How to deal with bloating in children

What is bloating in children? Bloating in children may be caused by intestinal gas, abdominal cavity, fluid accumulation, large abdominal mass or weak abdominal muscles. If the child cries frequently, has a protruding abdomen, and makes a "squeaking" sound when the stomach is knocked, accompanied by loss of appetite, vomiting, farting, etc., it means that the child is bloating. Children's flatulence will undoubtedly affect their normal diet and development. So, what should we do about children's flatulence?

What to do if your child has abdominal distension

In pediatric clinics, parents often ask doctors: "Doctor, my child often has abdominal distension, and there is a 'dong dong' sound when you knock on his stomach. Is there any way to improve it?" So, what should we do about children's abdominal distension?

According to experts, whether abdominal distension in children is a disease and whether it needs treatment should, in principle, be judged based on the symptoms of the child. If the child can eat, defecate, does not vomit, has a soft stomach, is active, passes gas normally, and gains weight normally, then this type of abdominal distension is mostly functional abdominal distension and does not require special treatment. Massage techniques can also be used to relieve the child's discomfort.

Commonly used massage techniques are as follows:

1. Push the Tanzhong point separately. Parents can use the tip of their thumb to rub the child's Tanzhong acupoint (the midpoint of the line between the two nipples) and push to both sides 10 to 20 times.

2. Rub Tianshu. Parents can use their thumbs to rub the child's Tianshu (2 inches on both sides of the navel) in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction 50 to 100 times.

However, if the child is sick, such as with a cold, enteritis or constipation, it can easily lead to poor gastrointestinal motility and digestive absorption functions, which in turn causes flatulence, abdominal distension and affects appetite. Therefore, the child should be taken to the hospital and treated by a doctor.

In addition, if a child has abdominal distension and is accompanied by the following symptoms: vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, or even fever and bloody stools; abdominal tenderness; or a swollen and tight stomach, parents should take the child to the hospital for relevant examinations and treatment in time to prevent the situation from getting worse.