Bloating in children 3-4 years old. Increased gas production in a child: symptoms, causes and treatment. Features of clinical symptoms in infants

) is an increased formation and accumulation of gases in the intestine, accompanied by various clinical manifestations. It occurs often, observed at different ages - from infants to schoolchildren. It is not an independent disease. This is a symptom that means that a lot of gases have accumulated in the intestines, which expand its walls and cause pain or other unpleasant sensations. Most often it accompanies intestinal pathology or occurs for other reasons not related to diseases.

Causes of gas formation

Normally, in the intestine, the process of gas formation occurs constantly. This is a physiological phenomenon that does not disturb the general well-being and proceeds imperceptibly. Its reasons are different:

• swallowing a certain amount of gases while eating;
• digestion of food, which is a chain of biochemical reactions of the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates with the release of gases;
• diffusion (gas exchange), when oxygen from the vessels of the intestinal wall, which is necessary for the normal functioning of some bacteria, enters the lumen, and carbon dioxide is excreted by the venous blood and excreted by the lungs;
• the vital activity of the intestinal microflora itself, which releases carbon dioxide during the processing of food.

The gases formed in a healthy body improve the digestion process: increase intestinal peristalsis, help better "digestion" of food and quick bowel emptying. But sometimes a failure occurs in the mechanisms of gas formation, and the child shows signs of flatulence.

Causes of flatulence

The causes of bloating that cause poor health include various intestinal pathologies, which are divided into several groups:

1. Diseases of the digestive system of an inflammatory nature (pancreatitis, inflammation in the intestines - colitis, etc. /).
2. Non-inflammatory (dysbiosis, enzymatic disorders) - diseases associated with disorders of digestion processes.
3. Infectious diseases with intestinal lesions - helminthiases, protozoal infections (amebiasis, etc.), acute intestinal infections, in which flatulence is combined with diarrhea.
4. Congenital anomalies in the development and location of the colon - its lengthening (dolichosigma) or increased mobility.

Flatulence also develops due to alimentary (food) reasons. The most common of them are: overeating, dieting, eating a lot of fats, carbonated drinks, foods that increase gas production (legumes, black bread, beer), an insufficient amount of plant fiber in the diet.

Intestinal colic in premature and weak children, with signs of malnutrition, occurs much more often than in healthy babies at birth.

Other factors

In addition to the above, there are other factors that lead to flatulence in infants. They are related to the nutrition of the nursing mother. Some foods cause gas in newborns:

• hot seasonings and spices;
• whole cow's milk;
• legumes, grapes, cabbage;
• black bread;
• drinks with gases, etc.

Flatulence in children who are not breastfed, but artificially fed, can be caused by:

• mixtures that are not adapted for the nutrition of a child at this age;
• early feeding;
• violation of the frequency and time of the diet;
• psychogenic factors.

The mechanism for the formation of bloating and pain during gas formation is directly related to overexcitation or stress. The release of adrenaline into the bloodstream leads to vasoconstriction, which significantly reduces the elimination and absorption of gases. Stress also increases the tone of the intestines, as a result: peristalsis and food advancement slow down, fermentation and decay processes intensify, and, therefore, increase the amount of gas in the child. Seething, tight stomach, cramps and diarrhea appear.

Manifestations of pathology in children

Strong gas formation in the intestines leads to the appearance of a fetid odor, chronic abdominal pain, uncontrolled passing of gas (more than 20 times a day).

Increased flatulence is also manifested by an enlarged abdomen, acute paroxysmal or bursting pain in the abdomen, belching, or hiccups.

Children suffer from increased flatulence very often and at any age - this is a common problem. But most of all the troubles are delivered by bloating in newborns. At the age of about 5 months, the child's body is characterized by an undeveloped digestive system - the absence of normal microflora in the intestine. In addition, in infants, the enzyme system is undeveloped, which improves only by 4 - 5 months.

It also leads to fermentation in the intestines, resulting in bloating, spastic contraction of some parts of the intestine and relaxation of others, which is manifested by intestinal colic - sharp paroxysmal pain in the baby's abdomen. The causes and treatment of this condition are always interrelated, an understanding of their mechanisms is necessary in order to know what medicine to give a child for flatulence and bloating.

Symptoms in newborns

In general, the general condition of the child with increased gas production is not disturbed: there are no delays in development and growth. Difficulties arise only with small children: a child is 1 year old and, moreover, a newborn cannot find out the complaints. But you can understand that the stomach hurts indirectly by the behavior of the baby:

• the child constantly blows gas;
• constantly screams, restless, is very active, does not sleep;
• does not take the breast;
• if you manage to feed it, it is quickly saturated.

Due to the strong gas in the intestines, the stomach puffs up even more. With regard to intestinal colic, which is the main symptom of flatulence at this age, there is a rule of "three":

• appears in the third month of life;
• lasts up to three hours;
• finally passes at the age of three months.

Symptoms in Preschool Children

In a child 2 years old, suffering from bloating, the following reasons come to the fore:

• the use of a large amount of easily digestible carbohydrates: grapes, chocolate, pastries, etc.;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• overweight;
• fermentopathy (insufficient production of lactase, which breaks down milk sugar);
• violation of intestinal microflora.

Similar reasons cause belching in a 3-year-old child, in addition to other manifestations of increased gas production. But at this age, flatulence develops much less often than children under one year old.

In a 4-year-old child, signs of flatulence appear from the first days of visiting kindergarten. This is due to a change in the diet, in connection with which the intestines undergo adaptation processes. A hard belly in a child, belching with air, frequent passing of gas leads to stress, which in turn intensifies the process of gas formation.

In such cases, it is necessary to consult a doctor in order to establish the causes of this condition and know how to deal with flatulence and bloating.

In a 6-year-old child, the causes and clinical manifestations differ little from those in the previous age category. May play a role:

• expanding the diet, when more sweets and soda, raw vegetables are eaten;
• wrong combination of products;
• chewing gum;
• great psychological stress and stress if the child starts attending school.

When a child has a hard abdomen and complaints of rumbling, pain, belching after eating, it is necessary to adjust the diet during gas formation.

First aid and treatment

First aid for bloating, which can be given to a child at home, consists of the following measures:

• massage the abdomen clockwise;
• give the baby dill water or Plantex, a herbal remedy for flatulence based on fennel, from the stomach;
• in case of ineffectiveness - simethicone (Espumisan, Infacol, Bobotik, Bebinos), which is a symptomatic remedy for bloating, removing gases from the intestines, but not curing flatulence;
• if the child has constipation, leading to pain during gas formation, you can enter a glycerin suppository;
• in extreme cases, use a tube to remove gases;
• in an older child with constipation leading to flatulence, it is possible to carry out a cleansing enema.

Important! Treatment of flatulence should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of a physician. Self-medication is unacceptable, since often increased gas production in a child occurs in connection with the development of serious diseases of the digestive tract (pancreatitis, colitis, dysbiosis), in the presence of helminthiasis, congenital intestinal pathology. Medicines to be taken for bloating are only prescribed by a doctor.

Therapeutic measures depend on the age of the child and the causes of the pathology. After clarifying the etiological factor (the cause that caused flatulence), anti-inflammatory treatment is carried out, if necessary, antibiotic therapy. Drugs are used to restore normal intestinal microflora, symptomatic therapy (antispasmodics for pain, laxatives, drugs that actively absorb gases).

Prophylaxis

Watch the video of Dr. Komarovsky - what to do if a child has a stomach ache:

Prevention of flatulence in the intestines, on the advice of Dr. Komarovsky, must be started long before the development of flatulence. A background correction of the event is used to avoid the accumulation of gases in the intestines in 15% of children, if certain rules are followed:

• breastfeeding;
• strict adherence to the diet of a nursing mother;
• laying a small child on his stomach after feeding.

Older children need regular walks with outdoor games, a favorable psychological environment at home, in kindergarten, at school, exclusion of overeating, diet. Following these simple tips will prevent children from facing the problems of flatulence.

Usually, these disorders intensify in the evening and are more pronounced in children who are bottle-fed, although they also occur in those receiving breast milk.

Especially the baby's stomach worries if a nursing mother eats a lot of coarse bread, vegetables, drinks cow's milk (it should be excluded from the diet of a nursing mother), and abuses sweets.

Causes of bloating (flatulence) in children

In small quantities, gases in the intestines are always formed. But when gases are formed in the intestines in excess, they speak of flatulence, or bloating. Flatulence should be viewed as a painful condition and not as a disease. Flatulence can be observed in a completely healthy child, if, for example, in his diet he has too many products such as natural milk, brown bread, potatoes, white cabbage, beans, peas, beans, grapes, apples, etc. In more rare cases flatulence is a symptom accompanying intestinal obstruction (a very serious condition).

Symptoms and signs of bloating (flatulence) in children

For flatulence, the following manifestations are characteristic: a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, a feeling of fullness of the abdomen, pain in the abdomen, having a cramping character, bloating. A child with flatulence may have hiccups, headaches, belching, cold sweats. All these manifestations disappear immediately after the gas has passed.

Treating bloating (flatulence) in children

If the mother follows a diet (see "Nutrition for a nursing mother") or feeds with high-quality baby food, the child has eaten a sufficient (but not excessive) amount of food, after eating he belched up swallowed air and did not calm down, then the cause of the cry is most often associated with increased gas production or too intense intestinal motility. In this case, hold the baby in an upright position, pressing the tummy against you (mother's warmth and light pressure on the belly will help reduce its bloating and relieve cramping. symmetrical flexion of both legs in the knee and hip joints (press the legs to the stomach).

If these actions do not work, the child remains restless and he has bloating and a delay in the passage of gas, a gas tube (sold in the pharmacy) should be put. If it is absent, you can use a rubber bulb by cutting it along the "equator" and turning it into a funnel. The child should be placed on the right side with legs tucked into the stomach. Lubricate the tip of the enema with petroleum jelly and insert it to a depth of 2-3 cm. At the same time, hold the gas outlet with one hand, and continue to gently massage the abdomen with the other.

If the baby does not calm down and continues to scream, give an enema (see the section "Cleansing enema"). We remind you that with bloating, both the enema and the gas outlet tube remove gases and intestinal contents only from the outlet sections of the intestine. Therefore, if the baby has not calmed down, continue to carry it in your arms, do abdominal massage, gymnastics, and after a while, repeat the enema.

If the baby stops worrying, his bloating has decreased, you can start feeding, but at a lower dose, gradually increasing to normal.

In case of sudden bloating, the child can be given adsorbents, such as activated charcoal, by crushing the tablet and shaking it in a little water. Dimethicone, simethicone (subsimplex, espumisan) have a stronger adsorbing effect, however, one should warn against its systematic use, because it adsorbs not only gases, but also some food ingredients and medicines if the child receives them.

It is probably unnecessary to say that a restless child with a bloated belly should not be fed, but given water (tea with chamomile and fennel or water).

As a result, proper nutrition is the main method of treatment, and medicines play a secondary role and are used only occasionally.

If the baby's bloating and anxiety do not go away or worsen, accompanied by profuse vomiting, it is necessary to consult a doctor for possible nutritional correction, as well as to exclude various, including surgical, pathologies.

As a consolation for parents, we note that usually anxiety and screams due to bloating disappear by 3-6 months of a child's life.

• if possible, limit the consumption of the above products;
• in addition, do not give your child carbonated drinks;
• pay attention to how thoroughly the child chews food. When a child does not chew food enough, it is poorly saturated with saliva and contains a lot of air, this air subsequently accumulates in the intestines;
• take food without haste. If the child eats in a hurry, he does not chew food well enough;
• it is very important to strictly adhere to the correct meal plan. The fact is that the body, having got used to eating at certain hours, subsequently prepares for this time for food intake: in particular, gastric juice and intestinal juice are released in advance in the stomach and intestines (these are the so-called ignition juices). Such preparation plays a very favorable role - food is digested most fully and quickly, does not rot in the digestive tract, does not undergo a fermentation process, which means that an additional amount of gases does not form in the food gruel;
• it is recommended to lead a more active lifestyle - take regular walks, exercise, sports. When the child moves a lot, the food gruel moves more easily along the intestinal loops, mixes more actively with the intestinal juice, and is more fully digested. In addition, with active movement, congestion does not occur in the abdomen;
• with severe bloating, the unpleasant phenomena of flatulence can be eliminated with a cleansing enema; it is recommended to perform the procedure simply with warm boiled water. The child should try to keep the injected fluid in the intestine for several minutes. It is easier to retain fluid in yourself if you lie on your back and put a warm heating pad on your stomach. When emptying the intestines, gases are released along with the feces, and the child feels relief;
• in a small child, the phenomenon of flatulence will help eliminate the regular drinking of warm dill water;
• children over 4 years old suffering from flatulence should eat fresh or dried parsley (curly) daily. This product is quite effective in helping to avoid the unpleasant phenomena of flatulence;
• in case of bloating, the child is advised to drink warm black long tea with mint; preparation: put one leaf (fresh or dried) of peppermint on one glass of tea. The duration of the course of treatment is not limited.

Gas in the intestines is a natural phenomenon in the body of a healthy person. Most of them are formed during the digestion of food (chemical reaction) and its breakdown into enzymes. The remaining components - oxygen swallowed during eating or drinking, diffusion or exchange of gases - oxygen is supplied from the blood into the lumen of the small intestine, which is necessary for the vital activity of the beneficial intestinal microflora, and carbon dioxide enters the blood from the lumen, which is removed by the lungs.

In the digestive system, gases improve intestinal motility and "help" to digest food. Their number depends on his health, his lifestyle, and the food he uses. During healthy digestion, a moderate amount of gas is produced and is not felt at all by humans.

All disturbances in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract lead to excessive gas production and are called flatulence (bloating). According to doctors, this is not an independent disease, but a sign of an underlying pathology. Despite the discomfort it causes, an adult tolerates it easily. The same cannot be said for children and babies.

Flatulence in children is a common pathology and the younger the child, the more often it occurs. Moreover, for each age, it has its own characteristic features and causes.

According to statistics, every fourth baby suffers from flatulence at the age of 1.5 weeks to 3-7 months.

It is this period of time that is necessary for the infant's immature intestines to be completely populated with the necessary microflora. Only when he is 1 year old, in most cases, the painful symptoms recede.

Causes

Weak intestinal walls and low activity of the newborn (constant lying position) lead to stagnation of food. Under the influence of fermentation bacteria, many gases are formed in the form of mucous foam. They stretch the intestinal wall and cause severe pain.

This is one of the factors of gas stagnation, but there are other causes of flatulence in children:

1. Swallowing air during the "greedy" sucking of milk is one of the most common reasons arising from violation of feeding rules.
2. Eating a nursing mother of foods that cause fermentation (cabbage, radishes, fruits, vegetables, legumes, sweets, fatty foods).
3. Non-compliance with the regime and overheating (dehydration) of the child.
4. Lack of an enzyme in the intestinal microflora - lactase (read about the reasons for its deficiency and treatment), which decomposes milk sugar (lactose).
5. The formula is not suitable for a bottle-fed baby. Recommended for digestive disorders.
6. An allergic reaction to cow's milk protein - often occurs in children under one year old, in almost 6%.
7. Intestinal infection.
8. Dyspepsia or inflammation of the intestines.

Advice. So that the air that was swallowed during the meal does not enter the intestines of the newborn, immediately after feeding it must be held with its head up - "column". In this position, he will vomit all gases in the stomach.

Symptoms

An attack of bloating in infants begins immediately after feeding and can last up to four hours. This often occurs in the afternoon, often at night, and is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• anxiety, continuous crying for no apparent reason;
• refusal to eat;
• pallor of the skin;
• the baby presses the knees to the tummy;
• the tummy is tense, almost hard to the touch;
• rumbling in the stomach;
• constipation;
• greenish foamy stools;
• gases rarely escape.

It should be noted that almost all "premature" babies have increased gas production in the intestines due to the underdeveloped system of the digestive tract.

How to help?

Below we will consider simple, but at the same time effective methods of dealing with flatulence.

• Lay out on belly

To ease the suffering of a child, you first need to put him on his tummy - he moves his arms and legs, giving himself a massage.

• Apply a warm diaper

A proven method is a warm diaper, heated with an iron and applied to the tummy. Do not forget to apply the diaper to your cheek first to determine the comfortable temperature!

• Get a massage

Many moms use clockwise massage successfully. It is necessary to "warm up" the baby massage oil between the palms and, carefully, starting from the navel, move to the edges of the tummy in a circular motion.

• Exercise "bike"

One of the most effective ways is to depict the bike and press the legs against the tummy.

• Gas outlet pipe

If none of the methods helps, a gas outlet tube is inserted into the anus.

• Correcting nutrition

When flatulence in a month-old baby is due to improper nutrition, then nursing mothers should review their diet and exclude gas-forming foods.

• We walk and move more

It is necessary to walk with the child every day, immediately the next day after discharge (and not in a week, month, or "how the umbilical cord will heal"). Physical education on fitball is also very useful.

Advice. Pharmacies sell a variety of medicines and herbs for gas formation, but in no case buy them at your own discretion and do not consult a pharmacist. Only a doctor should diagnose and treat symptoms! Moreover, flatulence can be a symptom of a disease that is a threat to life.

Flatulence in children 2-5 years old

For children who have already turned 2 years old, the cycle of formation of intestinal functions and filling it with useful microflora ends. At this age, flatulence occurs much less frequently than in newborns. But as a result of the fact that the diet of a 2-year-old child is already completely changing, it is often possible to observe painful symptoms.

In children 2-3 years old, the causes of increased gas production are the same:

• the use of sweets, buns, white bread, grapes, berries;
• vegetable products containing starch and coarse fibers (fruits, herbs, cereals, vegetables, legumes);
• an inactive lifestyle, which is rarely typical for a child at 3 years old;
• too much weight;
• (violation of microflora);
• congenital lack of enzymes necessary for digestive function.

At 4 years old, the baby is already attending kindergarten, and signs of flatulence can appear from the first days of visiting. Due to the change in diet, the intestines undergo a period of adaptation. This can bring moral suffering. After all, gases can escape involuntarily in a public place with friends.

In children 4-5 years old, bloating occurs for the following reasons:

• eating sweets in large quantities;
• nervous tension, stress;
• chewing gum;
• (passive lifestyle);
• obesity.

Advice. Parents, be careful! A pronounced flatulence in a child manifests itself in such serious dyspeptic diseases as: inflammation of the pancreas, intestinal stasis, helminthic invasion, mucous colitis. In these cases, the reasons are determined only by the doctor, and treatment is prescribed immediately.

Flatulence in children 6-10 years old

In children 6 years old, the main causes of bloating have the same symptoms as in preschoolers:

• swallowing air;
• violation of microflora;
• unbalanced diet;
• constipation (incl.).

The psychological factor is especially important for a 7-year-old child. It is during this period that the children's age crisis falls. Children at this moment are especially susceptible to neuroses that affect the work of the digestive tract.

Bloating is a common symptom in schoolchildren as well. In children of 8 years old, as well as in schoolchildren of 10 years old, the following signs of flatulence are observed:

• binge eating;
• the use of harmful products (chips, cereals);
• the use of carbonated drinks;
• unbalanced nutrition (it is at this age that children begin to "choose" food);
• dysbiosis;
• violation of peristalsis;
• excessive use of medications;
• neuroses;
• intestinal infections.

Diagnostics and assistance

Children over the age of two can already describe to their parents what worries them. You should know that for any, they indicate the area of ​​the navel, since they do not yet know how to determine the localization of pain. The main symptom is continuous crying, sharp, tense abdomen, belching, weakness, nausea. Sometimes the pain is given to the legs of the child.

Treatment of flatulence in children will be effective if you observe exactly what foods are followed by bloating. And to help their child, parents must change their diet. A diet for flatulence is prescribed by a doctor. Dishes should be boiled or steamed. Eat food of moderate temperature - not too hot, not too cold. Drink plenty of still water and herbal teas.

Gastroenterologists recommend eating 5-7 times a day, but little by little, chewing food well. Nutritionists recommend chewing food 30 times and only then swallowing it. Thus, it enters the stomach at a quarter of the processed, which is of great help to the digestive tract.

Below is a list of "allowed" foods so that adults know what to feed a baby with flatulence:

• dairy products;
• low-fat cheeses;
• porridge (not dairy);
• poultry, rabbit meat;
• lean fish;
• beets;
• pumpkin;
• omelets.

To cure flatulence in a child, you need to remove foods that promote gas from the menu. You can’t feel sorry for him and “at least once” allow him to eat a candy or an apple. This can only aggravate the disease.

He should lead a natural, active lifestyle, walk daily, play active games with friends or parents. A favorable psychological environment at home, in kindergarten or school is very important.

Bloating tummy for babies is quite painful. Why is this happening and how to fix it?

Symptoms and causes of bloating in a child

Babies

• A change in the mother's diet.
• Air that gets in during feeding.
• Change of the usual milk formula.
• Lure.
• Colic.
• Severe stress.
• Cow protein.
• Dysbacteriosis.
• Lactase deficiency.

• The abdomen is slightly enlarged and firm.
• The baby often cries and pulls the legs to the stomach.
• Profuse regurgitation, like vomiting.
• The discharge of gases is accompanied by a noticeable odor.

Child at 2-3 years old

• Incorrect combination of products.
• Excessive amounts of pastries and sweets.
• Consumption of exotic fruits and dishes.

• The child becomes lethargic.
• She is naughty and does not eat well.
• Complains of abdominal pain.
• Dysbiosis occurs in the form of diarrhea or constipation.

Children over 3 years old

• Eating unhealthy foods - sugary soda, street fast food, fresh baked goods, lots of sweets.
• Early diseases of the digestive system.
• Eating disorders.

Treating bloating in children

Prophylaxis

Almost all parents face the manifestations of childhood flatulence - up to 50% of babies under 4 months of age suffer from it. It is also observed in older children (usually up to 10 years old), although the causes of the manifestation change.

Flatulence is the abdominal distension that occurs in patients whose intestines have accumulated gas that cannot escape. The phenomenon can provoke intestinal colic in the form of discomfort in the abdomen. In this case, the contractions first intensify, and then, as the gases leave, they pass.

Symptoms of flatulence often become one of the most important problems for young mothers. Especially when they appear at a very early age. Sometimes this happens even before the baby is 2 weeks old. However, the older the child gets, the less likely it is to get sick. By about 6-10 years of age, the likelihood of flatulence in children is no higher than in an adult patient.

Reasons for the appearance

In childhood, flatulence is a fairly common pathology. Most of the reasons for its development in a child under one year old. At an older age, the causes of the disease change and over time begin to coincide with the factors of its appearance in adult patients.

In nursing infants

There are many reasons for the appearance of the disease in a child under one year old. The main factors that contribute to the development of flatulence include:

• problems with the motility of the child's intestines;
• lack of production of digestive enzymes in the baby's stomach;
• unsuitable food;
• imbalance of nutrients (fats, carbohydrates and proteins) in the body;
• overfeeding the child;
• swallowing large amounts of air with food.

Among the reasons leading to bloating in infants are often the food that their mothers eat. For this reason, women should follow a special diet while breastfeeding. Any foods are removed from the diet, due to which the production of gas in the body increases. Including spicy, sour and salty foods. Flatulence also appears with strong arousal of the baby, which can cause the appearance of spasms of the smooth muscles of the intestine and a slowdown in peristalsis.

A problem also arises with a lack of the enzyme lactase, which is characteristic of premature babies. Due to the impossibility of complete digestion of carbohydrates, these substances decompose with the release of gases. As a rule, this condition is temporary and disappears after a few months.

Age 2-5 years

At the age of 1.5–2 years, the formation of the basic functions of the intestine is completed, which is filled with useful microflora. Flatulence attacks are much less common than in newborns. However, due to a change in the child's diet, painful symptoms can be observed in the future.

The reasons for the increase in gas production in a child at this age include:

1. the use of certain foods - starchy foods, berries, cereals, vegetables, legumes and some fruits;
2. leading an inactive lifestyle (a fairly common problem under the age of 2-3 years);
3. overweight;
4. violation of intestinal microflora;
5. lack of enzymes that improve digestive functions.

At the age of four, when a child usually begins to go to kindergarten, signs of flatulence appear much less often. However, the process of involuntary (and, especially, public) emission of gas can cause discomfort. The causes of the problem are changing slightly, and now they include consuming a lot of sweets and sodas, stress and even chewing gum. There are among the factors influencing the development of symptoms, and a passive lifestyle, and excessive weight.

Parents who notice signs of flatulence in their child should pay special attention to them. Sometimes the problem appears in children suffering from serious dyspeptic diseases such as inflammation of the pancreas, mucous colitis and helminthic invasion. In such a situation, it is required to identify this cause as early as possible, consult a doctor in a timely manner and undergo appropriate treatment.

Period 6-10 years

At the age of six, the reasons for the development of flatulence are roughly the same as those in younger patients. In this list you can find:

• problems with microflora;
• ingestion of air swallowed during food intake;
• violation of the nutritional balance of the child;
• the appearance of constipation, including psychological.

In children of seven years of age, the course of the disease is often complicated by psychological factors. Moreover, it is at the age of 7 that an age crisis begins, associated with neuroses that affect the work of the digestive system. An additional disadvantage is the start of high school. At the age of 8 to 10 years, the reasons for the development of flatulence include the same harmful foods and carbonated drinks, imbalance and peristalsis, neuroses, intestinal infections, and even taking certain medications.

Symptoms and principles of diagnosis

The main symptoms of the disease are usually noticeable without additional research. Most often, they can even be determined by the parents themselves - from the words of the child. The most common manifestation of flatulence is the involuntary emission of gases. Additional include:

1. a feeling of full stomach, leading to a child's lack of appetite - even after a lot of time has passed since the last meal;
2. pain in the stomach, rumbling in the abdomen and belching;
3. nausea and stool problems (both constipation and upset).

The gases accumulating in the body press on the diaphragm, which leads to the appearance of subcostal pain. The child feels anxious and can intuitively assume a comfortable posture that causes less discomfort. In this case, sleep disturbance occurs, general weakness and lethargy appear. When it comes to babies, anxiety manifests itself in the form of violent crying and pressing the legs to the stomach.

To determine the disease before prescribing treatment, contacting a gastroenterologist or pediatrician will help. To clarify the preliminary diagnosis, the specialist must interview the patient or parents, conduct an initial examination and prescribe a fecal analysis, fibrogastroscopy, X-ray and ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. As a rule, FGS and fluoroscopy are performed only in extreme cases - when there is a suspicion of serious illness.

First aid and therapy

When flatulence appears in a child, parents should provide him with first aid, which consists in the following actions:

• carrying out a massage of the abdomen, in which you need to make circular movements with your hands in a clockwise direction;
• inclusion in the diet of dill water or a special preparation "Plantex", created on the basis of fennel for the treatment of flatulence;
• the use of a glycerin candle, which has a laxative effect, or a special tube for removing gases;

If Plantex turns out to be ineffective, they continue to provide first aid with the help of other drugs - Bebinos, Bobotika, Infacola or Espumisan. All of them relate to symptomatic remedies for bloating, preventing increased gas production, but not curing flatulence itself. Older children are prescribed a cleansing enema to get rid of constipation and the disease itself. You can use the drug "Smecta" - however, because of such side effects as constipation and nausea, they try not to give it to children.

Parents of young patients should know that flatulence should be treated only with those drugs prescribed by a specialist. It is not recommended to choose medicines on your own under the threat of an even greater increase in gas production in children. Especially if the cause is associated with problems such as dysbiosis, helminthiasis, colitis, pancreatitis and congenital bowel pathologies.

Treatment is prescribed depending on a number of factors - the age of the patient, the reasons for the development of flatulence and the degree of its severity. Basically, the problem is solved by the appointment of anti-inflammatory therapy or antibiotic therapy. And to restore the intestinal microflora, symptomatic therapy is used, involving the administration of antispasmodics and laxatives, with the help of which the production of gas in the body decreases.

Preventive measures

Prevention of flatulence allows you to prevent or at least reduce the risk of this problem and save your baby from unpleasant symptoms. To do this, the patient's parents must adhere to the following rules:

1. reduce the amount of foods that can increase gas production in the body - including fried, spicy and salty foods, and especially carbonated drinks;
2. do not overfeed the child. It is advisable to give the baby food in small portions, but more often than usual - up to 6 times a day;
3. teach the child to slowly take food and chew it more thoroughly;
4. increase the content of milk and dairy products in the diet;
5. do not allow the child to talk while eating;
6. maintain a balance of fats, carbohydrates and proteins in the body.
7. make sure that the child moves more often - activity helps to improve intestinal motility.

Predictions about the results of treatment of childhood flatulence can be made only after identifying the main causes of gas formation. Most often, the problem can be solved using conventional methods and prevention. In some cases, therapy is prescribed, including correction of the diet and stabilization of the intestinal bacterial balance.