It often happens that a child has a swollen and hard stomach, and also he cannot go to the toilet. It’s very difficult to determine the cause of the problem, so most parents don’t know what measures to take to help their baby. If you encounter this, then do not panic prematurely and immediately call an emergency ambulance. Flatulence in very rare cases is associated with any disease of the gastrointestinal tract, therefore, it is most often eliminated on its own. Let's try to figure out why the children develop bloating and understand the main methods of treatment.
general information
Flatulence is an excessive gas contamination of the intestine caused by malfunctions of the digestive system or various diseases. At the same time, various clinical manifestations are observed in children, which can vary depending on the age category and type of pathology. One of the first symptoms of excessive gas accumulation is a hard stomach in a child. As such, this phenomenon is not considered a disease, but it is very often accompanied by pain in the abdominal region. Therefore, parents should know what to do in this case, because the baby will constantly cry, stop eating, and his bowel movement will be disrupted, which is already fraught with various rather serious consequences.
Symptoms of flatulence
What is it manifested in? If a child has a swollen abdomen and solid intestines, then this gives every reason to believe that he has a large accumulation of gases. However, these are far from the only symptoms of this pathology.
Among the main clinical manifestations, the following can be distinguished:
- insomnia;
- lack of appetite;
- pain in the abdominal area;
- poor gas removal;
- heaviness in the lower abdomen;
- asthenia.
If you notice that your child is crying, his stomach is hard, and he also has any of the above symptoms, then it is best to show it to the doctor, because in addition to the main ones, there are also hidden manifestations that cannot be independently detected.
It is especially difficult with newborns, because they cannot speak and cannot tell parents about their well-being.
Therefore, each parent should constantly monitor their child and pay attention to the following:
- continuous gas emissions;
- constant crying;
- breastfeeding or rapid satiety;
- increased anxiety.
Thus, if a child has a large hard stomach and the baby begins to behave differently, as usual, begins to eat poorly and cry often, then most likely this happens due to colic. In this case, it is worth showing it to the doctor who will advise what to do.
The main causes of bloating in babies up to one year old
According to doctors, flatulence is a very common problem, which is often found in medical practice. But why does the child have a hard stomach and the excretion of gases from the intestines is disturbed? As mentioned earlier, the reasons may vary depending on the age of the baby.
In the case of infants, the main ones are:
- some internal organs are not well developed;
- improper nutrition of a breastfeeding mother.
In newborn babies, the body becomes fully ready for normal work around the third month of life, so do not panic too much about colic. They are a natural reaction of an unformed digestive system to food.
Flatulence in children over one year old
So how does it manifest? If at this age the child has a hard stomach, and also gases are poorly released, then here everything can be very serious.
The thing is that in one-year-old children, colic in most cases is associated with the following problems:
- eating foods that contain too much fiber, carbohydrates or starch;
- abuse of sweets and bakery products;
- allergic reactions to any food, such as milk;
- bowel obstruction;
- disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system;
- increased nervous irritability;
- various pathologies of the digestive system;
- swallowing a certain amount of gas during a meal;
- diffusion;
- increased activity of bacteria released during the digestion of food in the intestine.
In addition, bloating in children at the age of one year may also develop as a result of normal malfunctions in the functioning of the body. This sometimes happens as a result of various factors and does not pose a particular threat to human health and life, however, in any case, it is recommended to show the baby to a specialized specialist.
Colic in preschool children
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Parents should be particularly concerned when a child has a swollen and hard stomach during the preschool period. A similar problem is often addressed to medical institutions, so for doctors it is not new. Moreover, everything is much simpler than in the case of newborns, since pre-school children can already clearly tell about the problem and describe in detail the symptoms that appear.
If your baby complains of abdominal cramps, it is best not to send him to school, but to leave him at home, as the pain will be very strong and continuous. In addition, involuntary gas escapes can occur, which cannot be controlled. And if this happens during the lesson, then the child will simply be laughed at, which can greatly affect his psychological health and self-confidence.
Among the main causes of flatulence in preschool children, the following can be distinguished:
- overweight;
- constant chewing of chewing gum;
- abuse of soda;
- enzyme deficiency;
- constant stress;
- exacerbation of various diseases in chronic form;
- excessive consumption of confectionery;
- intestinal inflammation of various etiologies;
- dysbiosis;
- violation of the digestion of food;
- infectious diseases;
- congenital malformations in the development and location of the colon;
- binge eating;
- malnutrition.
To determine the exact reason why a child has a swollen, hard stomach, and also to choose the most suitable treatment program can only be a specialist in the field based on the results of a number of laboratory tests. Therefore, you should not self-medicate at home, but you should immediately seek qualified help from a medical institution, since in the presence of infectious diseases any delay can be fraught with very serious consequences.
Manifestations of pathology
This issue should be given special importance. When a child has a hard stomach and hurts in the abdominal region, this indicates an excessive amount of gas in the intestines. However, you can only be sure of the diagnosis only if there is an unpleasant stench, severe bouts of pain, as well as involuntary gas emissions, rolling more than 20 times a day. In addition, in babies the abdomen grows in size, periodically or regularly, the child can begin to hiccup and often burp.
A similar clinical picture is always the same and is pronounced regardless of the age category of children. But most of the problems parents experience with newborn children who are not yet 6 months old. Why exactly this has already been described earlier in this article.
The main methods of therapy
So your child has a hard stomach, what should I do? First of all, it is necessary to show it to the doctor so that he determines the cause of the pathology. Only on the basis of the clinical picture for the crumbs, the most effective treatment program is selected. It is important to understand that some states pass on their own over time, while others require certain medications. In addition, in some cases, even surgical intervention may be required.
Very often, a hard stomach in babies is caused by a nervous surge. In the first months of life, its cause may be associated with problems such as colic, constipation, individual intolerance to any food, excessive accumulation of gases in the intestines, and many others. At an older age, infectious diseases of the digestive system are much more often diagnosed . Also, some parents simply overfeed their children, as a result of which a fragile stomach and intestines can not cope with a large load, and colic appears. Worms are no less common, as babies are just beginning to learn the world and constantly pull everything that comes to hand in their mouths.
Thus, if the child has a hard stomach, the doctor performs a full examination, prescribes the necessary laboratory tests, after which, based on the age of the baby, the individual characteristics of his body, as well as the results of the tests, he selects the appropriate treatment.
First aid for colic
If your child is suffering from bloating, then it is not necessary to immediately give him medications. When breastfeeding, the first thing mother should review her diet. The daily diet should be completely revised, making it more healthy, balanced and of high quality.
During rolling attacks to improve the well-being of the child and relieve pain, you can try the following:
- Put the child in an upright position, which will facilitate the exit of gases.
- Water the baby with dill water, which is prepared on the basis of one percent fennel oil, sold in any pharmacy. Also, with childhood colic, anise infusion is a very effective remedy.
- Warm the tummy with a warm heating pad. This will have a calming effect, so that the pain gradually subsides.
- Shortly before each feeding, lay the baby on the tummy, and then gently stroke it with his palm.
- Bathe the baby in warm water with herbs.
- If bloating is accompanied by prolonged constipation, then you need to put a glycerin suppository.
But you must understand that if the child is not cocoa and the stomach is firm, then the actions listed above will only facilitate the course of the pathology. They do not have any therapeutic effect. Flatulence requires complex therapy, which can only be carried out by a profiled doctor. Therefore, without a visit to the hospital in any case can not do. As a rule, a special diet is selected for babies and medications are prescribed to help restore intestinal microflora.
Self-medication with increased gas formation is not recommended, since improper actions can greatly aggravate the situation, and not only complicate further treatment, but also lead to the development of many serious complications.
Prevention of flatulence
One of the most famous doctors involved in the fight against bloating in newborns is Komarovsky. He devoted a lot of time to the study of this problem and established that flatulence can be prevented if the prevention of this problem begins long before its manifestation.
As the research results, adhering to the following recommendations, it is possible to reduce by about 20% the likelihood of bloating and colic in infants:
- Feeding with breast milk, rather than artificial mixtures.
- Failure of the mother from harmful food. Doctors advise to exclude fried and fatty foods, smoked meats and marinades, as well as products that are heavy for the stomach, from the daily diet. It is worth consuming more fresh fruits, steamed or boiled vegetables, cereals.
- After each meal, the child should be given a little lie on his tummy.
When flatulence occurs in older children, it is recommended to spend as much time as possible in the fresh air, play outdoor games, and also adhere to a healthy diet. In addition, it is very important to protect the child from all kinds of stressful situations, ensuring a comfortable stay at home.
Conclusion
If a child has a puffy stomach, is hard, or has any other problems with the functioning of the digestive system, then this should in no case be ignored. Parents should strongly support their baby so that he does not feel lonely. In addition, it is better not to delay, but immediately contact a medical clinic with specialists for professional help. Most often flatulence poses no threat, but sometimes dangerous pathologies can be behind it. Therefore, with any children's ailments, a doctor’s appointment is the best way out.