Having practiced pediatric TCM for nearly 20 years, I have accumulated a fair amount of experience. While I cannot be compared to the great masters of TCM, I hope to use the wisdom of Chinese medicine to safeguard children's health.

In my outpatient clinic, I frequently encounter parents bringing their children in for issues such as "failure to grow, poor appetite, and susceptibility to illness." Many parents ask: "Dr. Wei, my child is much shorter than their peers; is it a nutritional deficiency? Do they need calcium supplements?"

In fact, from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pediatrics, slow growth and suboptimal height in children are often not merely a matter of nutrition. Instead, they are closely related to the "Sanjiao" (Triple Burner)—the pathway for the movement of Qi and fluids throughout the body—and particularly the transport and transformation functions of the Spleen and Stomach in the Middle Burner.

I. Obstruction of the Sanjiao Affects the Spleen and Stomach, Giving Rise to a Myriad of Diseases

In children, "the Zang-Fu organs are delicate, and the physical form and Qi are not yet fully developed." Their growth and development rely on the essence of water and grain transformed and transported by the Spleen and Stomach.

The Sanjiao serves as the major conduit for the circulation of Qi, water, and body fluids. Within this system, the Middle Burner (Spleen and Stomach) acts as the body's "transfer station," responsible for digestion, absorption, the ascending of the clear, and the descending of the turbid. If the Qi mechanism of the Sanjiao is obstructed, particularly if the pivot of the Middle Burner is dysfunctional, the transport and transformation functions of the Spleen and Stomach will be hindered. This easily leads to the accumulation of "waste" such as damp-turbidity, food stagnation, and phlegm-rheum.

The accumulation of this waste within the body not only affects nutrient absorption and height growth but may also manifest as:

Loss of appetite, picky eating, or anorexia

Irregular bowel movements (constipation or diarrhea), halitosis (bad breath)

Tossing and turning during sleep, bruxism (teeth grinding), sleeping in a prone position

Recurrent colds, productive cough with phlegm, persistent rhinitis

Sallow and dull complexion, flaccid muscles, and lack of vitality.

II. Case Study: Regulating the Spleen and Stomach, Clearing the Sanjiao, and Promoting Growth

Last spring, I treated a 6-year-old boy whose height was significantly lower than that of his peers and who was underweight. His parents reported that he had a poor appetite and preferred snacks; he would claim to be full after only a few bites of a regular meal. He experienced restless sleep, frequently had rheum (eye discharge) upon waking in the morning, and had relatively dry stools.

Upon examination, I observed a thick, greasy white tongue coating with dental impressions (scalloped edges) on the sides of the tongue, and a fine, slippery pulse.

This condition belongs to stagnation in the Middle Jiao and Spleen deficiency with dampness encumbrance—the Spleen and Stomach fail to transport and transform effectively, leading to internal retention of damp-turbidity. This causes impaired Qi mechanism of the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), where clear Yang fails to ascend and turbid Yin fails to descend. Consequently, the essence of water and grain cannot be effectively distributed throughout the body, and the bones and muscles are deprived of nourishment, which naturally hinders height growth.

Based on the therapeutic approach of "unblocking the Middle Jiao, transporting the spleen to resolve dampness, and regulating the Qi mechanism," and referencing the principles of Sage Physician Zhang Zhongjing for regulating the Triple Jiao, I formulated a conditioning prescription for him. The key medications are as follows:

Fried Malt (Fructus Hordei Germinatus), Charred Hawthorn (Fructus Crataegi) — To resolve food stagnation and assist the spleen and stomach in transformation and transportation, thereby reducing the generation of "waste" at the source.

Poria (Poria Cocos), Atractylodes (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) — To strengthen the spleen and leach out dampness, enhancing the kinetic energy of the spleen and stomach to promote the ascending of the clear and the descending of the turbid.

Tangerine Peel (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae), Fructus Aurantii — To regulate Qi and harmonize the middle, promoting the circulation of the Middle Jiao Qi mechanism and unblocking the pathways of the Triple Jiao.

Setariae Fructus Germinatus (Gu Ya) and Huai Shan Yao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) — Sweet and neutral in nature, they nourish the Spleen, aid absorption, transform and generate Qi and Blood, and moisten and nourish the tendons and bones.

Accompanying dietary advice: Reduce intake of raw, cold, sweet, and greasy foods, as well as snacks; keep dinner light and avoid eating before bedtime.

III. Significant Height Increase After Less Than Three Months of Treatment

After two weeks of medication, the child's appetite gradually improved, and bowel movements became regular. After one month, the child slept soundly, and their complexion gradually became more radiant.

After adhering to the treatment for two and a half months, the child's height increased by nearly 2 cm, their weight also increased, and they appeared much more energetic and lively. The parents remarked happily, "I never expected that regulating the Spleen and Stomach through Traditional Chinese Medicine could also help with growth!"

IV. A Message to Parents

Slow growth in children is not necessarily due to "calcium deficiency," and one must avoid blind supplementation.

The Spleen and Stomach are the core of the Triple Burner (Sanjiao) circulation and the source of Qi and Blood transformation. Only when the Middle Burner is unobstructed and the Spleen and Stomach function robustly can the food consumed be converted into the energy and matter required for growth and development.

Rather than being anxious about a child's height, it is better to focus on their diet, sleep, bowel movements, and mental state, as these are the "barometers" of Spleen and Stomach function. Regulating the Spleen and Stomach lays a solid foundation for a child's lifelong health.

I am He Yanzhong, a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pediatrics. I am willing to use my decades of clinical experience to help more children grow strong and healthy.