A distended belly in a 3-year-old child. What to do with bloating in children

Bloating (intestinal colic) is an extremely popular condition seen in all children.

Bloating in a child is often considered an initial significant problem that parents may face.

Various provoking factors are capable of provoking such a state of the abdomen, but they all have their own specific characteristics in each age group of children.

Causes and treatment of bloating in children

Bloating in a baby is the accumulation of a significant amount of gas inside the intestines. This condition is not considered rare for newborns and children under school age.

The causes of such symptoms in children are various natural factors and pathologies.

They differ according to age. But in many situations, its appearance is due to an unbalanced diet.

Bloating can cause discomfort in the baby, because it is associated with other clinical symptoms.

The main symptoms associated with this phenomenon are insomnia, loss of appetite, crying and anxiety.

In certain situations, in order to establish the root cause of such unpleasant symptoms, a set of clinical diagnostic measures should be carried out.

Treatment is often conservative and consists of medication, dietary revision, massage therapy, and traditional medicine.

Causes

According to statistics, every 4 children are prone to colic. More often boys suffer from them. Usually, similar phenomena appear in children in the late afternoon.

Basically, bloating and colic in the intestines disappear in an infant at 5-6 months of age, and only in some situations are observed in children after a specified period.

The provoking factors of bloating:

underdevelopment of the digestive system and a lack of enzymes in order to digest food (as a result, fermentation of food products with excessive gas formation appears);
swallowing air during feeding or while crying;
feeding with unadapted mixtures;
improper dilution of mixtures;
overfeeding;
lactase deficiency - a lack of a special enzyme that digests lactose (the main component of breast milk and many other milk formulas);
hypersensitivity to cow's milk proteins;
dysbiosis: an imbalance of important bacteria within the intestines;
viral diseases;
abnormal structure and position of the large intestine (lengthening or high mobility), which provokes a failure in the progress of the intestine and the intensity of fermentation;
error during lactation: consumption of spicy, whole cow's milk, products that contribute to high education gases.

Often bloating and intestinal colic is observed in weak, premature babies, with signs of hypotrophy, rickets.

The provoking factor will be the baby's diet inappropriate for the age, premature transfer to artificial feeding.

With severe bloating and intestinal colic in an infant, it is necessary to consult a specialist in order to avoid the appearance of all kinds of pathologies that can manifest itself as bloating, anxiety, upset stools and crying of the baby.

In older children, the root cause of bloating is often diseases of the digestive system (chronic gastritis, pancreatitis, colitis).

Excessive fat, protein or carbohydrate content, overeating are the reasons for intense gas emission.

Psychoemotional anxiety, stressful situations can provoke the occurrence of such symptoms. They can cause an increase in tone and intestinal spasm.

This provokes a slow movement of food along the gastrointestinal tract and further fermentation with gas release.

Symptoms

Regardless of the origin of such factors, bloating provokes discomfort in children and the severity of symptoms:

feeling of a full stomach when the child himself is hungry;
pain in the abdomen;
the appearance of characteristic gurgling and seething;
an increase in the size of the abdomen, which is often noticed by parents;
belching and hiccups;
bad breath;
bouts of nausea, ending with a gag reflex;
belly hard to the touch;
stool disorders, which is expressed in constipation, diarrhea, or the alternation of these symptoms;
high fatigue;
decrease in working capacity.

Such laboratory signs that accompany bloating are common in children 2 years of age and older. In infants and children under 1 year of age, the following symptoms are:

pale skin;
refusal of breast or mixture;
severe anxiety and constant crying for no objective reason. It can be so intense that a baby under 1 year old can often blush from excessive stress;
seething in the abdomen;
unnatural position of the baby (knees bent to the stomach);
frequent constipation;
rare gas outflow;
feces with a green tinge of a foamy consistency;
insomnia;
roundness of the abdomen.

The appearance of one or some of the above signs should be a signal for parents to seek advice from a specialist.

Diagnostics

A comprehensive approach is needed to identify the triggers for bloating and gas in children. So, diagnostics includes the following activities:

collecting anamnesis of the disease and the life of the baby;
physical examination, which necessarily includes probing the anterior abdominal wall;
a deep questioning of the patient's parents regarding the degree of manifestation of the main symptomatology and the presence of adjacent laboratory symptoms;
clinical examination of blood, urine and feces. This is required in order to identify possible difficulties with the work of the digestive system, the course of inflammation and the presence of pathological microorganisms inside the baby's body;
Ultrasound of the abdomen;
x-ray;
endoscopy.

Treatment

Treatment for bloating involves the following stages:

Revision of the diet. Products that contribute to the formation of gases should be removed from the child's menu. The portions should be small and frequent. Thus, the digestive organs can break down nutrients in time, and the excess is removed in a timely manner. If lactase is absent, then it is necessary to exclude dairy products that contain lactose.
Eliminate the root cause that caused the bloating. Treatment is prescribed after the diagnosis has been made. Diseases preceding bloating are infections in the intestines, dysbiosis, obstruction. This is facilitated by helminths.
Restoration of gastrointestinal motility. This accelerates the release of gas from the intestines. Medicines are used: "Cerucal", "Motilium".
Bringing the intestinal microflora back to normal. For these purposes, the child is prescribed prebiotics and probiotics. For example, the drug "Lactrofiltrum" has a beneficial effect on the reproduction of beneficial microorganisms inside the intestine, and "Linex" contains ready-made bacteria.
Elimination of accumulated gas from the large intestine. Appointed "Espumisan", a destructive gas, which is then easier to remove. Also enterosorbents ("Activated carbon", "Smecta") will be effective.

A child from 1 to 3 years old is allowed to use medications only after the approval of a specialist. To alleviate the condition, the following manipulations will help him:

warm the baby's belly by applying a warm heating pad;
massage the abdomen, making circular movements with the palms in a clockwise direction;
bend and unbend the child's knives at the knees, pressing them to the surface of the abdomen;
to put a gas tube (a special catheter that is inserted into the rectum) for a child under 3 years old.

In the process of bloating therapy, herbal medicine is widely used. It should be noted that it should only be used in consultation with a specialist, as there is a high risk of allergies.

For these purposes, it is necessary to fill in 1 tsp. dill seeds with 1 glass of water and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

After the mass is filtered. Dill water has a beneficial effect on the motility of the gastrointestinal tract, promotes relaxation of the smooth muscles of its walls and vasodilation.

Children over 3 years old are allowed to use the following recipes:

John's wort, yarrow and marsh creeper are mixed in equal proportions. Poured with boiling water in the amount of 1 liter per 3 tbsp. l. and infused for 4 hours. You need to consume 3-4 cups a day.
Mint leaves, anise seeds, fennel, caraway seeds are taken in equal proportions and mixed. Brewed 2 tsp. mixture in a glass of boiling water and poured into a thermos for 7 hours. Consumed by 1 glass per day.
1 tbsp. l. chamomile flowers are diluted in a glass of boiling water and infused for at least 15 minutes. It is used every 5 hours.
Mix 1 tsp. dill seeds and dried thyme and pour over a glass of boiling water. Infused for about 10 minutes, then boiled and re-infused for 15 minutes. Consume warm, 30 g every hour.

In addition to the use of medications and folk remedies, one should not forget about being in the fresh air and leading an active lifestyle, since this increases the tone of the child's body and contributes to the normalization of all systems in the body, including digestion.

Prophylaxis

In order to prevent bloating in a child, you should:

balance the diet;
observe how much the child eats;
carry out lactation in a calm state;
protect the child from stressful situations;
arrange for the child to be active and healthy image life;
keep all medications out of the reach of children.

To effectively help in eliminating this phenomenon and, consequently, from colic, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures long before the onset of bloating in a child.

Bloating is not common if you remember all the provoking reasons.

A balanced diet and an active lifestyle are the main positive factors that help children virtually avoid these problems.

Useful video

Flatulence is the bloating of a child's abdomen due to excessive accumulation of gases in the intestinal lumen and difficulty in passing them. This phenomenon often develops in almost all babies.

Bloating with gases can provoke the appearance of intestinal colic: severe pain in the child's abdomen due to spasm of some parts of the intestine and excessive stretching of others against the background of flatulence. The pains are cramping in nature and disappear as the gas passes.

Flatulence and intestinal colic are often the first problem for a young mother: these phenomena can appear as early as two weeks of age.

Causes

Every fourth baby suffers from colic. Most often boys are exposed to them.

As a rule, these phenomena occur in the baby in the afternoon. Usually flatulence and intestinal colic disappear in infants by 4-5 months of age, and only in rare cases are they observed in children in the second half of the year.

The causes of bloating can be different:

the main cause of flatulence is underdevelopment of the digestive system and a lack of enzymes for digesting food, which results in fermentation food products with excessive formation of gases;
swallowing air when feeding or crying;
feeding with unadapted milk formulas;
improper dilution of mixtures;
overfeeding the baby;
lactase deficiency - the absence of a special enzyme for the digestion of lactose (the main component of breast milk and many milk formulas);
intolerance to cow's milk proteins;
: imbalance of necessary (beneficial) microorganisms in the intestine;
infectious diseases (intestinal infections);
anomalies in the structure and location of the large intestine (lengthening or increased mobility), which leads to impaired movement through the intestine and increased fermentation processes;
errors in the nutrition of a breastfeeding mother: the use of spicy food, whole cow's milk, products that contribute to increased gas production.

More often flatulence and intestinal colic are observed in the weakened, with manifestations of hypotrophy. A predisposing factor is the child's inappropriate nutrition, early transfer to artificial feeding.

In the case of severe flatulence and intestinal colic in infants, you should consult a doctor so as not to miss the development of possible pathological conditions, which can also be manifested by bloating, anxiety, stool disturbance and crying of the baby.

In older children, the cause of bloating is more often diseases of the digestive system (chronic gastritis, pancreatitis, colitis). The cause of flatulence can be an excess amount of fats, protein foods or carbohydrates (in comparison with age norms), overeating.

Emotional anxiety of the child, stress can provoke the appearance of these symptoms. They cause an increase in the tone and spasm of the intestines, which leads to a slowdown in the movement of food masses along the digestive tract and their subsequent fermentation with the release of gases.

Symptoms

The general condition of children with flatulence and colic does not suffer. There is no lag in the physical and psychomotor development of the baby. Pathological changes in clinical blood tests, and feces are not noted.

The air swallowed while feeding the baby comes out during spitting up, sometimes quite abundant. In lactase deficiency, bloating is often combined with stool disturbance in the form of constipation or diarrhea.

With intestinal colic, the baby is restless, twisting his legs, crying. The onset of pain lasts about 20 minutes, and disappears after the gas has passed. Belching and hiccups are common manifestations of flatulence.

Older children may complain of a feeling of fullness, pain, and rumbling in the abdomen, which decrease after passing gas.

Giving help

A gentle massage and pulling the legs to the stomach will help alleviate the child's condition with colic.

Principles of treating flatulence in children:

elimination of the cause of excessive gas formation: correction of the nutrition of the child and mother, treatment of dysbiosis or other diseases of the digestive system, etc.;
removal of accumulated gases from the intestines using manipulations or drugs.

Children with lactase deficiency are prescribed special nutritional formulas that do not contain lactose. When artificially feeding a baby, you must strictly follow the instructions for preparing the mixture, do not increase the dose, do not overfeed the baby.

Have a child on breastfeeding Bloating is caused by foods eaten by a nursing mother, so she should track which foods are causing flatulence in the baby.

Most often, the child's inconvenience occurs when the mother uses chocolate, grapes, legumes (fresh or canned), black bread, coffee, carbonated drinks, kvass, sauerkraut, a large number raw fruits and vegetables.

With frequent regurgitation of the child, you need to pay attention to the technique of attaching the baby to the breast; it may be necessary to change the position during feeding to reduce the amount of air being swallowed.

After feeding, each time it is necessary to raise the baby to an upright position and hold it in a "column" for several minutes, so that the air is escaped without food. It is better to turn it back to you and support it by the tummy.

When the abdomen is bloated, the baby should be put on his back, the legs should be bend to the stomach several times and straightened again. Such exercises can be combined with pulling the handles to the sides and bringing them to the stomach (the baby hugs himself, as it were).

An effective method is also a massage of the abdomen with a warm mother's hand (you can lubricate your hand before this baby oil). The massage is carried out in a clockwise circular motion. Some mothers can get the baby to pass gas by placing his belly on her belly and turning his head to the side.

A good relaxing effect is also given by applying a warm diaper to the stomach, preheated on a radiator or ironed with an iron. You can give your baby a pacifier or breast: sucking will reduce pain. You can stand with your child in your arms under a warm shower or make him a warm bath.

Most often, these methods help to evacuate gases. If all the measures did not work, you should help the evacuation of gases with the help of a rubber gas tube, which should be in every mother's first-aid kit. However, you should not use the tube often, as it irritates the rectum. In the absence of a tube, you can use the tip of the pear (syringe).

The baby is laid on its side, the legs are bent at the knees and hip joints... The rounded end of the tube is lubricated with petroleum jelly and carefully inserted into the anus by 1-2 cm. The other end of the tube must be lowered into a container or put on a diaper: through it, feces can come out with gases. The tube can be left in the rectum for 15-20 minutes, and during this time, massage the abdomen. After the procedure, the tube is thoroughly washed, the child must also be washed and the buttocks should be lubricated with baby oil.

If it was not possible to do without medicines, then the doctor's advice must be followed. Many pediatricians recommend a decades-old method of giving your child dill water (fennel tea). For its preparation 1 tbsp. dill seed is poured into a thermos or porcelain teapot with 1 glass of boiling water, after insisting for 1 hour, filter and give the baby 1 tsp. three times a day. Store the finished broth in the refrigerator.

Plantex

Pharmaceutical phytopreparation from fruits and essential oil fennel - Plantex. It not only reduces gas production, but also improves digestion, stimulates intestinal motility, relieves intestinal spasm, has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, and increases appetite. Plantex is indicated for bloating, intestinal colic, and when switching to artificial feeding. It can be used from 2 weeks of age.

Often prescribed by pediatricians Espumisan in the form of an emulsion. It is not absorbed into the bloodstream and does not have a general effect on the baby's body. Emulsion 1 scoop can be added to children food from 3 to 5 rubles. in a day.

In some cases, children are prescribed Smecta, activated carbon, which adsorb and remove gases from the intestines. But along with gases, vitamins and minerals are excreted, which have to be taken additionally.

If dysbiosis is detected, it is necessary to carry out a course of treatment with the use of eubiotics. Biologics can also be used for infants, since in the first months of life, slow formation of the normal intestinal biocenosis is most often noted.

In some cases, older children are prescribed enzymatic preparations to improve the digestion of food. It is highly undesirable to accustom the child's body to medication. You should try to solve the problem by adjusting the power supply.

The correct organization of the diet should exclude sugary and carbonated drinks for older children, excessive consumption of polysaccharides. It is preferable to use bread from coarse flour (or yesterday's), fresh baked goods and pastries should be excluded. Flatulence can be caused by gooseberries, legumes, onions (raw), sorrel, potatoes, cabbage. Eating should be rational and regular, but without overeating.

) is an increased formation and accumulation of gases in the intestine, accompanied by various clinical manifestations. Occurs frequently, observed in different ages- from babies to schoolchildren. It is not an independent disease. This is a symptom that means that a lot of gases have accumulated in the intestines, which expand its walls and cause pain or other unpleasant sensations. Most often it accompanies intestinal pathology or occurs for other reasons not related to diseases.

Causes of gas formation

Normally, in the intestine, the process of gas formation occurs constantly. This is a physiological phenomenon that does not disturb the general well-being and proceeds imperceptibly. Its reasons are different:

swallowing a certain amount of gases while eating;
digestion of food, which is a chain of biochemical reactions of the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates with the release of gases;
diffusion (exchange of gases), when oxygen from the vessels of the intestinal wall, which is necessary for the normal functioning of some bacteria, enters the lumen, and carbon dioxide is excreted by the venous blood and excreted by the lungs;
the vital activity of the intestinal microflora itself, which releases carbon dioxide during the processing of food.

The gases formed in a healthy body improve the digestion process: increase intestinal peristalsis, help better "digestion" of food and quick bowel emptying. But sometimes a failure occurs in the mechanisms of gas formation, and the child shows signs of flatulence.

Causes of flatulence

The causes of bloating that cause poor health include various intestinal pathologies, which are divided into several groups:

Diseases of the digestive system of an inflammatory nature (pancreatitis, inflammation in the intestines - colitis, etc. /).
Non-inflammatory (dysbiosis, enzymatic disorders) - diseases associated with disorders of digestion processes.
Infectious diseases with intestinal lesions - helminthiases, protozoal infections (amebiasis, etc.), acute intestinal infections, in which flatulence is combined with diarrhea.
Congenital anomalies in the development and location of the colon - its lengthening (dolichosigma) or increased mobility.

Flatulence also develops due to alimentary (food) reasons. The most common of them are: overeating, dieting, eating a lot of fats, carbonated drinks, foods that increase gas production (legumes, black bread, beer), an insufficient amount of plant fiber in the diet.

Intestinal colic in premature and weak children, with signs of malnutrition, occurs much more often than in healthy babies at birth.

Other factors

In addition to the above, there are other factors that lead to flatulence in infants. They are related to the nutrition of the nursing mother. Some foods cause gas in newborns:

hot seasonings and spices;
whole cow's milk;
legumes, grapes, cabbage;
black bread;
drinks with gases, etc.

Flatulence in children who are not breastfed, but artificially fed, can be caused by:

mixtures that are not adapted for the nutrition of a child at this age;
early feeding;
violation of the frequency and time of the diet;
psychogenic factors.

The mechanism for the formation of bloating and pain during gas formation is directly related to overexcitation or stress. The release of adrenaline into the bloodstream leads to vasoconstriction, which significantly reduces the elimination and absorption of gases. Stress also increases intestinal tone, as a result: peristalsis and food advancement slow down, fermentation and decay processes intensify, and, therefore, increase the amount of gas in the child. Seething, tight stomach, cramps and diarrhea appear.

Manifestations of pathology in children

Strong gas formation in the intestines leads to the appearance of a fetid odor, chronic abdominal pain, uncontrolled passing of gas (more than 20 times a day).

Increased flatulence is also manifested by an enlarged abdomen, acute paroxysmal or bursting pain in the abdomen, belching, or hiccups.

Children suffer from increased flatulence very often and at any age - this is a common problem. But most of all the troubles are delivered by bloating in newborns. At the age of about 5 months, the child's body is characterized by an undeveloped digestive system - the absence of normal microflora in the intestine. In addition, in infants, the enzyme system is undeveloped, which improves only by 4 - 5 months.

It also leads to fermentation in the intestines, resulting in bloating, spastic contraction of some parts of the intestine and relaxation of others, which is manifested by intestinal colic - sharp paroxysmal pain in the baby's abdomen. The causes and treatment of this condition are always interrelated, an understanding of their mechanisms is necessary in order to know what medicine to give a child for flatulence and bloating.

Symptoms in newborns

In general, the general condition of the child with increased gas production is not disturbed: there are no delays in development and growth. Difficulties arise only with small children: a child is 1 year old and, moreover, a newborn cannot find out the complaints. But you can understand that the stomach hurts indirectly by the behavior of the baby:

the child constantly blows gas;
constantly screams, restless, is very active, does not sleep;
does not take the breast;
if you manage to feed it, it is quickly saturated.

Due to the strong gas in the intestines, the stomach puffs up even more. With regard to intestinal colic, which is the main symptom of flatulence at this age, there is a rule of "three":

appears in the third month of life;
lasts up to three hours;
finally passes at the age of three months.

Symptoms in Preschool Children

In a child 2 years old, suffering from bloating, the following reasons come to the fore:

the use of a large amount of easily digestible carbohydrates: grapes, chocolate, pastries, etc.;
sedentary lifestyle;
overweight;
fermentopathy (insufficient production of lactase, which breaks down milk sugar);
violation of intestinal microflora.

Similar reasons cause belching in a 3-year-old child, in addition to other manifestations of increased gas production. But at this age, flatulence develops much less often than children under one year old.

In a 4-year-old child, signs of flatulence appear from the first days of visiting kindergarten. This is due to a change in the diet, in connection with which the intestines undergo adaptation processes. A hard belly in a child, belching with air, frequent passing of gas leads to stress, which in turn intensifies the process of gas formation.

In such cases, it is necessary to consult a doctor in order to establish the causes of this condition and know how to deal with flatulence and bloating.

In a 6-year-old child, the causes and clinical manifestations differ little from those in the previous age category. May play a role:

expanding the diet, when more sweets and soda, raw vegetables are eaten;
wrong combination of products;
chewing gum;
great psychological stress and stress if the child starts attending school.

When a child has a hard abdomen and complaints of rumbling, pain, belching after eating, it is necessary to adjust the diet during gas formation.

First aid and treatment

First aid for bloating, which can be given to a child at home, consists of the following measures:

massage the abdomen clockwise;
give the baby dill water or Plantex, a herbal remedy for flatulence based on fennel, from the stomach;
in case of ineffectiveness - simethicone (Espumisan, Infacol, Bobotik, Bebinos), which is a symptomatic remedy for bloating, removing gases from the intestines, but not curing flatulence;
if the child has constipation, leading to pain during gas formation, you can enter a glycerin suppository;
in extreme cases, use a tube to remove gases;
in an older child with constipation leading to flatulence, it is possible to carry out a cleansing enema.

Important! Treatment of flatulence should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of a physician. Self-medication is unacceptable, since often increased gas production in a child occurs in connection with the development of serious diseases of the digestive tract (pancreatitis, colitis, dysbiosis), in the presence of helminthiasis, congenital intestinal pathology. Medicines to be taken for bloating are only prescribed by a doctor.

Therapeutic measures depend on the age of the child and the causes of the pathology. After clarifying the etiological factor (the cause that caused flatulence), anti-inflammatory treatment is carried out, if necessary, antibiotic therapy. Drugs are used to restore normal intestinal microflora, symptomatic therapy (antispasmodics for pain, laxatives, drugs that actively absorb gases).

Prophylaxis

Watch the video of Dr. Komarovsky - what to do if a child has a stomach ache:

Prevention of flatulence in the intestines, on the advice of Dr. Komarovsky, must be started long before the development of flatulence. A background correction of the event is used to avoid the accumulation of gases in the intestines in 15% of children, if certain rules are followed:

breastfeeding;
strict adherence to the diet of a nursing mother;
laying a small child on his stomach after feeding.

Older children need regular walks with outdoor games, a favorable psychological environment at home, in kindergarten, at school, exclusion of overeating, diet. Following these simple tips will prevent children from facing the problems of flatulence.

Flatulence in children or bloating is an increased accumulation of gas in the intestines, difficult to pass them. The problem is often found in children under one year old, their body begins to get used to new living conditions, nutrition.

Gas production is not a disease, in most cases it is a symptom of some kind of malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract. Many pediatricians do not insist on treating flatulence, but parents want to alleviate the condition of the crumbs, get rid of the problem faster.

Causes of occurrence

There are a lot of negative factors affecting the appearance of increased gas production in children. Flatulence is observed in absolutely healthy babies and those with gastrointestinal diseases. The main causes of intestinal flatulence:

due to the immaturity of the children's digestive system. Weak nerve endings, immature muscle tissue of the abdominal region leads to colic. Over time, with the correct development of the crumbs, the problem goes away by itself. Increased gas production is most often found in premature babies or in multiple pregnancies;
swallowing large amounts of air while feeding or crying. Babies do not control reflexes well, they only learn to eat correctly. Sometimes the cause of this situation is improper latching to the breast or feeding with a bottle; (From you can learn about anti-colic bottles for newborns);
congenital inadequate production of digestive enzymes causes flatulence;
overeating or overfeeding a child leads to problems with the digestive system;
age-inappropriate nutrition. Complementary feeding is recommended at the moment when recommended by the pediatrician; (For more information about the rules for introducing complementary foods, read the address);
an unbalanced diet affects the appearance of colic (the use of soda, fast food, fatty, sweet foods negatively affects the health of the baby);
the occurrence of colic in a child is facilitated by eating the following foods (bread, spinach, radish, cabbage, all types of legumes, dairy products, if the baby has lactose intolerance);
frequent constipation provokes the fermentation process, as a result of which gas formation increases several times, the body does not have time to get rid of them;
improperly selected infant formula. (Read about the rules for feeding newborns; look at a review of infant formula; find out about the benefits of formula without palm oil; read the page about Nan infant formula; we have an article about Similac formula).

Flatulence in children can signal the course of such diseases:

ailments of the gastrointestinal tract (and others);
acute intestinal infections;
infestation with helminths; (Read about helminthiasis in children at the address);
the course of inflammatory processes in the intestines;
neuroses, sometimes the stomach reacts sharply to emotional shocks.

Important! In the first year of life, flatulence in a baby is a completely normal process that requires taking folk remedies or special drugs. If the problem persists, accompanies the child at an older age, or appears suddenly, consult a doctor. Pathology may indicate the course of serious diseases. The sooner the cause of flatulence is identified, the greater the chances of a speedy recovery of the crumbs.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

First you need to find out if colic is related to symptoms of another disease. At the doctor's appointment, the doctor palpates, taps on the abdomen of the child, the sound can be used to determine whether there is a problem in a particular area. If a pathology is found, additional diagnostic measures are prescribed (ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, X-rays, and others).

With flatulence, there is an abundant discharge of gases (involuntary, arbitrary). Doctors identify several additional clinical signs of the presence of an ailment in children:

discomfort in the abdomen or intestines;
belching, hiccups that appear for no apparent reason;
feeling of bloating (fullness), lack of appetite;
the abdomen is visually inflated, hard on palpation;
sometimes nausea is noted, in infants - frequent;
violation of the stool (sometimes two conditions replace each other);
asphyxia or shortness of breath (most often observed in premature babies);
the baby is often naughty, sleep problems appear.

Babies cannot tell their parents where it hurts, so they become capricious, often cry for no reason. Be attentive, notice any changes in the child's behavior. Not in all cases the baby is capricious, sometimes crying indicates a health problem.

Medicines treatment methods

How to treat flatulence in children? It is not recommended to self-treat. In any case, visit a doctor, the pediatrician will identify the cause of the problem and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Colic elimination occurs in several stages:

the diet is adjusted. The nutrition of the crumbs plays a major role in the appearance of flatulence. To begin with, products that contribute to increased gassing (described above) are excluded. Meals should be regular, frequent, in small portions. The digestive system will get used to the regime, enzymes will quickly be able to break down food, the excess will come out on time;
elimination of adverse factors, diseases that caused colic in a child. Treatment is prescribed after an accurate diagnosis of the problem. This category includes intestinal infections, gastrointestinal ailments, intestinal obstruction, dysbiosis;
with the help of special remedies for flatulence, they restore the motility of the gastrointestinal tract, normalize the digestion process (Motilium, Cerucal);
probiotics, prebiotics restore the natural microflora, promote the growth of positive bacteria (good drugs for flatulence - Lactrofiltrum);
the use of enterosorbents aimed at splitting gases, removing accumulated toxins from the body (Smecta, Activated carbon, Polysorb).

How to get rid of flatulence? Additionally, children are prescribed active rest, hardening, general strengthening of the body. For babies up to two years old, medications are prescribed only after consultation with a pediatrician. The following non-specific remedies will help to get rid of colic in babies:

many parents alleviate the condition of the crumbs by warming up the abdomen with a heating pad. Before carrying out the manipulations, consult your doctor;
pediatricians recommend using a gas tube (the device is inserted into the anus, helps to escape the accumulated gases); (Learn more about how to use the gas outlet pipe on the page);
some babies are helped by stroking the tummy clockwise.

It is forbidden to give tablets for flatulence to crumbs up to the sixth month of life, but it is mandatory to give them. The drug is sold in pharmacies, but it can be made at home: take a tablespoon of finely chopped dill for a glass of boiling water. Insist the remedy for two hours, give the baby a teaspoon a day, mix with breast milk or regular water.

Dill water has a positive effect on intestinal motility, relaxes intestinal smooth muscles, facilitates the process of bowel movement, and has a beneficial effect on digestion. The remedy is drunk by nursing mothers to improve lactation.

Folk remedies and recipes

pour a glass of boiling water over a tablespoon of dry chamomile, leave for several hours. Cool the finished product, strain, give the baby a teaspoon every 4–5 hours;
mix in equal proportions the marsh beetle, St. John's wort, yarrow. Pour the finished mixture with boiling water in a ratio of 1:10, leave for four hours. Children from five years old are allowed to drink 3-4 cups a day;
infusion of caraway seeds. Pour a tablespoon of raw materials with 250 ml of hot water, leave for 30 minutes. Give the finished product to the baby a tablespoon each time before a meal. The course of treatment is no more than 10 days;
tincture of parsley. For 100 ml of water, take a tablespoon of finely chopped parsley, simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain the finished drug, cool, give the child a teaspoon before meals. It is useful to use fresh parsley, it prevents the development of flatulence in children and adults;
herbal collection of dill seeds (35g), mountain ash (50g), chamomile (35g), valerian root (35g). Mix all the components, pour a glass of boiling water with a tablespoon of the mixture, leave for two hours. It is best to prepare the product in a thermos. After cooling down, give your baby a third of a glass before meals. Prepare a new medicine each time; it is undesirable to store the product in the refrigerator;
infusion of sweet clover. Finely chop the grass, pour 250 ml of boiling water over a teaspoon of raw materials, leave for four hours. Give the baby a quarter of a glass several times a day before meals;
infants are shown taking warm baths several times a week with the addition of a decoction of chamomile, calendula, anise. Medical procedures have a beneficial effect not only on the digestion process, but also prevent the appearance of dermatitis, soothe the baby before bedtime;
Warm tea with mint is an excellent remedy for flatulence for children. Place a few peppermint leaves in regular long tea. A child under one year old - a teaspoon three times a day, children under five years old - a quarter of a glass twice a day, older children can drink healthy tea without restrictions.

Children up to three months pediatricians do not recommend giving any drugs. Sometimes the problem lies in the mother's diet, any unsuitable product negatively affects the baby's digestion (if the baby is breastfed). A young mother should reconsider the diet, exclude foods that cause flatulence.

An important role is played by the breastfeeding process. Many babies swallow air at this moment, which leads to colic. Make sure that the baby swallows only a small part of the halo; after feeding, hold the baby in an upright position for half an hour. Avoid vigorously shaking the contents of the bottle, as air bubbles can enter there, which increases the chances of flatulence in the crumbs.

Preventive measures

It is quite easy to prevent the appearance of colic in infants, it is possible to cope with the problem at an older age only if a healthy diet, diet, and strengthening of the child's body are observed. The following tips will help prevent flatulence in a newborn:

hold the baby correctly, immediately after feeding, do not put the baby in an upright position;
exclude chocolate, legumes, sweets, and other foods that increase gas production from your diet;
if the trouble persists over time, contact your pediatrician.

Flatulence in a crumb does not pose a threat to his life, it is necessary to pay attention to the phenomenon, but you should not panic. See your doctor, use the helpful tips described above.

More interesting details about flatulence in the following video:

Children belong to a weakened category of the population. Due to the growing organism and unformed organs, they are more susceptible to infectious and inflammatory diseases.

A hard stomach in a child can occur for various reasons, so the appearance of a pathology should immediately alert parents.

How to identify pathology

If the baby is restless, crying for no reason, parents begin to guess why he behaves this way.

If a child has a stomach ache, then a uniform compaction is determined by feeling. Due to the discomfort caused by the actions of the parents, the baby himself strains the muscles. In this case, it is difficult to determine in what place the source of pain is concentrated.

A large belly is determined visually, it differs from the normal appearance of this part of the body. You can understand that the source of discomfort is in the abdomen by the fact that the child draws his legs, bends, takes the position of the embryo.

Palpation of the abdomen is carried out spirally, starting from the navel and further clockwise. In a healthy baby, the parents' fingers "sink" 1-2 cm deep, the patient does not strain his stomach. Outwardly, in the supine position, the abdominal cavity is symmetrical, does not protrude anywhere.

Possible reasons

The baby's digestive tract is sensitive, the structures have not yet been formed. The stomach, intestines and digestive glands are not adapted to the digestion of "adult" food, therefore, unhealthy diet provokes various disorders.

The transition to adult food should be gradual.

Closer to the year, from 11 months, it is necessary to switch from homogenized food to pieces. This is porridge cooked in adapted milk, soup with pieces of vegetables, finely chopped meat. Until school age, special attention should be paid to the nature of food preparation so that the enzymes of the pancreas are sufficient to break it down.

A symptom of a belly problem in children can be caused by:

constipation;
an excess of sweet food;
milk allergy.

Bloating occurs because air accumulates in the intestinal cavity, which does not come out. Increased gas production is caused by the intake of the corresponding products.

This category includes legumes, cabbage, onions, pears, apples. A certain amount of food always remains in the intestines, which ferments... Sweets enhance this process. Bacteria feed on glucose and digestion promotes gas production.

Another reason that the belly is puffed up is constipation. If the food is predominantly solid, then the feces are compacted in the intestines.

Even when the urge to defecate appears, difficulties arise, and intestinal peristalsis does not help to release excess contents. If this does not happen for several days, then the stomach begins to ache, when palpating along the intestines, foci of compaction are determined.

In infants

In a newborn, the digestive tract is sterile, it will begin to colonize with flora in the following months, and by 6 months it will be able to switch to more solid food. Up to six months, the only food for a baby should be breast milk or an adapted formula.

During this period, a nursing mother must follow a strict diet with the exception of allergenic, fatty, spicy, alcoholic and gas-forming foods. If she violates the diet, then intestinal colic occurs.

In addition, infant colic often occurs due to immature digestion. They begin at about 1 month of age and last up to 3 years of age.

The onset of each attack occurs in the evening and at night.

In a newborn, dysbiosis can be caused by lactase deficiency. Signs of this disorder are diarrhea with a characteristic sour odor, distended abdomen, belching, and lack of weight gain.

Intolerance to cow's milk, which has a complex protein composition, is a common cause of bloating. Milk sugar is not digested and remains in the intestines, begins to ferment and cause symptoms of the disorder.

In older children

Inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract are not typical for young children. At an older age, after 3 years, a bloated stomach can be a sign of dangerous health problems.

If the parents do not pay attention to the child's complaints, then the abdominal pain can flow into peritonitis, intestinal obstruction.

A distinctive feature of this category of diseases is temperature. The child does not allow to touch the stomach, applying cold brings relief.

Inflammatory diseases are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, symptoms of intoxication. The kid is lethargic, refuses to be physically active.

With intestinal obstruction, there is no stool for several days, and attempts to defecate cause significant discomfort.

When parents feel the abdomen, it does not always tense under the fingers, although it should normally be relatively tight.

Appendicitis is characterized by pain in the right lower abdomen. This disease can occur at any age.

The inflammation does not cause the abdomen to thicken, but if the purulent sac breaks out, the contents are released into the abdominal cavity. In this case, peritonitis occurs, the abdomen becomes hard and flat, like a plaque.

Therapeutic measures

Therapeutic measures depend on the underlying cause of the bloating. Treatment begins with the elimination of provoking factors. This is a strict diet with the exception of fried, smoked, spicy foods.

With colic in an infant, the mother should observe nutrition, excluding foods that cause bloating. To help the child remove excess gas from the intestines, the doctor prescribes simethicone-based drugs.

Additional methods of struggle are abdominal massage using a special technique and warming with heat (you can apply a heating pad or wrap with a warm diaper).

The child is allowed to give warm water, dill water or fennel tea.

If the cause of the stomach disease is milk intolerance or lactase deficiency, then a child at 1 or 2 years old who feeds on their own should switch to a diet with the exception of this product.

The baby receives a dose of an enzyme (lactase) to break down the required amount of fluid. Inflammatory diseases should be treated with a surgical method.

When to see a doctor

Treatment of any disorder in infancy, if the child is under 1 year old, should be carried out after consulting a doctor.

A small child cannot make complaints, and if you are inattentive to the change in his behavior, you can skip dangerous pathologies.

Since there are many factors leading to bloating and thickening of the intestine, then the specification of the diagnosis should be carried out by specialists.

Especially carefully you need to treat the abdominal seal if the baby's body temperature rises. Only an integrated approach allows you to accurately determine the cause of the disease: laboratory diagnostics, instrumental methods.

Consequences of untreated

If left untreated, the causes leading to a hard stomach can lead to persistent dysbiosis.

Violation of microflora, that is, the ratio of bacteria that colonize the intestines, leads to the fact that food does not break down, and its remnants constantly ferment. This is a factor in chronic colitis, a generalized allergic reaction.

If you do not notice signs of an inflammatory process or intestinal obstruction, then you can lead to sepsis, peritonitis. Late referral is a direct threat to the child's life..

A hard stomach is a symptom of many diseases and cannot be ignored. Bloating of the intestines causes a lot of discomfort, so it is necessary to take all measures to eliminate its causes and prevent the consequences.