote appetite.
6. Improve the dining environment.
During meals, adults laugh too much, listen to the radio, and watch TV, which can easily divert children's attention from eating. All kinds of interference should be eliminated and children can concentrate on eating.
Parents should not interfere too much in children's eating, and should not force their children to eat meals that they did not like at the time.
In addition, try to let children eat with adults to increase children's enthusiasm for eating.
7. Prevent picky eaters and partial eaters.
Secondly, the meals that children like to eat should be appropriately limited to prevent overeating from damaging the spleen and stomach.
Also, you should often change the variety of meals to make children feel fresh and increase their appetite.
* The medical part covered in this article is for reading and reference only.
Should there be any discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately. The diagnosis and treatment of conditions should adhere strictly to the clinical examination and diagnosis by a physician.