Infantile Malnutrition

Infantile malnutrition is characterized by emaciation , sparse hair , distended belly with outstanding blue veins , loss of appetite , and listlessness .

The cardinal causes of this disease are irregular intake of food , improper nursing , parasitoids , and general debility due to a chronic illness which injures the spleen and stomach .

Etiology and Pathogenesis

Irregular intake of food may impair the spleen and stomach . It is important to feed the children regularly with suitable food . Irregular food intake with indulgent ingestion of greasy , sweet , raw and cold food usually leads to retention of undigested food . Long - standing food retention damages the spleen and stomach , so that the refined nutrient from food and milk fails to be transported . Thus the qi and blood in zang - fu organs are lack of nourishment , resulting in malnutrition and emaciation with insufficiency of qi and fluid . Malnutrition may also be due to improper feeding or feeding with indigestible food which in the long run will bring on emaciation , deficiency of qi and fluid , and retardation of development . In addition , improper nursing after a chronic disease or parasitoids may also impair the functions of the spleen and stomach and consumes body fluid . Thus food can not be digested , and stagnancy of undigested food will lead to transformation into heat and ultimately to malnutrition .

Differentiation

Main manifestations : Gradual onset of slight fever or tidal fever in the afternoon , dryness of the mouth , abdominal distension , diarrhea with offensive odor , rice - water like urine , crying with irritability , and anorexia . Then , distended belly with protruding umbilicus due to internal stagnation , sallow complexion , emaciation , scaly and dry skin , sparse hair , dirty and sticky coating of the tongue , or complete loss of coating , and weak pulse . The above symptoms are related to deficiency of the spleen and stomach . If there is abnormal intake of food with irregular hunger or satiety , or craving for unnatural articles of food , the malnutrition is probably due to parasitoids .

Analysis

Long retention of undigested food or milk causes production of heat , so there is slight fever or tidal fever in the afternoon and crying with irritability . When the spleen fails in transportation , the damp heat is liable to be accumulated , hence there are loose bowel movements with offensive odor , rice - water - like urine , dryness of the mouth and abdominal distension . Impairment of the spleen and stomach results in anorexia and the long time stagnation causes potbelly and protruding umbilicus . The impaired spleen and stomach fail to digest food and transport the refined nutrients to nourish zang - fu organs , qi and blood , skin , muscles and hair . This is manifested by sallow complexion , emaciation , scaly dry skin and sparse hair . The grimy and sticky tongue coating reveals the internal retention of food , while the complete loss of coating demonstrates exhaustion of body fluid . Weak pulse indicates impairment of the spleen and stomach . Parasites in the abdomen disturb the stomach and intestines , resulting in abnormality of food ingestion and craving for unnatural food .

Treatment

Method : Points of Foot Taiying and Foot Yangming Meridians are selected to reinforce the spleen and remove the stagnation . Superficial pricking with filiform needles is applied and the needles are not retained .

Prescription : Xiawan ( Ren 10 ) , Weishu ( B 21 ) , Pishu ( B 20 ) , Zusanii ( S 36 ) , Sifeng ( Extra ) . Taibai ( Sp 3 ) . Supplementary points : Baichongwo ( Extra ) for parasitosis . Analysis : Infantile malnutrition is after all due to dysfunction of the spleen and stomach in transportation and transformation . If the spleen and stomach are active in

Function , the food stagnation can be removed and the source of essential nutrients can be regained . So Xiawan ( Ren 10 ) is applied to harmonize the stomach and eliminate heat . Zusanii ( S 36 ) , the Lower He - ( Sea ) Point of the stomach , is used to build up earth and to replenish the qi in the middle jiao . Taibai ( Sp 3 ) , the Shu - ( Stream ) Point of the Spleen Meridian , is employed to reinforce the spleen and remove the stagnation . Sifeng ( Extra ) is an extra point beneficial for treating infantile malnutrition . Application of Pishu ( B 20 ) and Shenshu ( B 23 ) can invigorate the qi of spleen and stomach and restore their function of transportation and transformation . Bai - chongwo ( Extra ) is a special point to treat parasitoids .