Dorothy FarrarBloating in the baby
Gas in babies can sometimes occur. They are usually caused by hasty drinking or breathing.
What is gas in babies?
Unpleasant flatulence (flatulence) occurs even in infants. Flatulence is understood as the formation of air and gases in the abdominal region. These can cause abdominal pain that lasts for several hours. The symptoms often appear about 30 minutes after the last meal. If the bloating abdominal pain lasts for a long time, there is also talk of a three-month colic. However, there are a few ways to counteract or prevent these annoying symptoms.
Causes
Most babies get bloated because they drink too quickly. They also swallow air, which can occur in larger or smaller amounts. Together with the consumed milk, the air enters the stomach. The contact between milk and air leads to the formation of a fine-bubble, viscous foam. Since the baby’s digestive tract is not yet as functional as it normally is, the foam often does not dissolve and is transported on to the intestines. Once there, the foam bubbles can cause colicky pressure pain.Another possible reason for the development of flatulence is intolerance to gluten (celiac disease) or lactose due to a lactase deficiency. However, functional disorders of the pancreas such as pancreatic insufficiency are also considered to be triggers of the symptoms, as they contribute to the formation of gases in the intestinal tract.
Diseases
When to the doctor?
Flatulence can cause the baby a lot of pain. Shrill screams, overstretching or a child that can no longer be put down should make parents cautious about flatulence in the baby. If the gases in the abdomen become too strong, shortness of breath can result.
That’s why parents should carefully watch their stomach when they have flatulence. If the child shows strong resistance when the abdomen is gently touched or if it feels hard and bulging, this is also referred to as so-called defensive tension. Many children find it pleasant to gently press their bent legs in the direction of their stomach if they have slight flatulence.
However, if the baby now strongly defends itself against this pressure in the direction of the abdominal cavity, this speaks for a gassed stomach and a strong feeling of pain. These symptoms should be presented to the pediatrician. Slight flatulence can usually be treated well with defoaming drops, for example, and the bloated stomach should also calm down quickly.
However, if flatulence persists for hours or even gets worse, medical help should be sought. This is especially true if a baby is prone to constipation . After days without a bowel movement, severe flatulence can be a sign of the beginning of an intestinal blockage. This requires immediate medical attention.
Diagnosis and course
In most cases, the baby’s gas will go away on its own. In this way, the children grow over time and move more, which brings the phase of flatulence to an end. However, if the child suffers significantly from the symptoms and they occur every day, it is advisable to consult a pediatrician. It is recommended to see a doctor if there are regular attacks of crying after eating, the child refuses to drink, the stool is extremely hard or has a frothy foamy and liquid consistency.
Even if the baby is not gaining weight, this is considered a cause for concern. Serious symptoms can sometimes hide behind the cramping abdominal pain. The younger the infant, the sooner a pediatrician should be consulted. At the beginning of the examination, the doctor asks whether the child has any previous illnesses, whether there are other symptoms and whether certain medications are being taken.
He is also interested in the baby ‘s diet and habits. A thorough physical examination of the child is then carried out. The doctor feels his abdomen and listens to it with his stethoscope. If necessary, a rectal examination can also be performed. If necessary, further investigations take place. These include an ultrasound scan , a stool and urine test , a blood test and a food intolerance test.
Complications
Even if flatulence in babies is usually harmless, the intensity of such flatulence can make things difficult for the child. Flatulence can be so painful for the infant that high-pitched crying can occur as a complication. In order to take the pain away from the child, it is advisable to regularly administer defusing agents at short intervals in the event of an accident. This reduces the gases in the abdomen and colicky pain should subside.
When babies cry a lot due to gas, a vicious circle can set in. The constant crying makes the children swallow a lot of air. This in turn leads to even more flatulence and thus to even greater discomfort. In order to prevent such complications, parents should have further diagnostics carried out in the case of persistent flatulence in order to find out a root cause. Pending a result, drops mixed with milk or special suppositories can help to reduce gas and wind.
Treatment and therapy
There are a number of treatment options to deal with flatulence. There is the option of administering medication that binds the excess air within the intestine. In this way, the pressure in the intestine decreases. Most medicines contain herbal ingredients. The substances Sab Simplex and Lefax have proven particularly effective against flatulence. The child takes these remedies several times a day, which is usually after meals. However, these drugs only treat the symptoms while the cause of the problem remains.
If lactose intolerance is found to be the cause of flatulence, supplementation with the missing enzyme lactase can provide relief. The child receives appropriate preparations before his meals. Certain home remedies can also have a soothing effect on flatulence. Proven remedies include caraway preparations. They can be administered as drops, capsules or teas.
Even the intake of pure caraway seeds is possible. To do this, the parents give the child a teaspoon of cumin, which is then washed down with water. The soothing effect usually occurs after about 10 to 30 minutes. Fennel is also considered helpful against gas formation within the intestine . This can be administered in the form of drops or tea. There are also combinations of fennel and caraway.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.