How to eliminate abdominal distension in children

Abdominal distension and pain in children can make parents very panic-stricken, and they don’t know how to cure their baby’s condition. In fact, this can be divided into many types, and treatment should be targeted at the cause. If it is just general abdominal distension and pain, no special treatment is required. They can be given some drugs with relatively small side effects to relieve the symptoms, such as some drugs that enhance gastric motility.

The treatment of abdominal distension should be to find out the cause as much as possible and treat it accordingly.

1. Functional bloating

Mainly given drug treatment. Currently, long-term use of gastrointestinal motility drugs such as domperidone, cisapride, mosapride, etc. is advocated. People with constipation should use laxatives appropriately, but if it is caused by a systemic disease, the primary disease should be actively controlled.

(ii) Organic abdominal distension

1. Abdominal tumors: surgical treatment of benign tumors. In the early stages of malignant tumors, surgical treatment should be performed as much as possible, assisted by appropriate chemotherapy or radiotherapy. If surgery is not possible, interventional treatment can be used, assisted by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In the late stages of malignant tumors, supportive treatment should be the main approach to improve symptoms and enhance quality of life.

2. Ascites: If it is caused by cirrhosis, the liver should be protected, portal pressure should be lowered, albumin should be transfused, ascites should be concentrated and re-infused, and anti-liver fibrosis treatment should be performed. Interventional treatment should be performed when necessary, such as TIPS treatment; if it is cancerous effusion, the treatment of primary cancer should be strengthened; if there is a large amount of ascites, the ascites should be drained to relieve symptoms; if internal organs are ruptured, emergency surgical treatment should be performed; if it is peritonitis, the cause should be found out, and anti-inflammatory or combined anti-tuberculosis treatment (tuberculous) should be taken; if it is caused by heart failure, heart failure should be actively controlled and treated as congestive heart failure.

3. Intestinal parasites: Actively treat deworming.

4. Gastrointestinal obstruction or perforation: surgical treatment.

5. Systemic diseases: If diabetes is present, diabetes should be actively controlled, supplemented by medication to regulate gastrointestinal motility.

6. Treatment of gastrointestinal gas

(1) Adjust the dietary composition and limit the intake of carbohydrates that cannot be fully digested and absorbed, such as milk, beans, high-starch foods, and fruits.

(2) Reduce air swallowing: Eat slowly, reduce or stop chewing gum or tobacco, quit smoking, and those with mental factors such as anxiety should be treated.

(3) Drug treatment: For patients with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, oral antibiotics are used.

(4) Promote bowel movements and improve gastrointestinal motility: increase dietary fiber and take laxatives; gastrointestinal motility drugs such as metoclopramide, metoclopramide, cisapride, etc.