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Written by Efrem Korngold, OMD, LAc
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Tuesday, 12 May 2009 07:39 |
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Page 1 of 2 The Chinese Medicine View of Health and Illness in Early Childhood From infancy to adolescence young people are developing quickly and, at times, unpredictably. Accordingly, it is well recognized in Chinese traditional medicine that the illnesses of young children require different therapeutic strategies than those for older children, adolescents and adults. Several general statements can be made about the usual physiologic behavior of infants and young children which influences the characteristic features of their health and their illnesses.
- They are extremely active metabolically, but at the same time their capacity for adaptation is limited: they do not have the endurance and stamina that older children and adults have. While they consume large quantities of food and fluids (relative to their size) and generate an abundance of Qi and Blood, including Nutritive (ying) and Defensive (wei) Qi, they are also eliminating a great deal of metabolic waste and reacting to the stresses of rapid growth and environmental flux with delicate respiratory, digestive, nervous, and immune systems. These conditions underlie the tendency of children to become ill quickly and intensely and also to recover rapidly. On the other hand, if an illness becomes protracted, it is easy for the youngster to become exhausted, sicker, and require a lengthy convalescence. The reason for this is that the Triple Burner, which is the primary governor of the body's physiological and psychological processes, is in an immature phase of development during childhood. At this time, the Middle Burner-- i.e. the Stomach and Spleen--maintains a predominant influence.
- Because of their limited capacities and voracious appetites, infants and young children easily develop congestion of food, fluids, and Qi which in turn may evolve into patterns of Qi stasis, Dampness, Phlegm, Damp Heat, Heat, and Internal Wind.
- Infants and young children are quite vulnerable and respond very quickly to internal and external influences, both positive and negative.
- Minor interventions can provoke dramatic responses, and major interventions can impair a young child's delicate homeostasis.
Some of the most common circumstances that create a susceptibility to childhood illness include absent or early termination of breast feeding; overfeeding; over-reliance on milk or soy based infant formula; early introduction of solid and complex foods, early or excessive feeding of sugar, honey, wheat, corn, soy, eggs, milk products, and raw fruits or vegetables; multiple vaccinations, especially in a short time period; early or frequent use of antibiotics; excessive physical, mental and emotional stimulation.
Chinese traditional medicine has a particular bias regarding the optimum physical, mental and emotional environment for infants and young children. Basically, it is felt that youngsters should be kept very comfortable physically and not over stimulated mentally or emotionally by the overenthusiastic verbalization and playful behavior of older children, parents and grandparents. Over-stimulation of the mind and senses will tend to accelerate intellectual development to the detriment of physical and emotional growth, thus creating an imbalance between psyche and soma that can later develop into what is, in the current jargon, popularly known as attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, dyslexia, behavior problems and failure to thrive.
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