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Tong Peng
Pediatrics
About me
Deputy chief physician, has been engaged in pediatric clinical work since 2004, has studied in the Department of Pediatrics at Wuhan Union Hospital and the Neurorehabilitation Department of Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, and has certain experience in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric diseases.
Proficient in diseases
Have certain insights into the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric neurological disorders and cerebral palsy, as well as into the diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis and epilepsy. Rich experience in eczema, pediatric diarrhea, allergic rhinitis, and asthma, and abundant guidance experience in infant feeding and healthy nutritional development.
Voices
How to regulate diarrhea caused by infant lactose intolerance
Children with lactose intolerance exhibit symptoms of diarrhea and must be treated through diet and medication. Lactose intolerance indicates an insufficient secretion of lactase by the child's digestive system. Therefore, the diet should consist of light, liquid, and easily digestible foods, avoiding hard-to-digest and lactose-containing foods. Additionally, dietary adjustments are necessary. If the child is breastfed or formula-fed, it is advisable to temporarily switch to lactose-free formula until symptoms subside and then gradually return to a normal diet. It is also important to use probiotics and related supportive medications. Attention should be paid to the child's stool, skin turgor, and urine output, as prolonged diarrhea can lead to malnutrition and electrolyte imbalances, with severe cases possibly resulting in dehydration. Hence, ongoing monitoring is essential.
Does phenylketonuria have a distinctive facial appearance?
Phenylketonuria is characterized by a specific facial appearance, primarily presenting with pale skin and yellow hair. Some affected children may develop eczema due to a disruption in melanin synthesis, which results in a distinctive skin color. Additionally, there are neuropsychiatric abnormalities, such as intellectual disability, increased excitability, and heightened muscle tone. The urine of patients has a plastic-like smell, largely because phenylketonuria is a hereditary metabolic disease. Newborns exhibit hyperphenylalaninemia, but as harmful metabolites of phenylalanine are not present in high concentrations before feeding begins, initial conditions at birth are often normal. However, as diet is introduced and metabolite concentrations increase, specific clinical symptoms, including severe cases of epileptic seizures manifested as infantile spasms, nodding seizures, or other forms, become evident. Therefore, dietary management is essential in treatment.
Does rickets have anything to do with milk powder?
Rickets is not necessarily linked to formula milk. Rickets is mainly a metabolic bone disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin D in the body, while the main components of formula milk are various nutrients, including trace elements and vitamins. If the formula contains insufficient calcium, it may exacerbate the symptoms of rickets. Therefore, the main requirement is to intake enough vitamin D. National child healthcare guidelines require that children be supplemented with 400 to 800 units of vitamin D daily from two weeks after birth until the age of two. Additionally, it is important to get ample sunlight in daily life and engage in reasonable outdoor activities to promote calcium absorption, which can effectively prevent rickets. The amount of vitamin D and calcium in formula milk cannot meet the growth and developmental needs of children, so additional supplementation is necessary. Thus, there is a certain connection between rickets and formula milk, but it is not inevitable.
What should I do if whooping cough keeps recurring?
Whooping cough is repeatedly characterized by coughing due to its specific etiology. As a type of upper respiratory tract infectious disease, whooping cough mainly results from external stimuli causing respiratory infections. It tends to affect populations with weaker immunity and resistance, especially infants. Furthermore, in daily life, it's important to avoid contact with or consumption of foods that may cause allergies or irritate the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. It's crucial to ensure proper ventilation in living environments, and symptomatic medication should be administered to whooping cough patients. Treatment may involve oral medications or inhalation therapy, and regular follow-ups are necessary to control the condition and prevent recurrence.
What should I do if a baby with colic won't sleep?
If an infant suffers from colic and has difficulty sleeping, treatment of the underlying condition should be conducted. It is essential to first understand the causes of colic, which are primarily due to the immature digestive system of the baby. If poor digestion leads to excessive intestinal gas and subsequently causes rapid intestinal movements, it may result in discomfort in the abdominal nerves, thus causing colic. The main treatments for colic should involve both diet and medication. In terms of diet, it is advisable to choose light, liquid-based, and easily digestible foods. It is also important to avoid overeating, opting instead for smaller, more frequent meals. Moreover, the use of probiotics and certain traditional Chinese medicinal formulations can help regulate the function of the spleen and stomach, aiding digestion and absorption. Additionally, abdominal massages can stimulate intestinal movements, facilitating the expulsion of gas and easing bowel movements, thereby potentially reducing the incidence of colic.
What to do about infantile colic?
If a baby experiences colic, it can often be alleviated through the following methods. First, abdominal massage can be used; parents can hold the baby and massage around the navel with both hands to improve gastrointestinal function and reduce rapid intestinal movements. Additionally, applying heat to the abdomen, using a hot water bottle or a warm towel, can also be effective. If the baby has bloating, using a soap stick or enema to help the baby expel gas can also relieve symptoms of abdominal pain. If these measures do not alleviate the baby's pain and discomfort, then it is necessary to visit the hospital for a pediatrician to perform a physical examination and assist with related imaging studies for differential diagnosis.
Will babies with atrial septal defects develop slowly?
Babies with atrial septal defects do not necessarily develop more slowly. An atrial septal defect is one of the congenital heart diseases. If the diameter of the defect is relatively small, it will not affect the normal blood flow of the heart, the oxygen supply to the body, or significantly impact daily activities like sleeping or exercising for the baby. The growth and development of the baby would be normal, with no abnormalities compared to their peers. However, if the diameter of the atrial septal defect is relatively large, typically exceeding 6-8 millimeters, it can cause the baby to experience a lack of oxygen during physical activities, leading to a compromised quality of life and potentially causing delayed development.
Can breastfeeding cause lactose intolerance?
Breast milk can also cause lactose intolerance, primarily because it also contains lactose, which plays an important role in the nutrition of infants, promoting the development of the brain's nervous system and providing energy for the growth and development of the baby. However, conditions such as rotavirus gastroenteritis or chronic diarrhea can trigger a dysbiosis of the gut flora, leading to insufficient secretion of lactase in babies. Once lactose intolerance occurs and is not alleviated in time, it can prolong the course of the baby's diarrhea, cause digestive and nutritional absorption disorders, often resulting in watery stools increasing in frequency, and the baby may also experience nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Therefore, in such cases, it is necessary to temporarily stop breastfeeding, administer lactase or switch to lactose-free formula milk for management, and resume normal diet once the symptoms are relieved.
Should I take vitamin D or D3 for rickets?
Rickets should be treated with D3, but strictly speaking, what we commonly refer to as vitamin D is D3, just phrased differently. Vitamin D3 helps promote the absorption of calcium by bones, preventing the occurrence of rickets symptoms. The main clinical manifestations of rickets appear in the deformation of bones, such as square skull, pigeon chest, flaring ribs, X-shaped legs, O-shaped legs, and other changes in bone status. The nervous system can show symptoms such as night sweats, nervous excitability, balding at the back of the head, poor sleep quality, and easiness to cry. For rickets, it is necessary to diagnose early, timely supplement with vitamin D to prevent symptoms from worsening, and also to get more sunlight and engage in outdoor activities, which helps the body synthesize vitamin D and absorb calcium.
Can rickets with rib eversion in babies be cured?
Babies with rib flaring can be treated, but it requires assessment based on relevant clinical symptoms and laboratory tests. First, it is necessary to understand that rickets is a metabolic bone disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin D, which often results not only in rib flaring but also in square skull, pigeon chest, and either bowlegs or knock-knees. Neurologically, symptoms may include night sweats, easy startling during sleep, and poor sleep quality. When these conditions occur, a physical examination by a specialist is essential, along with comprehensive tests, including measuring the specific levels of vitamin D, and selecting appropriate vitamin D supplements. If the symptoms of rib flaring are severe and accompanied by a noticeable pigeon chest, orthotic supports may also be necessary for correction. If rib flaring affects normal breathing, severe cases may require surgical treatment. Therefore, the extent of severity based on clinical symptoms will dictate the treatment approach—whether it is oral medication, orthotic correction, or surgery.