What Could Cause a Childs Tongue to Turn Black?
Most cases of black tongue coating in children are caused by disharmony between the spleen and stomach. If there is a decline in intestinal function, it can lead to black tongue coating. In such cases, it is necessary to adjust the child's spleen and stomach promptly. Once the spleen and stomach are well-regulated, the symptoms will ease. In daily life, it is not advisable to overfeed children to avoid indigestion. Appropriate dietary adjustments should be made, maintaining a principle of eating smaller meals more frequently.
1. Black tongue coating in babies may be caused by the accumulation of intestinal toxins due to long-term constipation, or it may be related to the food consumed. The tongue coating appears black or dark brown with bristles, also known as black hairy tongue, which is caused by the fungal hyphae wrapping around the filamentous papillae on the tongue surface and the keratinization of epithelial cells. Gray or black tongue coating indicates fever, excessive internal heat, and other symptoms.
2. For babies who are still breastfeeding, it may be related to the mother's diet. Mothers should eat more fruits and vegetables, avoid spicy and inflammatory foods, and limit meat consumption. For babies who are formula-fed, you can feed them some herbal remedies to clear heat, such as honeysuckle dew, or infant spleen-strengthening powder or digestion-enhancing oral liquid. It is also important to ensure adequate water intake for the baby.
3. Disharmony between the spleen and stomach in babies can also lead to black tongue coating and decreased intestinal function, resulting in bruising of the tongue coating. If this is the cause, timely regulation of the spleen and stomach will quickly correct the situation. In general, avoid overfeeding children as excessive eating can put a strain on the stomach, leading to indigestion.
