Chronic Diarrhea:
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Guava Leaves (Photo: ND) |
This is a chronic condition often caused by spleen deficiency, characterized by fatigue, pale complexion, loss of appetite, significant weight loss, watery stools, and even undigested food. Depending on the local plant availability, the following remedies can be used:
Recipe 1: 4g of green tea buds (or dried tea), 2g of roasted ginger, 4g of dried betel nut, 4g of green bamboo leaves, 6g of plantain leaves and roots, 4g of guava buds. Wash all ingredients, place them in a pot, add two bowls of water, and simmer until one bowl remains. Divide into multiple doses throughout the day, using one recipe per day.
Recipe 2: 15g of Amomum villosum (bark), 15g of patchouli, 10g of nutmeg, 10g of dried tangerine peel, and 20g of roasted glutinous rice. Chop the herbs, roast until golden, place in a pot, add three bowls of water, and simmer to obtain one bowl, divided into 3-4 doses throughout the day.
Recipe 3: 10g of dried tea, 10g of guava buds, and 10g of Sim flower buds, all roasted until fragrant. Place in a pot and steep like tea for the child to drink three times a day, one tablespoon at a time.
Recipe 4: 20g of Codonopsis pilosula, 30g of roasted glutinous rice, 12g of dried ginger, 16g of Chinese yam, 16g of cardamom, and 12g of dried tangerine peel, all roasted. After roasting, mix, grind finely, and store in a sealed container. Children under 5 years should take 1-2g per day, while older children can take 2-4g per day.
Children with Night Sweats: Children who sweat excessively at night, especially on their heads, are said to have night sweats. This often affects weak, pale, and underweight children. Folk remedies for this condition include:
Method 1: Use 20g of five-leaf gourd seeds, ground to powder, and mix with rice water. Apply the mixture to the navel of the child before sleeping, securing it with a bandage. Do this once every night.
Method 2: Take about 10 young mulberry leaves, wash them, crush them, extract the juice, and strain it well. Add enough sugar to make it palatable (honey is even better), and administer two doses a day, one tablespoon each time.
Children with Heat Rash: Children often suffer from heat rash in summer, which, if not treated properly, can lead to many complications affecting their growth. Traditional medicine offers several simple remedies for heat rash:
Method 1: Clean watermelon rind, removing any remaining pulp, and rub it on the affected areas of the child’s body. It is better to apply this after bathing; do this three times a day, and improvement is usually seen within 2 days.
Method 2: Crush bitter gourd and extract the juice to apply to the affected areas, with improvement in 1-3 days.
Method 3: Use leaves and flowers of Vietnamese balm, brew them for the child to drink instead of water, and also crush the leaves to use as bathwater for the child.
Children with Facial Eczema:
Children suffering from facial eczema often exhibit red patches on their cheeks with yellowish fluid or small ulcerated spots. Folk remedies commonly used include:
Recipe 1: Use 100g of hibiscus bark, 10g of soapberry fruit, and 10g of fresh ginger. Peel the outer dirty bark from the hibiscus, then chop it small; remove the seeds from the soapberry, and slice the fresh ginger. Combine all three in a pot, add 1,000ml of water, and boil down to 100ml. Strain to remove residues, then simmer on low heat until it thickens. Allow to cool and store in a jar for application. Apply twice a day, washing the affected eczema spots with cooled betel leaf water before each application.
Dr. LE THU HUONG
