When children have an increased frequency of bowel movements, loose stools, or even watery diarrhea, it is commonly referred to as diarrhea. This condition can occur throughout the year, but is most common in the summer and autumn seasons. Infants and young children, especially those between 6 months and 2 years old, are most susceptible to this condition. The treatment for these children mainly involves massage therapy. Let's take a look at the massage techniques for treating diarrhea in children.
Clinical Manifestations of Diarrhea in Children
Cold and Damp Diarrhea: The stools are watery, sometimes like water, pale in color and not foul-smelling. There may be abdominal pain, rumbling in the intestines, abdominal fullness, poor appetite, or even accompanied by chills, fever, nasal congestion, headache, pale complexion, no thirst, long and clear urination, thin white or greasy coating on the tongue, slow and slippery pulse, and red fingerprints.
Damp-Heat Diarrhea: The stools are watery, yellow-brown in color, or like egg yolk soup, with a foul smell and a large amount. There is abdominal pain followed by immediate diarrhea, urgency, and explosive bowel movements. There may be a slight fever, thirst, short and yellow urination, red tongue, yellow and greasy coating, slippery and rapid pulse, and purple fingerprints.
Food Stagnation Diarrhea: The stools are loose and pasty, with curdled milk clumps or food residues, and have a sour and foul smell, or a smell like rotten eggs. There is abdominal fullness, abdominal pain, rumbling in the intestines, and the pain decreases after defecation. There may be belching, acid reflux, vomiting, loss of appetite, restlessness at night, a thick and greasy or turbid coating on the tongue, or a withered yellow color, slippery and firm pulse, and stagnant fingerprints.
Spleen Deficiency Diarrhea: Long-lasting diarrhea or intermittent diarrhea, which often occurs after eating. The stools are loose and contain undigested food residues, pale in color and not foul-smelling. The complexion is sallow, the body is thin, the appetite decreases, and there is fatigue and weakness in the limbs. The tongue is pale with a thin coating, the pulse is weak, and the fingerprints are pale. If the diarrhea persists for a long time and affects the kidney yang, the stools may become watery, the digestion of grains may be impaired, the frequency of bowel movements may increase, there may be coldness in the limbs, a pale tongue with a white coating, a weak pulse, and weak fingerprints.
Massage Techniques for Cold and Damp Diarrhea in Children
Treatment principles: Dispelling cold and dampness, warming the middle and stopping diarrhea.
Massage techniques: Tonify the Spleen Meridian, push three gates, rub the outer labor palace, massage the abdomen, tonify the large intestine, rub the tail of the turtle, and press and rub Zu San Li.
Explanation of massage techniques: Pushing three gates and rubbing the outer labor palace warms the middle and dispels cold; tonifying the Spleen Meridian, tonifying the large intestine, and massaging the abdomen can strengthen the Spleen and transform dampness; rubbing the tail of the turtle and Zu San Li can regulate the intestines and stop diarrhea. The combination of all these techniques achieves the effects of dispelling cold and dampness, warming the middle, and stopping diarrhea.
Differentiation and modifications: If there is severe abdominal pain and strong rumbling in the intestines, add rubbing the Wind Pool, massaging the abdomen, and pressing the Du Meridian; if there is deficiency in the body, add pinching the spine, and if there is restlessness and uneasiness, add opening the Heavenly Gate, clearing the Liver Meridian, and pinching and rubbing the joints of the five fingers; if there is chills and fever, add opening the Heavenly Gate, pushing the KID-10 point, rubbing the Taiyang point, and pressing the Feng Chi point.
Massage Techniques for Damp-Heat Diarrhea in Children
Treatment principles: Clear heat, eliminate dampness, regulate the middle, and stop diarrhea.
Massage techniques: Clear the large intestine and retreat the six fu organs 300 times each, clear the Spleen Meridian and Stomach Meridian 200 times each, push down the seven vertebral segments, and rub the tail of the turtle 100 times each.
Explanation of massage techniques: Clearing the large intestine and retreating the six fu organs can clear the damp-heat in the intestines; clearing the Stomach Meridian and clearing the Spleen Meridian can eliminate damp-heat in the Spleen and Stomach; pushing down the seven vertebral segments can clear heat and promote bowel movements; and rubbing the tail of the turtle can regulate the intestines and stop diarrhea. The combination of all these techniques achieves the effects of clearing heat, eliminating dampness, promoting bowel movements, and stopping diarrhea.
Differentiation and modifications: If there is a high fever, add clearing the Tianhe point; if there is severe fever, restlessness, and thirst with short and yellow urination, add rubbing the Xiaotianxin point, rubbing the Erma point, and clearing the Tianhe point; if there is frequent vomiting, add pushing the Tianzhu bone; if there is significant abdominal pain, add retreating the Yin and Yang of the abdomen; if there is abdominal distension and poor appetite, add moving the internal Bagua, rubbing the Banmen, and pressing and rubbing Zu San Li.
Massage Techniques for Food Stagnation Diarrhea in Children
Treatment principles: Promote digestion, relieve stasis, assist in transportation, and stop diarrhea.
Massage techniques: Tonify the Spleen Meridian, move the internal Bagua, rub the abdomen 300 times each; clear the Stomach Meridian, clear the large intestine, and retreat the six fu organs 200 times each; and rub the tail of the turtle 100 times.
Explanation of massage techniques: Tonifying the Spleen Meridian can strengthen the Spleen and aid digestion; moving the internal Bagua can promote digestion and descend Stomach Qi; rubbing the abdomen is good for promoting digestion; clearing the Stomach Meridian, clearing the large intestine, and retreating the six fu organs can clear Stomach heat and promote digestion and transportation; rubbing the tail of the turtle can regulate the intestines and stop diarrhea. The combination of all these techniques achieves the effects of promoting digestion, relieving stasis, assisting in transportation, and stopping diarrhea.
Differentiation and modifications: If there is abdominal distension, add rubbing the Pishu point and rubbing the Weishu point; if there is severe abdominal pain, add pressing the Du Meridian; if there is frequent vomiting, add pushing the Tianzhu bone; if there is usually deficiency in the body, change to tonifying the Spleen Meridian instead of clearing the Spleen and Stomach Meridians.
Massage Techniques for Spleen Deficiency Diarrhea in Children
Treatment principles: Strengthen the Spleen, replenish Qi, warm the yang, and stop diarrhea.
Massage techniques: Tonify the Spleen Meridian, tonify the large intestine, massage the abdomen 300 times each; rub the outer labor palace 200 times; push up the seven vertebral segments, rub the tail of the turtle 100 times each; pinch the spine 20 times.
Explanation of massage techniques: Tonifying the Spleen Meridian and tonifying the large intestine can strengthen the Spleen and replenish Qi; rubbing the outer labor palace can warm the middle and strengthen the Spleen; massaging the abdomen and pinching the spine can warm the yang and aid digestion; pushing up the seven vertebral segments and rubbing the tail of the turtle can regulate the intestines and stop diarrhea.
Differentiation and modifications: If there is fatigue, weakness, and little appetite, add rubbing the Pishu point, rubbing the Weishu point, moving the internal Bagua, and pressing and rubbing the Zu San Li point; if the diarrhea persists, add pressing and rubbing the Baihui point; if there are symptoms of kidney yang deficiency, such as watery stools, impaired digestion of grains, increased frequency of bowel movements, cold limbs, pale tongue with a white coating, weak pulse, and weak fingerprints, add tonifying the Kidney Meridian and rubbing the outer labor palace.
Prevention and Care for Diarrhea in Children
1. Pay attention to food hygiene and control diet appropriately to reduce the burden on the Spleen and Stomach. For children with severe vomiting and diarrhea or food-stagnation diarrhea, temporarily avoid eating. Gradually increase the amount of food as the condition improves. Avoid greasy, raw, and hard-to-digest foods.
2. Advocate for breastfeeding, and avoid weaning during the summer or when the child is ill. Follow the principles of adding complementary foods and pay attention to scientific feeding.
3. Increase outdoor activities, pay attention to climate changes, and prevent exposure to external pathogens, especially avoiding coldness in the abdomen.
4. Keep the skin clean and dry, change diapers frequently, and after each bowel movement, clean the buttocks with warm water and apply talcum powder to prevent diaper rash.
5. Observe the changes in the child's condition closely and promptly identify changes in diarrhea symptoms. Once there are signs of high fever or other symptoms, timely use both Chinese and Western medicine for treatment.
