What is the best medicine for a child with thick, white tongue coating?

There is no such thing as "the best medicine for children with thick, white tongue coating." A thick, white tongue coating in children is usually related to gastrointestinal dysfunction. Suitable medications include Pediatric Jianpi Huaji Oral Liquid, Xingpi Yang'er Granules, Pediatric Qixing Tea Granules, Pediatric Xiaoshi Granules, and Shenling Baizhu Powder. The choice should be based on accompanying symptoms and made under medical guidance according to individual diagnosis. If the thick, white tongue coating persists for more than one week or is accompanied by poor appetite, diarrhea, or vomiting, prompt medical attention is recommended.

1. Pediatric Jianpi Huaji Oral Liquid: Strengthens the spleen and boosts qi, promotes digestion and resolves food stagnation. Suitable for cases of spleen deficiency combined with food accumulation, presenting symptoms such as thick, white tongue coating, loss of appetite, abdominal distension, and stool containing undigested food. It improves digestive function and relieves food stagnation.

2. Xingpi Yang'er Granules: Awakens the spleen, stimulates appetite, nourishes blood, and calms the mind. Appropriate for thick, white tongue coating caused by impaired spleen function, along with symptoms like厌食 (loss of appetite), irritability, night sweats, diarrhea, and loose stools. This formula addresses both gastrointestinal regulation and emotional balance, making it well-suited to children's physiology.

3. Pediatric Qixing Tea Granules: Promotes digestion, relieves food stagnation, clears heat, and calms irritability. Indicated for thick, white tongue coating caused by accumulated food turning into heat, accompanied by bad breath, constipation, and restlessness. It clears internal heat and aids digestion, relieving gastrointestinal discomfort due to excess heat.

4. Pediatric Xiaoshi Granules: Promotes digestion, resolves food stagnation, strengthens the spleen, and harmonizes the stomach. Designed for food retention from milk or meals in children, manifesting as thick, white tongue coating, fullness and distension in the abdomen, belching with sour regurgitation, nausea, and vomiting. It quickly resolves milk or food stagnation and improves digestive function.

5. Shenling Baizhu Powder: Strengthens the spleen and removes dampness. Suitable for spleen deficiency with excessive dampness, characterized by thick, greasy white tongue coating, sticky bowel movements, heaviness in the body, and poor appetite. It strengthens the spleen, boosts qi, and eliminates dampness, addressing the root cause of tongue coating abnormalities.

In daily life, maintain a light and easily digestible diet, eat smaller meals more frequently, and avoid overeating. Limit intake of sweets, greasy, raw, and cold foods. Encourage light physical activity after meals to aid digestion, maintain regular sleep patterns, and keep the abdomen warm to support recovery of spleen and stomach function and improve tongue coating appearance.