Gas Relief Remedies for Kids with Bloating

Gas and bloating can feel uncomfortable and embarrassing. Everyone passes gas, but some people produce more than others, which can be distressing. It’s normal to pass gas around 6 to 20 times a day, and excess gas typically isn’t a sign of a serious health issue. However, these are often caused by what your child is consuming, including certain natural health products and medications. They’re usually harmless and can go away on their own without treatment. There are also gas relief remedies for kids, such as changing your child’s diet and over-the-counter medicines.

It’s important to take good care of your child after their treatment to keep them safe and healthy. Make sure you don’t miss any appointments, and reach out to your doctor or nurse’s advice line if your child is having any issues. Keep track of your child’s test results and make a list of all the gas medicine your kids are taking.

Determine if your toddler has gas and is bloated

First, you have to check if your child is bloated. Look out for these signs:

• Their tummy feels tight and full.
• They might feel a bit of pain.
• They could be passing gas more often than usual.
• Their belly might look rounded or swollen.

It’s okay for kids to pass gas about 6 to 20 times a day. But if it happens more often and your toddler has a bloated belly, it might be bloating.

What causes bloating in kids?

Bloating can happen for a few reasons. Let’s discuss five common causes of bloating in kids and how to make them feel better.

Swallowing air

Sometimes, swallowing too much air, which is called aerophagia, can cause some tummy troubles. These might include:

• Feeling bloated
• Burping or passing gas
• Hearing gurgling sounds in the tummy
• Feeling pain or discomfort in the belly
• Having a distended belly from too much air

Some kids swallow extra air when they’re nervous or anxious. Others might do it by accident when they chew gum, suck on hard candies, or drink fizzy drinks.

Treatment: You can teach your child some simple breathing exercises to help them cope with their worries. Also, you can give them over-the-counter simethicone, which is the same stuff found in the gas drops you might have given them when they were babies. Simethicone helps break up gas bubbles and stops gas from building up in the tummy and intestines. It’s usually safe to use, but there’s not a lot of proof that it works. Just make sure to avoid simethicone that has sodium benzoate or benzoic acid in it.

Constipation

Constipation is a big issue for kids, but parents might not always realize it, especially if their kids can use the bathroom alone. One common reason is that kids hold in their poop because they don’t like using the bathroom at school or, for younger ones, they’re resisting potty training. This can cause pain when they finally do go, constipation, and a swollen belly.

Treatment: To prevent constipation, give your kids more fiber-rich foods like whole grains, berries, and peas. Encourage them to drink plenty of water and stay active. Lastly, set an eating routine every day to facilitate a regular bathroom schedule.

Food sensitivities

Kids can get bloated from too much gas caused by certain foods they can’t tolerate. One common food intolerance is lactose intolerance, where people can’t digest milk sugar properly. Symptoms like bloating might not show up until hours after eating dairy, making it hard to know what’s causing it. Dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt are big triggers, but processed foods with lactose can also cause tummy troubles.

Treatment: If you think your child might have lactose intolerance, talk to their doctor for a diagnosis. Usually, the doctor will recommend cutting out dairy from their diet and slowly adding it back to see how they react. They might also do a breath test to check for lactose intolerance.

Trouble digesting certain foods

Certain foods your child eats can cause extra gas and bloating. Some carbohydrates, like fructose found in many fruits and veggies, and artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, are hard to digest. So be careful with fruit juice, fizzy drinks, candies, or chewing gum, as they can make their belly swell up. Fatty and greasy foods can also cause bloating. Even some healthy foods like cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and asparagus might give them gas. Other veggies to watch out for are peppers, onions, peas, radishes, and beans.

Treatment: Try introducing vegetables one at a time to see which one makes your child’s tummy feel bad. Keep track of what they eat in a diary to see what causes problems. Once you know the triggers, avoid giving them those foods. Also, remind your child to chew their food well, take it easy after meals, and drink water instead of juice.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Kids can have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) too. Foods like milk, high-fructose fruits, processed snacks, and chocolate can trigger IBS symptoms in children, just like in adults. Signs of IBS in kids include changes in bowel habits, tummy aches, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, urgency to go, incomplete bowel movements, mucus in stool, dizziness, and loss of appetite.

Treatment: If your child is diagnosed with IBS, talk to their pediatrician. They may suggest working with a dietitian to find food changes that help ease symptoms. Adding more fiber to their diet could be a simple solution. Your provider might also recommend a low-FODMAP diet, which means avoiding foods high in FODMAPs like wheat, rye, apples, pears, peaches, lentils, milk, yogurt, cheese, honey, and more.

Try Bloating and Gas Relief Remedies to Keep Your Kids Healthy

If your child is frequently bloated, don’t panic. While it’s uncomfortable, it’s usually not serious. But if bloating is happening often, or comes with other concerning symptoms like bloody stools, low appetite, or intense pain, see a healthcare provider. If dietary changes don’t help or if there are other worrying symptoms like failure to thrive, frequent vomiting, dizziness, or paleness, talk to your pediatrician. They can check for conditions like celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease and assess if gut microbiome imbalances are causing the bloating.