What should I do if my two-year-old child has a bloated stomach?

A baby's belly looks much bigger than that of an adult, and the whole body looks bloated. That's because the baby's abdominal wall muscles are not fully developed yet, but need to accommodate the same number of internal organs as an adult. So, apart from this reason, what else could be causing the baby's bloated belly? Could it be some other disease or virus?

There are reasons why your baby's belly is bloated

Reason 1

When the abdominal muscles do not have enough strength to bear the weight, the abdomen will appear more prominent, especially when the baby is held, the abdomen will appear to sag. In addition, the baby's body is round from front to back, not slightly flat like an adult's, which is one of the reasons why the belly looks bloated.

Reason 2

Babies are more prone to gas than adults. If the baby eats and sucks too quickly, he will inhale air into the stomach; if the hole of the bottle nipple is not of appropriate size, air will enter the baby's body through the gap in the nipple; in addition, the baby cries too much and inhales air; eating milk or other food will ferment in the digestive tract through the action of intestinal bacteria and other digestive enzymes, producing a large amount of gas, which will cause abdominal distension.

If the baby can eat, defecate, does not vomit, has a soft belly, is active, passes gas normally, and gains weight normally, this type of abdominal distension is mostly functional abdominal distension and does not require special treatment, just take preventive measures.

Reason 3

Indigestion and constipation cause feces accumulation in the intestines, which promotes the proliferation of gas-producing bad bacteria. Milk protein allergy, lactose intolerance, enteritis, etc. can cause digestion and absorption problems, which can easily produce large amounts of gas.

Reason 4

The organs in the abdominal cavity are enlarged or have tumors, such as hepatosplenomegaly, cirrhosis, etc. The organs and tissues in the abdominal cavity may have tumors, and the larger the tumor grows, the more it will cause abdominal distension.

Reason 5

The main symptom of lower intestinal obstruction in babies is abdominal distension. Intestinal obstruction in infants and young children, including severe complete obstruction, is often discovered soon after birth due to obvious symptoms. However, if the blockage is incomplete, it may still be missed after a long delay. For example, congenital megacolon is caused by the incomplete development of the intestinal ganglia from top to bottom during embryonic development, which causes the end of the large intestine to be unable to relax, causing the normal large intestine above to swell very large. In addition to the baby's significant abdominal distension, there is usually delayed passage of meconium or constipation.

In daily life, parents need to reasonably match their children's daily food and ensure food diversity. If the baby has some bad habits, they must be corrected in time. Improper feeding may also cause bloating. At this time, parents must try their best to give the child some abdominal massage.