Diet taboos for children with bronchitis

During the onset of bronchitis in children and during the recovery period of 1-2 weeks after recovery, The four types of foods that are high in sugar, high in salt, spicy and irritating, and clearly allergenic must be strictly avoided. Try to eat less raw and cold ice products, high-fat fried foods, and sugary processed snacks. This is the current consensus red line in the field of pediatric clinical and family care. If you step on any of them, it may prolong the course of the disease and aggravate the symptoms of cough and asthma.

Last week, my best friend's 3-year-old child just had a fever. My grandma secretly bought a strawberry sundae as a reward after seeing that the child hadn't eaten well for a week. As a result, he coughed so hard that night that he couldn't breathe. He went to the emergency room overnight for nebulization. The illness was supposed to be cured in two or three days, but it took ten days to completely subside. Do you think it's unfair?

Many parents always think that "just one bite will be fine." In fact, the airway mucosa of children is much thinner than that of adults. When they are sick, they are in a hypersensitive state of congestion and edema. The slightest stimulation may trigger a chain reaction. Take for example the most frequently asked question, “Can you eat fruit?” There are actually two different opinions in the pediatric community: One group believes that sweet foods will increase the viscosity of airway secretions, making phlegm stuck and unable to be coughed out. It is recommended to completely stop all fruits during the illness. ； The other group believes that as long as it is fresh low-sugar fruit with a glycemic index (GI) lower than 55, such as crisp apples, strawberries, and grapefruits, eating 1/3 of a fist-sized portion at a time will not only not aggravate symptoms, but also supplement vitamin C to help recovery, as long as you do not add rock sugar or honey to cook it. In fact, there is no need to worry about which one to choose. After giving it to your baby, observe it for half an hour. If there is no increase in phlegm or frequent coughing, you can eat a small amount. If there is a reaction, just stop. There is no need to follow a formula.

Don’t think that a “light diet” means white porridge with pickles. This combination is the most troublesome area for children. Pickles, processed ham, and even the "children's meat floss" that many parents love to buy have alarmingly high sodium content. High sodium will aggravate the edema of the airway mucosa. The baby's throat will sore from coughing, but after eating high-salt food, the swelling will become worse, and the cough will only double in severity. Even if you are making hospital meals for babies, there is no need to add salt at all if they are under 1 year old. The amount of salt for babies over 3 years old should be reduced by half. Don’t take it as “tasteless” as a standard. Babies’ taste is much lighter than that of adults.

Many people think that only chili peppers are spicy. In fact, raw onions, raw garlic, mustard, hot water and porridge with a temperature exceeding 65°C are all considered spicy. When these things come into contact with the already sensitive airways, they can easily cause spasms and the baby will be unable to stop coughing. There are also carbonated drinks and sparkling water with bubbles. Even if they are without sugar, the bubbles will irritate the mucous membrane when they rush through the throat, so try not to let your baby touch them.

As for the question "can we eat fish and shrimp" that many parents struggle with, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. If your baby is allergic and has a history of eczema or allergic rhinitis before, common allergens such as fish, shrimp, crab, mango, and pineapple must be stopped during the attack period. When the child is sick, the immunity is in a state of disorder, and foods that are not usually allergic may temporarily induce allergies and aggravate cough and asthma. But if the baby has never had any allergies and has never had any problems eating fish and shrimp before, then during the recovery period, you can give him a small amount of steamed fish and shrimp. Adding some high-quality protein will help his recovery. Just don't fry it or add too many seasonings.

When my own child got bronchitis for the first time when he was over two years old, he ran into a similar trap: I saw that he had no appetite at that time, so I bought his favorite mango pudding and coaxed him to eat it. As a result, he coughed so much that he sat up and cried in the middle of the night. Later, after asking a familiar pediatrician, I learned that the added sugars, flavors, and preservatives in processed sweets are much more irritating to sensitive airways than the natural sugars in fresh fruits. Even a small mouthful may double the amount of phlegm secreted. Later, I only gave him warm, unsweetened pear water, half a cup each time. After drinking it for two days, he could cough up phlegm easily.

In fact, if we really talk about it, there are not so many black and white taboos. The core logic is just not to put extra burden on the baby's airway and intestines. Don't always think about "you need to supplement nutrition when you are sick". When your child is sick, his gastrointestinal function is already weak. If you stuff him with a bunch of good things that he can't digest, it will actually hinder his immunity. Just give him something soft and light, and wait until the baby is completely healed and is bouncing around asking for something to eat, and then slowly add in his favorite food, it will be better than anything else.