Flatulence in children: know the causes and treat them

Bloating is a condition that is not only experienced by adults, but also in children. When your little one has flatulence, he will feel very uncomfortable, fussy, until he has no appetite for food. What causes flatulence in your little one and how to deal with it?

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Symptoms of flatulence in children

Quoting from About Kids Health, flatulence is a digestive disorder caused by air or gas that has accumulated in the intestines. This can happen when a lot of air is swallowed up while eating and drinking.

Apart from gas accumulating in the intestines, here are other causes of flatulence in children:

Bacteria in the intestines

The intestines contain bacteria that help digestion to ferment the food consumed. This fermentation process produces gas as a product.

The gas is absorbed to various parts of the body, such as being absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted by the lungs. The remainder of the gas is pushed along the intestines, causing it to build up.

Eating high fiber foods

Foods high in fiber can improve digestion and bowel movements, but they can also produce excess gas.

The small intestine cannot break down some types of compounds, this makes the intestinal bacteria work very large to produce gas.

High fiber foods should not be given to children too often because they can trigger flatulence.

Give it slowly as an introduction so that his stomach can adjust.

Lactose intolerance

When the body is unable to digest the sugar contained in cow's milk, the gas produced by the intestines will have an excess amount.

This is because bacteria in the intestines digest sugar by fermentation, a process of making gas.

Carbohydrate intolerance

Not only lactose, carbohydrate intolerance can also occur. People who have a carbohydrate intolerance are prone to gas production from fermenting other carbohydrates, such as fructose.

Fructose is found in many foods, such as honey, corn syrup, and fruits.

Some other conditions that cause flatulence in your little one, namely:

• Take antibiotics
• Constipation
• Celiac disease
• Experiencing intestinal irritation
• Gastroenteritis

Launching from the Better Health Channel, the intestine usually produces about 500-2000 ml of gas which is released through the anus periodically.

How to deal with flatulence in children

Basically, flatulence does not require any specific medical treatment. This condition can be resolved by changing the child's daily diet, such as:

Take probiotic vitamins

The use of probiotic vitamins can be a medicine to treat flatulence in your little one. Not only additional vitamins, probiotics can also be obtained from several types of food, such as yogurt, soy milk, and fruit juices.

Cut down on high gas foods

To treat flatulence in your little one, parents can reduce foods that contain lots of gas. Some foods with high gas content include:

• Dairy products
• Apples, peaches, pears
• Cabbage
• Bean
• Peas
• Broccoli

Actually, the food above has benefits for the child's body, so it cannot be eliminated just like that. Luckily as a workaround, you can reduce your consumption of the above foods in a day.

You can also not combine the five foods above in one serving.

Set a rhythm when eating to reduce flatulence in children

Not only reducing foods that contain high gas, adjusting the rhythm when eating can also reduce flatulence in children.

You can direct your little one not to eat and drink too quickly so as not to swallow too much air.

For children who have lactose intolerance, avoid dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt to reduce the effects of flatulence.

When is it time to see a doctor?

Although flatulence in children does not require special treatment, parents need to be vigilant and sensitive to the condition of their little one.

You need to take your little one to the doctor if you experience any of the following:

• The child loses weight
• Flatulence accompanied by diarrhea for more than 7 days
• There is swelling in the child's stomach
• The stomach is still bloated even though the diet has been changed
• The child feels persistent stomach pain
• The child's stool contains blood
• The child's appetite is reduced
• Vomiting and nausea

If your little one experiences the above, immediately consult a doctor so that your child gets further treatment.