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Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
About me
Quan Xiangmei, female, associate chief physician. From 2005 to 2017, she worked in pediatric clinical practice, specializing in the combined treatment of recurrent respiratory infections, bronchopneumonia, allergic cough, allergic rhinitis, and other respiratory diseases with a combination of Chinese and Western medicine. She uses Chinese medicine and manual techniques to treat pediatric anorexia, constipation, abdominal pain, and other digestive system diseases. She has extensive clinical experience in addressing issues such as low immunity in children. Since 2017, she has been mainly focused on pediatric health and nutritional diseases, pediatric growth and development, precocious puberty, dwarfism, and other pediatric endocrine diseases, providing tailored health and treatment plans for children.
Proficient in diseases
With 15 years of experience working in pediatric clinical practice, I have a wealth of clinical experience and theoretical knowledge. I specialize in treating pediatric endocrine disorders, pediatric growth and development, and abnormalities in sexual development, such as precocious puberty, growth retardation, and obesity. I excel in combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine to treat pediatric recurrent respiratory tract infections, bronchopneumonia, allergic cough, allergic rhinitis, and other respiratory system diseases. I use Chinese medicine and techniques to treat pediatric anorexia, constipation, abdominal pain, and other digestive system diseases. Particularly in children's health and nutritional diseases, pediatric growth and development, and low immunity, I have rich clinical experience in designing personalized health and treatment plans for children.
Voices
Can precocious puberty be inherited by children?
Precocious puberty may have a hereditary factor, but it is not very typical. This means that if the parents experienced early puberty or development, their children might also potentially display early signs of puberty or development, but it is not a certainty. Children with precocious puberty typically refer to those who undergo sexual development too early, which can affect their height or their sexual development. This usually impacts their adult height. If parents show signs of early puberty or development, we need to closely monitor the sexual development of their children, observing the development of the nipples in girls and the development of the testicles and penis in boys.
Manifestations of precocious puberty in an 11-year-old boy
If an 11-year-old boy exhibits precocious puberty, it typically manifests as increased testicular volume and thickening of the penis, along with the development of pubic and axillary hair. In more severe cases, there may also be the growth of facial hair, voice changes, and the appearance of an Adam's apple, among other signs of male sexual organ development. In cases of very advanced precocious puberty, such as full maturity, nocturnal emissions may also occur. If we consider that an 11-year-old boy is exhibiting early signs of puberty, we can take him to the hospital for bone age and gonadal ultrasound examinations. Based on the initial diagnosis, if sexual development is deemed premature and the symptoms are pronounced, further tests such as blood hormone levels can be conducted. With assistance from diagnostic aids like bone age, gonadal ultrasound, and hormone levels, a doctor can guide appropriate intervention treatments to prevent issues associated with precocious puberty, such as significantly shorter adult stature.
Premature breast pain has now stopped hurting, does that mean it's healed?
When girls develop breasts before the age of eight, they may experience pain at the breast bud nodules. Pain does not necessarily mean recovery; it is possible that as the breast bud enlarges, the pain will naturally disappear. Whether treatment is needed once precocious puberty occurs and whether it has reached a level of cure mainly depends on the assessment through pediatric bone age, gonadal ultrasound examinations, or a combination of brain pituitary MRI and blood hormone levels to analyze the severity of the condition. For mild cases, with appropriate medication, diet, and exercise guidance, children can reach a basic level of clinical cure. Severe cases require the control of the child's sexual development through the injection of gonadal hormones or hormone-releasing analogues. Psychological impacts due to early sexual development may also necessitate behavioral and psychological interventions.
How can precocious children reduce estrogen levels?
Once children are diagnosed with precocious puberty, which usually refers to girls developing breasts before the age of 8 and boys showing signs of secondary sexual characteristics such as increased testicular volume and penile thickening before the age of 9, the method to reduce estrogen depends on the severity of the precocious puberty. This includes whether it affects the child's height and the maturity level of the sexual organs, as well as taking into account the estrogen levels at the time of examination for treatment. Mild cases usually do not require medication and can be addressed through dietary and exercise interventions. For moderate cases where hormone levels in the blood have not reached a severe state and there is some loss of height but not to the extent that requires treatment through injections, oral Chinese medicine can be used to reduce estrogen levels. In severe cases, where there is significant change in height, sexual organs, and high hormone levels in the blood, medication such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs can be used to control the child’s sexual development.
What is baby eczema?
Pediatric eczema is usually caused by several factors. First, genetic factors are serious; second, it is due to immune function. Children with weaker immune systems are particularly prone to eczema; third, it is due to environmental conditions, specifically the humidity of the environment. For example, the area around a child's diaper or the indoor air might be humid, and these conditions can lead to the development of eczema in children. Typically, due to weaker immunity in children, once they contract eczema, it tends to recur and persist. Therefore, in addition to symptomatic treatment with eczema creams or traditional Chinese medicine washes, it is best to avoid using hormonal medications. At the same time, it is important to keep the skin of the affected area dry and avoid damp conditions as much as possible to prevent recurrence.
The difference between infant lactose intolerance and colic
Baby lactose intolerance is due to a lack of lactase, causing a range of symptoms, which we diagnose as lactose intolerance. These symptoms may include diarrhea and bloating, among which colic can also occur. Colic is just one of the symptoms. In many cases, such as infant lactose intolerance, severe diarrhea, and bloating, colic may occur. Colic symptoms can also arise when a child’s abdomen is exposed to cold, or other causes of intestinal diseases, such as viral or bacterial infections resulting in enteritis, may also present colic symptoms in children. Moreover, in common surgical diseases such as appendicitis, colic might also occur. Therefore, colic is merely one of the symptoms, and infant lactose intolerance is a general term for a disease.
Can infant lactose intolerance cause bloody stools?
When infants experience lactose intolerance, there is a possibility of bloody stools. With lactose intolerance, infants will exhibit symptoms such as an increased frequency of bowel movements, diarrhea, and bloating. If the frequency of bowel movements is particularly high, for instance more than ten times, or even more, especially over a prolonged period, the gastrointestinal function of the infant is not very perfect. An increase in bowel movements can exacerbate damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa, potentially leading to bloody stools. Additionally, when the frequency of bowel movements is very high, it could lead to damage to the perianal skin, which might also result in bloody stools. Or, when an infant has lactose intolerance, if they are also suffering from other viral or bacterial infections in the gastrointestinal tract, the likelihood of bloody stools may increase. Therefore, if we consider that an infant has lactose intolerance, it is crucial to promptly add lactase for treatment and to switch to a different formula for oral administration.
What to do about baby's oral ulcers?
Children's oral ulcers are often caused by a deficiency of trace elements, a deficiency of B vitamins, a decrease in immune function during illness, or insufficient intake of vegetables and fruits, which often leads to oral ulcers. Therefore, the following methods can be adopted: 1. You can grind vitamin B2 into powder and apply it externally to the mouth; 2. You can use Kangfuxin solution for topical use 3-5 times daily, where topical means applying drops to the ulcer; 3. You can spray watermelon frost on the affected area 3-5 times daily; 4. You can use oral ulcer patches. Therefore, it is important to maintain a balanced and reasonable diet in daily life, and to pay attention to the regulation of children's immune function. (The use of medication should be under the guidance of a doctor.)
Will daily skipping improve precocious puberty?
The purpose of daily rope jumping for children with precocious puberty is to impact their height positively, aiming for improvement. The goal of treating precocious puberty is to increase the final adult height. Due to premature sexual development, high levels of estrogen can lead to early closure of the growth plates, resulting in being shorter compared to peers of the same age after growing up. Therefore, to avoid being shorter as an adult, it is recommended in daily life that children engage more in activities that involve jumping, such as rope jumping, which can stimulate the growth plates and contribute to vertical growth in children. Daily rope jumping can, therefore, be beneficial, specifically concerning height improvement.
What foods can help recover from precocious puberty?
No specific food can cure the condition of precocious puberty, but it is important to avoid consuming foods high in estrogenic effects, such as dairy products, soy products, and honey, which need to be strictly controlled. Excessive intake can worsen the symptoms of precocious puberty. This includes avoiding fried foods, snacks, certain fruits, and other snacks. In everyday life, it is best to consume seasonal fruits and vegetables and maintain a balanced diet with moderate amounts of meat and eggs, which is beneficial for stabilizing hormone levels associated with precocious puberty.