Flatulence in children: causes, assistance. Bloating in a child: possible causes, how to help and what medications can be given? Gas formation in a 3 year old child

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

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

How to determine pathology

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

If a child has a stomach ache, then upon palpation a uniform compaction is detected. Due to the discomfort caused by the actions of the parents, the baby himself tenses his muscles. In this case, it is difficult to determine exactly where 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 in his legs, bends, and assumes the position of a fetus.

Palpation of the abdomen is carried out spirally, starting from the navel and further clockwise. In a healthy baby, the parents’ fingers are “recessed” 1-2 cm deep, the patient does not strain the stomach. Externally, in the supine position, the abdominal cavity is symmetrical and does not protrude anywhere.

Possible reasons

The child's digestive tract is sensitive, the structures are not yet formed. The stomach, intestines and digestive glands are not adapted to digesting “adult” food, so improper nutrition provokes various disorders.

The transition to adult food should occur gradually.

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

Symptoms of tummy troubles in children can be caused by:

• constipation;
• excess sweet foods;
• allergy to milk.

Bloating occurs because air accumulates in the intestinal cavity and does not escape. Increased gas formation is caused by the intake of appropriate products.

This category includes legumes, cabbage, onions, pears, and apples. There is always some food left in the intestines that ferments. Sweets enhance this process. Bacteria feed on glucose, and digestion promotes gas formation.

Another reason for a bloated belly is constipation. If the food is predominantly solid in nature, then the feces are compacted in the intestines.

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

In infants

A newborn's digestive tract is sterile; it will begin to be populated with flora in the following months, and by 6 months it will be able to move on to more solid foods. Until six months, the only food a baby should have is breast milk or an adapted formula.

During this period, the 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, due to immature digestion, children often experience infant colic. They begin at about 1 month of age and continue until 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, a bloated stomach, 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

The appearance of inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract is not typical for young children. At an older age, after 3 years, a bloated belly can be a sign of dangerous health problems.

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

A distinctive feature of this category of diseases is temperature. The child does not allow his stomach to be touched; applying cold brings relief.

Inflammatory diseases are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and symptoms of intoxication. The baby is lethargic and refuses physical activity..

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

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

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

Inflammation does not cause compaction of the abdomen, but if the purulent sac ruptures, the contents are released into the abdominal cavity. In this case, peritonitis occurs, the abdomen becomes hard and flat, like a board.

Treatment measures

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

If a baby has colic, the mother should follow a diet excluding foods that cause bloating. To help the child remove excess gases from the intestines, the doctor prescribes drugs based on simethicone.

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

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

If the cause of abdominal disease is milk intolerance or lactase deficiency, then a child of 1 or 2 years old who feeds independently should switch to a diet excluding this product.

The baby receives a dose of an enzyme (lactase), which allows it to break down the required amount of liquid. Inflammatory diseases must be treated using the surgical method.

When to see a doctor

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

A small child cannot make any complaints, and if you are not careful about changing his behavior, you can miss dangerous pathologies.

Since there are many factors leading to intestinal bloating and hardening, the specific diagnosis should be carried out by specialists.

Particular attention should be paid to the compaction of the abdominal cavity 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 treatment

If the causes leading to a hard belly are not treated, this can lead to persistent dysbiosis.

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

If you do not notice the signs of an inflammatory process or intestinal obstruction, you can lead to sepsis and peritonitis. Late application means a direct threat to the child’s life..

A hard belly is a symptom of many diseases and should not be ignored. Intestinal bloating causes a lot of discomfort, so it is necessary to take all measures to eliminate its causes and prevent consequences.

Bloating (intestinal colic) is an extremely common condition observed in all children.

Often, bloating in a child is considered the initial significant difficulty that parents may encounter.

Various provoking factors can provoke such a condition in 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 child is the accumulation of a significant amount of gas inside the intestines. This condition is not considered rare for newborns and preschool children.

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, which is why 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 in nature and consists of the use of medications, a review of the diet, therapeutic massage and the use of traditional medicine.

Causes

According to statistics, every 4 children are susceptible to colic. Boys are more often affected by them. Typically, such phenomena appear in children in the late afternoon.

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

Provoking factors for bloating:

• underdevelopment of the organs of the digestive system and lack of enzymes for the purpose of digesting food (as a result of this, fermentation of food products occurs with excessive gas formation);
• swallowing air during feeding or 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 inside the intestines;
• viral diseases;
• abnormal structure and position of the large intestine (elongation or high mobility), which provokes a failure in the movement through the intestine and the intensity of fermentation;
• error during lactation: consumption of spicy, whole cow's milk, products that contribute to high gas formation.

Often bloating and intestinal colic are observed in weak, premature children, with signs of malnutrition and rickets.

A provoking factor will be a baby’s diet that is inappropriate for his age and premature transfer to artificial feeding.

In case of severe bloating and intestinal colic in a baby, consultation with a specialist is necessary in order to avoid the appearance of all kinds of pathologies that can manifest themselves as bloating, anxiety, upset bowel movements and crying of the baby.

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

The causes of intense gas production include excess fat, protein or carbohydrates, and overeating.

Psycho-emotional anxiety and stressful situations can provoke the occurrence of such symptoms. They can cause increased tone and intestinal spasms.

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

Symptoms

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

• a feeling of a full stomach when the child himself feels hungry;
• abdominal pain;
• the appearance of characteristic rumbling and seething;
• an increase in the size of the abdomen, which is often noticed by parents;
• belching and hiccups;
• unpleasant odor from the mouth;
• attacks of nausea ending with a gag reflex;
• belly hard to the touch;
• stool disorders, which is expressed in constipation, diarrhea, or alternation of these symptoms;
• high fatigue;
• decreased ability to work.

Such laboratory signs that accompany bloating are typical for children over 2 years of age. Infants and children under 1 year of age have the following symptoms:

• pale skin;
• refusal of breast or formula;
• severe anxiety and constant crying for no objective reason. It can be so intense that a baby under 1 year of age may often blush from excessive exertion;
• seething in the abdomen;
• unnatural position of the baby (knees bent to the stomach);
• frequent constipation;
• rare gas release;
• feces with a green tint, 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

To establish the triggering factors for bloating and gas formation in children, an integrated approach is needed. Thus, diagnostics includes the following activities:

• collecting anamnesis of the disease and the baby’s life;
• physical examination, which necessarily includes palpation of the anterior abdominal wall;
• an in-depth survey of the patient’s parents regarding the degree of manifestation of the main symptoms and the presence of related laboratory symptoms;
• clinical examination of blood, urine and feces. This is required in order to identify possible difficulties with the functioning of the digestive organs, the course of inflammation and the presence of pathological microorganisms inside the baby’s body;
• Ultrasound of the abdomen;
• X-ray;
• endoscopy.

Treatment

Treatment of bloating involves the following stages:

• Review of diet. Products that contribute to the formation of gases should be removed from the child’s menu. Portions should be small and frequent. Thus, the digestive organs can break down nutrients in a timely manner, and the excess is promptly removed. If lactase is absent, then it is necessary to exclude dairy products that contain lactose.
• Eliminating the root causes that caused bloating. Treatment is prescribed after diagnosis. Diseases that precede bloating are infections in the intestines, dysbiosis, and obstruction. This is facilitated by helminths.
• Restoration of gastrointestinal motility. This accelerates the release of gas from the intestines. Medications used: Cerucal, Motilium.
• Bringing 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 proliferation of beneficial microorganisms inside the intestines, and “Linex” contains ready-made bacteria.
• Elimination of accumulated gases from the large intestine. Espumisan is prescribed, which destroys the gas, which is then easier to remove. Enterosorbents (Activated Carbon, Smecta) will also be effective.

For a child aged 1 to 3 years, the use of medications is permitted 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 your palms in a clockwise direction;
• bend and straighten the child’s knives at the knees, pressing them to the surface of the abdomen;
• Give a child under 3 years of age a gas tube (a special catheter that is inserted into the rectum).

Herbal medicine is widely used in the treatment of bloating. It should be noted that it should be used only after consulting a specialist, as there is a high risk of allergies.

For these purposes, you need to pour 1 tsp. dill seeds with 1 glass of water and boil over low heat for 15 minutes.

Afterwards the mass is filtered. Dill water has a beneficial effect on gastrointestinal motility, helps relax the smooth muscles of its walls and dilate blood vessels.

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

• St. John's wort, yarrow and marsh grass are mixed in equal proportions. Pour boiling water in the amount of 1 liter per 3 tbsp. l. and infused for 4 hours. You need to consume 3-4 cups per day.
• Take mint leaves, anise seeds, fennel seeds, and caraway seeds in equal proportions and mix. Brew 2 tsp. mixture in a glass of boiling water and pour into a thermos for 7 hours. Drink 1 glass per day.
• 1 tbsp. l. chamomile flowers are diluted in a glass of boiling water and infused for at least 15 minutes. Used every 5 hours.
• Mix 1 tsp. dill seeds and dried thyme and pour a glass of boiling water. Infuse for approximately 10 minutes, then boil and infuse again for 15 minutes. Consume 30 g warm 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 helps to normalize all systems in the body, including digestion.

Prevention

To prevent bloating in your child, you should:

• balance your diet;
• observe how much the child eats;
• carry out lactation in a calm state;
• protect the child from stressful situations;
• arrange an active and healthy lifestyle for the child;
• Keep all medications out of the reach of children.

To effectively help eliminate this phenomenon and, therefore, colic, it is necessary to implement preventive measures long before the occurrence of bloating in the child.

Bloating occurs quite infrequently, if you remember all the provoking causes.

A balanced diet and an active lifestyle are the main positive factors that help children virtually not have these problems.

Useful video

Many mothers are familiar with the appearance of colic in babies. These are consequences of flatulence or increased accumulation of fermentation gas bubbles in the intestines. If the passage of gases is impaired, bloating appears. The child experiences severe spasmodic pain and cramping in the abdominal area, reacting to them in the only way possible - by crying. Symptoms of flatulence are already observed in two-week-old infants. However, problems with gases also occur in older children.

Causes of flatulence in young children

In the first months after birth, babies have tummy problems mainly due to the underdeveloped enzymatic function of the digestive system. Mothers should understand that increased gas formation is not a disease, but one of the symptoms of digestive dysfunction. There is no need to panic if your child has a swollen belly, but it is necessary to relieve him of the discomfort as quickly as possible.

The causes of flatulence in a 3-year-old child are as follows:

• Immaturity of the digestive system in terms of function;
• Lack of natural enzymes that help digest and absorb food;
• Air swallowed during feeding due to the structural features of the infant nasopharynx, which is not yet sufficiently developed;
• Incorrect attachment to the breast, due to which the baby swallows excess air along with milk;
• Poorly selected nipple for feeding;
• Poor receptivity and digestibility of infant formula or a formula prepared in the wrong proportion (too rich or, conversely, too diluted);
• Overfeeding;
• Lactase deficiency;
• Hypolactosia (enzyme intolerance);
• Disturbance of the natural microflora of the gastrointestinal tract (dysbacteriosis);
• Congenital malformations of the large intestine;
• Infections and food intoxications;
• The mother's consumption of foods that cause gas;
• Late introduction of complementary foods into the diet;
• Hypotrophy (underweight);
• Rickets.

In children transferred from breastfeeding to a regular diet, flatulence may be observed due to reasons such as:

• Diseases of the digestive tract (stomach, pancreas, liver, gall bladder and its ducts);
• Anomalies in the development of the intestinal system and gastrointestinal tract organs (esophageal sphincter insufficiency, intestinal obstruction, etc.);
• Wrong diet and choice of foods for the child, an abundance of baked goods and sweets in the diet, insufficient amount of fiber;
• Dairy intolerance;
• Binge eating;
• Emotional lability and increased nervous excitability, which are factors in intestinal motility disorders.

What to feed a 3 year old child to avoid bloating?

Infants have enough mother's milk, which meets their needs for microelements and vitamins. Modern doctors often recommend feeding newborns up to one year exclusively with breast milk and introducing complementary foods after 12 months. This theory is not shared by everyone, but it has its supporters and defenders, so we will not challenge it. In children over one year old, whose diet has already included a variety of foods, the diet for flatulence does not differ too much from the diet of adults, however, all dishes for the child should be prepared without intensive processing. Frying is not suitable: stewing, baking and boiling foods are optimal.

Approximate composition and type of dishes for a child under 3 years old with flatulence:

• Cereal porridge with diluted milk or water;
• Cottage cheese with sour cream;
• Fruit puree without sugar;
• Wheat bread;
• Rice casserole;
• Vegetable and chicken broths of unsaturated concentration;
• Boiled, baked or stewed meat, fish, lean poultry;
• Compote and jelly from berries (except cherries, grapes);
• Mashed potatoes;
• Vegetable puree (except cabbage, legumes, squash, radish);
• Herbal teas.

Treatment at home

Mothers can help their baby cope with abdominal colic at home. Treatment for increased gas production directly depends on how old the child is and what caused the flatulence in his case.

Key stages of therapy include:

• Determination and elimination of the cause that caused dyspepsia and gas formation;
• Regulating the diet for mother and child;
• Treatment of pathological conditions of the digestive system, if any;
• Elimination of gas bubbles accumulated in the intestines;
• Selection of the optimal milk formula and its correct dose for bottle-fed children.

What foods should a woman avoid during lactation?

• Grapes, cherries, melon, watermelon;
• Rye bread;
• Kvass;
• Sweet and carbonated drinks, energy drinks, alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks;
• Fermented, salted and pickled products;
• Chocolate, black tea, coffee.

Much depends on the feeding position. For some children, a completely individual position is suitable: for example, the mother does not hold the child in weight, but when feeding, puts him on a flat surface and lies down next to him, giving him the breast in this position. How correctly a woman places her baby to the breast should be monitored by a pediatrician or visiting nurse.

There are a number of other rules to help avoid the accumulation of gases in infants:

• Before eating, the baby should lie on his stomach for 5–10 minutes so that the gases accumulated in the intestines are released naturally;
• After the feeding process is completed, the baby needs to be held in a “standing” position for ten minutes so that he burps the swallowed air;
• One to two hours after feeding, give the baby a light massage of the abdominal area in a circular motion, stroking the belly clockwise;
• If the child suffers from severe bloating, place him on his back and bend his legs at the knees, pressing them to his stomach;
• You can put a warm diaper on the abdominal area;
• A warm bath with chamomile helps with intestinal colic.

For severe symptoms of flatulence that cause severe pain in the baby, you can use a rubber gas outlet tube. The tip is lubricated with Vaseline and inserted to a depth of three centimeters. For children aged one year and older, a tube can be inserted to a depth of up to 5 cm. The tube will help quickly remove accumulated gases, but this is an extreme measure and is not recommended to be used too often.

Espumisan– drops with simethicone, a substance that is one of the most effective solvents for fermentation gas bubbles. For children under one year of age, the formulation of the drug under the commercial name Espumisan baby is suitable. It contains the optimal dosage - 5 drops per dose before each feeding. Children under 3 years of age can be given Espumisan L (6 - 8 drops between meals).

Bobotik– carminative drops for severe colic in infants. The optimal age to start taking the drug is 28 days, but some pediatricians allow the use of drops earlier. The dosage is 7 – 8 drops for each dose. The medicine is diluted in milk and given using a spoon, pipette or syringe without a needle. The maximum daily dose for newborns is 160 mg. The dose for children older than one year is selected by the doctor.

Kolykid– an oral suspension with simethicone that quickly relieves intestinal colic. Children under one year of age are given 0.5 - 1 ml of the drug mixed into breast milk, formula or boiled water before each meal. An older child can take 1 ml of suspension.

Infacol– suspension based on simethicone, not diluted with water. The duration of treatment and dose are determined by the pediatrician, but newborns can be given 0.5 ml of medication before each feeding. For children aged one year and older, a dose of 1 ml is recommended.

Plantex– fennel granules, from which a liquid suspension is prepared, consumed orally. Can be given to infants from two weeks of age in between feedings. For newborns and babies up to one year old, a dose of 1–2 sachets of granules mixed in warm water is indicated once a day, divided into three doses. Children under three years old are given up to three sachets per day.

Bebinos– effective drops for colic on a herbal basis with carminative and antispasmodic effects. For children under one year old, the drops are diluted in a teaspoon of water, for children over one year old - in a tablespoon. Dosage for infants is indicated in the amount of 3 – 6 drops three times a day. Children from one to three years old can be given 6-10 drops.

Baby Calm– not a medicine, but a dietary supplement with a carminative effect, made from natural ingredients (dill oil, anise, mint). It can be prescribed to children from the first days of life, but it is better – from two weeks of age. The concentrate in the bottle is diluted with boiled water and shaken until the suspension becomes homogeneous. The liquid can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. Dosage – ten drops. Before you start taking it, you need to conduct an allergy test in the amount of 2 – 3 drops. If after three to four hours no manifestations of allergies are observed, the drug continues to be taken.

Lactovit forte– a probiotic with lactic acid bacteria that normalizes intestinal microflora. The daily dosage for children under 2 years of age is one capsule; children under three years of age can be given two capsules per day. For infants, the contents of the capsule are diluted in breast milk and given using a teaspoon or pipette.

You can read more about medications for bloating in children.

Traditional recipes for bloating for children 3 years old

Non-drug elimination of intestinal colic in children includes taking herbal decoctions and infusions.

Fennel seed decoction

Tea is prepared from fresh fruits or from the greens of the plant. For the first option, a teaspoon per faceted glass of hot water is enough. There is no need to prepare a lot of broth at once - it is better to give the child a fresh portion each time. Typically, the dosage for infants is 10 - 15 ml before feeding. For children aged one year and older, the dose can be increased. An infusion of fennel greens is prepared as follows: the chopped herb is poured with boiling water (200 - 300 ml) and left for half an hour. The maximum volume of fennel decoction per day for infants is no more than 50 ml.

Dill water

It is considered the safest and most effective remedy for colic in infants. A tablespoon of dill seeds is infused in 200 ml of boiled hot water and given to the baby before being applied to the chest. You can store the prepared broth for only a day.

Chamomile tea

50 mg of dry chamomile is added to 400 ml of liquid and simmered over low heat. The resulting liquid is cooled, filtered and given half a teaspoon before each meal. Children aged 3 years can drink half a glass of decoction in the morning on an empty stomach.

Mint infusion

One bag of mint tea from a pharmacy package is poured with a glass of boiling water (200 ml) and infused for half an hour. Give a teaspoon before feeding. Suitable for children from three years of age.

Does your daughter or son seem to be healthy, but are they showing anxiety? This is where many childhood illnesses begin. The task of relatives is to notice negative symptoms in time, evaluate them correctly - especially in children who are not able to properly complain - and take effective measures.

We are talking specifically about a symptom, which in medicine is designated by the word “flatulence.” This condition means that increased gas formation has developed in the intestines. Accumulated gases distend the intestinal walls, sometimes significantly.

In small children, even a slight increase in the volume of intestinal gases leads to a noticeably rounded and hardened abdomen. In this case, at least heaviness is felt, but quite severe pain is also possible.

Statistics. Repeated attacks of flatulence are typical for approximately 23% of infants. By school age, every second child complains of this condition.

Why is this happening?

First, let's look at some specific reasons typical for children of a certain age.

Infants

Every newborn’s digestive tract is an imperfect, not fully formed system. Therefore, the process of assimilation of food is subject to all sorts of failures, the main one of which is. The most likely reasons are given below.

• Breathing problems during feeding

If the baby cannot breathe fully through his nose, then sucking movements will inevitably alternate with breathing movements. The structural features of the nasopharynx of infants are such that too much air will enter the stomach, which will then end up in the intestines. About the same thing will happen if you give your baby the breast incorrectly. When feeding from a bottle, this is possible if the hole in the nipple is too small (difficulty in sucking and increased breathing) or too large (risk of choking).

• Colic

The likelihood of developing this infant-specific condition in a one-month-old baby is quite high. The exact causes of colic are not completely clear. It is generally accepted that the main provoking factor is the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract.

Bloating and colic can last for quite a long time, up to several months. As a rule, attacks occur up to three times a week with an hour-long (no longer) duration. An increase in frequency is a reason to suspect more serious causes.

How to help a child with colic? Useful tips for young parents.

• Poor nutrition

It is important that the nursing mother adheres to a certain diet. An excess of sweets, fats, legumes, and cow's milk will almost certainly cause flatulence in the baby. If artificial feeding, increased gas formation may mean that the formula is not suitable.

• Milk protein intolerance

Violation of the body's production of specific enzymes provokes excessive gas formation.

In the first year of life, proper feeding reduces the frequency of bloating in children, but does not guarantee their complete absence. Flatulence has causes that do not depend on age (discussed below).

Second and third years of life

Attacks of childhood flatulence become much less common when the baby turns 1 year old. By this time, the digestive tract is noticeably strengthened, improved and does not react so often to the slightest changes or the introduction of complementary foods.

Mothers' one-year-old babies are usually gradually weaned from the breast. The baby's diet changes significantly. Bloating in children over one year of age is most often caused by new foods. The body can react negatively even to dietary, but unusual, dishes.

At 2 years old, new dangers appear. More and more new food is being introduced into children’s diets, their table is as close or completely approaching that of an adult. But are elders always faithful to the principles of healthy and rational nutrition?

Another negative factor is what many people call “indulging in something delicious.” Excess sweets, including baked goods, are the most striking example. The digestive system may simply not be ready to absorb a significant amount of so-called fast carbohydrates. Therefore, the connection between buns and a bloated belly is the most direct.

Children over 3 years old

This is the age when the formation of microflora in the digestive system completely ends, and the mechanisms of digestion and absorption are improved. Meanwhile, for many children, flatulence still remains a pressing problem.

As in the last period reviewed, unhealthy diet remains the key reason. At the age of three, many children begin to go to kindergartens. The diet there seems to be balanced, but does the child eat everything? Further, in order to somehow reduce the almost inevitable childhood stress, parents sometimes give their daughter/son too much of their favorite but unhealthy food (fast food, the same sweets, soda).

Past eating disorders may also have an effect. If this is the case, then at 4 years old the pediatrician can detect the first signs of digestive disorders, a typical of which is gastritis.

Before school

The main causes of bloating in children 5-6 years old:

• eating legumes, grapes, cabbage vegetables and sweets in large quantities;
• low physical activity (especially in “home” children who do not go to kindergarten);
• incipient gastrointestinal diseases due to poor nutrition in the past.

A distinctive feature of flatulence at this age is that discomfort occurs not only physical, but also psychological. Noticing a peer's frequent passing of gas, many children react with ridicule and teasing. Sometimes adults do this too.

Causes independent of age

Increased gas formation is characteristic of many diseases/conditions that can occur in children of any age:

• gastrointestinal microflora disorders;
• infectious/viral diseases;
• insufficient motility of the intestinal muscles;
• various pathologies (obstruction and others);
• stress (here we are talking about the so-called psychogenic factor).

The reasons can be combined. Example: afterwards both muscle functions and the microflora of the children's digestive tract may suffer.

How to treat?

Gas pipes

What to do if a child has bloating? The main thing is to show maximum attention and prevent a possible serious illness from developing into threatening forms. It is most difficult to recognize trouble when children are too young to complain.

In children of the first or second year of life, not only the condition of the abdomen (enlarged and hard), but also behavior helps to correctly assess the situation. Legs drawn up to the stomach, kicking, inability to lie down/sit comfortably, tears and screaming most likely indicate flatulence. It’s easier with slightly older children - they can not only report pain, but also somehow characterize it.

How to help a child cope with flatulence? The first measures should be the simplest. Gentle heat on the stomach helps, as well as a light massage with stroking movements (they are done only clockwise). It is useful to place infants on their tummy or carry them vertically in your arms, pressing them close to you and holding (if necessary) their head. In the simplest cases, all of the above is sufficient.

Another recommended remedy is dill water. It is prepared by keeping a glass of boiling water with a teaspoon of seeds in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. If there is no medical prohibition, the decoction can be given to children from birth.

You can also use a gas outlet tube. Lubricated with Vaseline, it is inserted to a depth of 1-2 cm into the rectum. The child should lie on his side with his legs bent. Sometimes feces may come out along with gases, so it is better to place a diaper or a child’s potty under the other end of the tube. However, the gas outlet tube should not be used constantly: it irritates the rectum and, moreover, does not eliminate the causes of flatulence.

Did the above measures have no effect? Then you definitely need a doctor. The pediatrician will rule out possible dangerous conditions and prescribe medicine for bloating.

What drugs are usually prescribed? For children from zero to two years old, this can be Plantex (herbal remedy). Regardless of age - Smecta or Sub Simplex (Simethicone). These medications are safe, have no significant side effects, and can be used either in courses or once.

However, always remember that giving your child medicine is only half the answer. You must definitely understand the causes of flatulence by visiting a pediatrician, and then eliminate them as quickly and completely as possible.

Important! If medicine for bloating and gas does not help, you should immediately notify your pediatrician!

There are also stronger drugs for bloating, but they should be prescribed by a pediatrician or gastroenterologist (if there is already a history of gastrointestinal diseases). Typically, these medications address many other symptoms, not just bloating.

In some situations, a doctor is needed immediately. So, if a child has a combination of fever and bloating, then we are probably talking about serious (and even contagious) diseases.

Prevention

Bloating in a child can occur extremely rarely if you remember all the key reasons. A balanced diet and sufficient physical activity are the main positive factors that help children practically not experience the problems of flatulence.

• Symptoms of bloating
• Bloating in a preschooler
• What treatment should I choose?

Often a child has a swollen and hard stomach, how to deal with these problems. After all, in small children you cannot immediately determine the cause of bloating. Bloating in a child is not always caused by some kind of disease; very often it occurs due to gases or air accumulation. If such symptoms are observed frequently, then the little patient should definitely be shown to the doctor.

When it comes to a newborn who is crying and has a hard and swollen tummy, then most likely the baby has colic. At this moment, parents need to be patient, as these symptoms last for a long time. If the baby is older, then perhaps he develops flatulence. In fact, the same signs can indicate the development of different diseases, but one thing is for sure that disorders are associated with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Symptoms of bloating

Symptoms of bloating include:

• enlarged intestines;
• feeling of heaviness in the stomach;
• sleep disturbance;
• abdominal pain;
• loss of appetite;
• scanty discharge of gases;
• general weakness;
• hypogastria.

These are the main symptoms, when they appear, the baby should be shown to the doctor. But there are also hidden indicators that appear against the background of these and do not leave him alone, that is, it is almost impossible to miss their occurrence.

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Causes of bloating in a newborn

As mentioned above, the most common cause is intestinal colic. Often, a baby's abdominal bloating occurs in the second or third week after birth. If the baby is one month old and everything is fine with his tummy, then you can exhale and calm down, colic will not visit your home. Their reason lies in the fact that the baby’s organs are not yet ready to work.

Colic can begin due to the fact that a nursing mother does not follow a diet or eats whatever she wants. But for the first six months, any nursing mother must adhere to a strict diet so as not to harm her child. A child may experience bloating if the parent eats the following foods: smoked, spicy and salty foods, fatty foods, carbonated drinks, legumes, sweet foods, citrus fruits.

But colic does not always happen because the mother did not follow the diet. Very often she eats only foods allowed during this period, but the baby still suffers from colic and his tummy is hard. It is worth noting that only by three months does the process of maturation of internal organs take place, and therefore, until this age, colic reminds of itself.

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Causes of bloating in children over one year old

But if bloating is observed in children older than one year, there are reasons for this. The causes of bloating and hardness in the abdomen in a one-year-old baby include the following:

• eating foods that contain a lot of fiber or starch;
• flatulence, which is provoked by the consumption of foods rich in carbohydrates;
• eating sweet and rich foods;
• food intolerance, such as milk;
• intestinal obstruction;
• nervous excitability and nervous system disorders;
• gastrointestinal diseases.

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Bloating in a preschooler

For preschool children, bloating is one of the common problems. But at this age it is much easier with a child, because he can say that he is in pain and complain about the symptoms, which cannot be said about a one-year-old baby.

It is best to keep children at home when symptoms of bloating appear, since the stomach will constantly hurt, and besides, gases will be released that are difficult for children to control. And if he suddenly “farts” in kindergarten, his peers will laugh at him, and this can become a real trauma for him. Therefore, if possible, you need to leave the children at home and ask the doctor for a certificate. When visiting public places, the disease can only progress.

In a preschooler, bloating can occur due to the following factors:

• obesity;
• chewing gum and drinking soda;
• enzyme deficiency;
• eating sweets in moderation;
• frequent exposure to stressful situations;
• chronic diseases.

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What treatment should I choose?

If your newborn baby is suffering from bloating, then the first thing to do for treatment is to reconsider the mother’s diet if the baby is breastfed.

It is also necessary to protect the nervous system of children, due to violations of which the digestive system can be damaged.

But you should not immediately use drugs for treatment; everything can be solved using traditional methods that will not be harmful to children. Below are recommendations that you should follow to relieve pain:

1. After feeding, hold the baby upright so that the gases go away.
2. Give dill water or anise infusion.
3. Keep a warm diaper or heating pad on your baby's tummy.
4. Before feeding, place the baby on the tummy.
5. You need to stroke your tummy regularly.
6. Bathe the baby with herbs and in a warm bath.

If your child does have flatulence, then treatment should be comprehensive, and only a doctor can prescribe it after examining the patient. Very often this disease occurs due to poor nutrition, in which case you need to reconsider the baby’s diet. To restore the balance of microflora, you need to take special medications.

You should not self-medicate; only a doctor should prescribe a diagnosis and a list of medications, based on the patient’s complaints and symptoms. But with such symptoms, it is worth paying attention to the child, taking care of him and playing with him, spending as much time as possible together so that the baby forgets about the pain and feels that he is not alone.

How to treat a hard belly?

If a child has a hard stomach, then sometimes this can indicate serious diseases that can only be cured by surgery.

Very often, a child’s hard belly appears due to nervous pulsation. If we talk about babies, then they can have a hard stomach due to constipation, colic, food allergies and gas formation. If we talk about preschool children, they may have a hard stomach due to worms, indigestion, overeating or intestinal infections.

You should not let the disease take its course; at the first symptoms of the disease, you need to contact a doctor who will make a diagnosis and select treatment according to the age and individual characteristics of the patient.

Bloating in a child (flatulence) is an increased formation and accumulation of gases in the intestines, accompanied by various clinical manifestations. It occurs frequently and is observed at different ages - from infants 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 distend its walls and cause pain or other unpleasant sensations. Most often it accompanies intestinal pathology or occurs for other reasons not related to disease.

• swallowing a certain amount of gases during 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 (gas exchange), when oxygen from the vessels of the intestinal wall, necessary for the normal functioning of some bacteria, enters the lumen, and carbon dioxide is removed by venous blood and excreted by the lungs;
• the vital activity of the intestinal microflora itself, which releases carbon dioxide during food processing.

Gases formed in a healthy body improve the digestion process: they enhance intestinal motility, help better “digestion” of food and rapid emptying of the intestines. But sometimes the mechanisms of gas formation fail, and the child develops signs of flatulence.

Causes of flatulence

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

1. Diseases of the digestive system of an inflammatory nature (pancreatitis, inflammation in the intestines - colitis, etc.).
2. Non-inflammatory (dysbacteriosis, enzymatic disorders) - diseases associated with disturbances in the digestion processes.
3. Infectious diseases with intestinal damage - helminthiases, protozoal infections (amebiasis, etc.), acute intestinal infections in which flatulence is combined with diarrhea.
4. Congenital anomalies of the development and location of the large intestine - its elongation (dolichosigma) or increased mobility.

Flatulence also develops due to alimentary (food) reasons. The most common of them are: overeating, poor diet, consumption of large amounts of fat, carbonated drinks, foods that increase gas formation (legumes, brown bread, beer), and insufficient amounts of plant fiber in the diet.

Intestinal colic in premature and weakened children with signs of malnutrition occurs much more often than in healthy infants 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 a nursing mother. Some foods cause gas in newborns:

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

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

• formulas that are not adapted for feeding a child at this age;
• early complementary feeding;
• violation of the frequency and timing of the diet;
• psychogenic factors.

The mechanism of formation of intestinal bloating and pain during gas formation is directly related to overexcitation or stress. The release of adrenaline into the blood leads to vasoconstriction, which significantly reduces the excretion and absorption of gases. Stress also increases intestinal tone, as a result: peristalsis and movement of food slows down, fermentation and putrefaction processes intensify, and, therefore, increasing the amount of gas in the child. Seething, tight abdomen, cramps and diarrhea appear.

Manifestations of pathology in children

Severe gas formation in the intestines leads to the appearance of a foul odor, chronic abdominal pain, and uncontrolled release of gases (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 the most troublesome thing is bloating in newborns. At the age of approximately 5 months, the child’s body is characterized by an undeveloped digestive system - the absence of normal microflora in the intestines. In addition, infants have an undeveloped enzyme system, which will improve only by 4 to 5 months.

This 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 abdomen in an infant. The causes and treatment of this condition are always interconnected; an understanding of their mechanisms is necessary in order to know what medicine to give the child for flatulence and bloating.

Symptoms in newborns

In general, the general condition of a child with increased gas formation is not disturbed: there are no delays in development and growth. Difficulties arise only with small children: it is impossible to find out complaints in a 1-year-old child and, even more so, in a newborn. But you can understand that your stomach hurts indirectly by the baby’s behavior:

• the child constantly passes gas;
• constantly screams, is restless, shows increased activity, does not sleep;
• does not take the breast;
• If you manage to feed it, it gets full quickly.

Due to strong gases in the intestines, the stomach swells even more. Regarding 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 disappears at the age of three months.

Symptoms in preschool children

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

• consumption of large amounts of easily digestible carbohydrates: grapes, chocolate, baked goods, etc.;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• overweight;
• fermentopathy (insufficient production of lactase, which breaks down milk sugar);
• disturbance of intestinal microflora.

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

In a 4-year-old child, signs of flatulence appear from the first days of attending kindergarten. This is due to changes in diet, due to which the intestines undergo adaptation processes. A child’s hard belly, belching of air, and frequent passing of gases lead to stress, which in turn increases the process of gas formation.

In such cases, a mandatory consultation with a doctor is necessary 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:

• expansion of the diet, when more sweets and soda, raw vegetables are eaten;
• incorrect combination of products;
• chewing gum use;
• Great psychological stress and stress if the child starts attending school.

If a child develops a hard stomach and complains of rumbling, pain, and belching after eating, it is necessary to adjust the diet for gas formation.

First aid and treatment

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

• massage the abdomen clockwise;
• give the child dill water or Plantex - a herbal anti-flatulence preparation based on fennel;
• in case of ineffectiveness - simethicone (Espumizan, Infacol, Bobotik, Bebinos), which is a symptomatic remedy for bloating, removes gases from the intestines, but does not cure flatulence;
• if a child has constipation, leading to pain during gas formation, a glycerin suppository can be administered;
• as a last resort, use a tube to remove gases;
• in an older child with constipation leading to flatulence, a cleansing enema may be performed.

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

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

Prevention

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

Prevention of gas formation in the intestines, on the advice of Dr. Komarovsky, must begin long before the development of flatulence. A background correction of the measure 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 by a nursing mother;
• placing a small child on his stomach after feeding.

Older children need regular walks with active games, a favorable psychological environment at home, in kindergarten, at school, avoiding overeating, and following a diet. Following these simple tips will allow children not to encounter problems with flatulence.

Bloating in a child is one of the common phenomena. This process is characterized by the accumulation of a large number of bubbles in the intestinal canal. The disease is often diagnosed in infants. But there are cases when a child suffers even at an older age. For what reasons does this disease occur and what to give a child for bloating? We'll tell you.

Causes of bloating in children

Why does my baby have a hard belly? What reasons can lead to the development of this problem? Bloating is a common problem with the passage of gases from the digestive canal. The reasons directly depend on the age of the child.

Bloating in newborns and infants occurs as a result of:

• swallowing large amounts of air during feeding. This factor is considered the most common;
• uncomfortable position for the baby when feeding;
• incorrect placement of the bottle or nipple;
• consumption by a nursing mother of foods that cause increased gas formation. This includes cabbage, sorrel, radish, radishes, mushrooms, legumes, sweets and chocolate, soda, fruit and vegetable dishes in raw form;
• overheating or hypothermia of the body;
• lack of proper diet;
• congenital enzyme deficiency;
• occurrence of intestinal infections;
• development of dyspeptic disorders;
• inflammation of the intestinal canal.

Abdominal bloating in a baby who is bottle-fed or mixed-fed can occur:

• due to intolerance to cow's milk;
• due to allergic reactions to any ingredient in the mixture;
• due to poor quality or unadapted mixture.

The causes of bloating in a child over two years old may include the following:

Bloating can also occur in children who attend school. The reason for this phenomenon may be:

The cause of bloating can be anything. But in some cases this may be a normal phenomenon and not cause significant discomfort in the child, in others it may signal some kind of disease.

Symptoms of bloating in a child

Regardless of what caused the bloating, the symptoms are the same.

Bloating in infants, young and middle-aged children may be accompanied by:

• feeling of a full stomach. At the same time, the child has not eaten anything for a long time;
• painful sensations in the abdominal area;
• the appearance of rumbling and seething in the abdomen;
• increase in abdominal size. He gets pouty
• belching and hiccups;
• unpleasant odor from the mouth;
• attacks of nausea, vomiting;
• hard belly;
• bowel dysfunction in the form of constipation or diarrhea;
• increased fatigue;
• decreased ability to work;
• decreased appetite.

Infants become restless and start crying for no reason. A baby with colic presses his legs to his stomach and releases gas. There may be paleness of the skin, the appearance of greenish mucus and foam in the stool. Sleep is also disturbed.

If one of the symptoms occurs, we can talk about the appearance of bloating. Some children may not feel any discomfort and feel quite normal. If several symptoms are observed at once, and the baby feels unwell, you should urgently consult a specialist.

Examination of a child's abdomen

Many parents ask the question: “If a child has bloating, what to do in this case?” Anything that concerns a child’s body, you shouldn’t hesitate to visit a doctor. The first step is to contact a pediatrician or gastroenterologist.

The doctor will listen to the parents’ complaints, take a history of the patient and conduct an examination. When palpating the abdomen, it is possible to recognize the place where it hurts. With increased gas formation, the stomach will be inflated, like a ball.

If a pathological process is suspected, the doctor will prescribe an examination. It includes:

In some situations, consultation with other specialists may be required.

Treatment of bloating in children

If a newborn has bloating, what should you do? If the pathology is confirmed, then a number of therapeutic measures are prescribed.

Treatment is as follows:

• use of medications;
• diet adjustments;
• complete elimination of diseases that could cause bloating;
• use of traditional methods.

Drug treatment

For bloating in children, a number of the following medications are prescribed.

1. Espumisan. The active components of the product absorb gas bubbles and are painlessly removed from the body;
2. Activated carbon, Smecta, Polysorb, Enterosgel. These drugs remove toxins from the body and absorb remaining gas bubbles;
3. Pancreatin, Mezim, Cocona. These are enzyme-type medications that improve the functioning of the intestinal tract.

If bloating is observed in newborns, treatment consists of using anti-colic drops. This group includes Plantex, Bobotik, SubSimplex.

Diet

When a child has a hard stomach and begins to swell, you need to pay attention to what he eats. If the baby is small and is breastfed, the nursing mother needs to monitor her diet. For older children, foods that cause gas formation are excluded from the menu. This includes cabbage, bread, semi-finished products, legumes, raw vegetables and fruits.

During the diet, the emphasis should be on porridge with water, soups, meat and fish dishes, boiled vegetable purees, baked apples and pears. You don’t need to completely give up sweets and starchy foods, but you should reduce them to a minimum.

If the newborn is bottle-fed, then you need to pay attention to the formula. There is no need to cancel it immediately. You should first consult a gastroenterologist about this. Perhaps you should give more water.

Traditional methods of treatment

It is not recommended to give medications to babies under one year old. Therefore, if possible, it is better to replace them with traditional methods of treatment. Decoctions for bloating and flatulence can be prepared from:

• dill;
• fennel;
• yarrow and mint;
• St. John's wort and dried grass;
• lemon balm and rosehip;
• thyme and calendula.

Breastfed and mixed-fed babies are advised to massage clockwise for colic. This improves the passage of gases and the functioning of the intestinal canal. You can try another method - apply a warm diaper or heating pad to your tummy. If there is a strong accumulation of gases, a gas outlet tube is suitable.

Preventive actions

Bloating and flatulence are one of the unpleasant problems. But it is quite possible to eliminate and prevent its occurrence by following several preventive recommendations.

1. Maintain proper nutrition. It is better to feed the baby more often, but in small portions. Avoid activity after eating for 30 minutes. Eliminate foods that cause gas from the menu. Do not eat incompatible dishes.
2. Always feed your baby in a calm environment. You should avoid severe stress and nervous overexcitation.
3. Children from the age of one year should be given daily physical activity. Don't forget about walking outside. This will not only improve intestinal function, but also strengthen the immune system.
4. Do not give medications without your doctor's knowledge. Uncontrolled use can lead to adverse consequences.
5. Avoid using pacifiers and bottles. If it is impossible to cancel them, then you need to learn how to feed them correctly.

If unpleasant signs occur, do not hesitate to visit a doctor. Although bloating is often a harmless and natural process, it can indicate the development of a serious illness, especially if it concerns young children.