Treatments For Children Gas Relief

Gas Relief Medicine For Children

Stomach upsets are very common in children, but can be worrying for parents, especially if you have very young children. The symptoms are diarrhoea (usually defined as 3 or more watery stools in a day), vomiting and stomach pain. Mostly, children can be cared for at home, and will recover quickly without any treatment. Just offering plenty of sips of plain water usually works well to ensure children don’t lose too much fluid. But in some cases, children need treatment to replace lost fluids. This can be done at home, or, if the child is seriously dehydrated, in hospital. Rehydration drinks (such as Dioralyte, Electrolade and Rapolyte) work well. They contain mixtures of salts and sugars to help your child’s body retain enough water.

What causes tummy trouble in children?
The conditions below are the most common causes of stomach pain in children, although many others are possible. If your child suddenly becomes ill, has pain in his stomach that doesn't seem to go away or is getting worse, and you're at all concerned, call his doctor. It's always better to err on the side of caution.

1. Gastroenteritis or "stomach flu"
Is your child vomiting or suffering from diarrhea in addition to abdominal pain? If so, he could have gastroenteritis, also known as stomach flu. It's the most common illness in the United States after upper respiratory infections.

Doctors use the term gastroenteritis to describe any inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Viruses are the most common culprit, including rotavirus, adenovirus, calicivirus, and astrovirus.

Gastroenteritis can also be caused by a potentially more serious bacterial infection, such as Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus, Campylobacter, or E. coli. Still other cases are caused by parasites such as giardia. Your child's symptoms may be mild or severe, and they may last for just a few hours or for days, depending upon the cause. Because a virus is usually to blame for gastroenteritis, you can't treat it with antibiotics. But that doesn't mean you should sit back and wait for the ailment to run its course. If gastroenteritis is causing your child to vomit or have diarrhea and a fever and loss of appetite, it can quickly lead to dehydration, so it's important to make sure that your child is drinking plenty of fluids while he battles the illness.

2. Milk allergy or lactose intolerance
If your child has a milk allergy, his immune system is responding to the proteins found in milk. Milk allergies occur most often in babies and children. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and rashes. In severe cases of milk allergy, a child may experience a life-threatening reaction called anaphylactic shock.

Lactose intolerance happens when a person's body isn't producing the enzyme needed to digest lactose, the primary sugar in milk. Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, bloating, and gas. Lactose intolerance is uncommon in young children and usually shows up later in childhood or during the teen years.

To pinpoint the cause, a doctor will recommend that you keep all dairy (including milk, cheese, ice cream, pudding, etc.) away from your child for a few days and then slowly reintroduce it. If your child's stomach troubles start up again, you've nailed the culprit.

For kids with a milk allergy, soy milk may be the answer, but it's not for everyone: Five to 10 percent of kids who are allergic to milk are also allergic to soy. In that case, you'll need to talk to your child's doctor or a nutritionist about how to make sure your child gets enough calcium from other foods.

If your child is lactose intolerant, the solution is easier. He can probably continue to have dairy as long as he takes a synthetic form of lactase, which you can find in an over-the-counter supplement. You can also buy lactose-free milk products.

3. Constipation and changes in diet
The most common stomach problem in young children  who are continuing to add more and more foods to their diet is constipation. Constipation is defined as not having a bowel movement for two to three days and then passing small hard stools.

If this is the case for your child, sit tight. After a few weeks, his digestive system will adjust to the changes in his diet and he'll start having regular bowel movements again.

You can help jumpstart the process by making sure your child is getting enough fluids throughout the day. And on the days when he seems particularly constipated, feed him foods that produce looser stools (like apricots, pears, prunes, and peas) and cut back on those that tend to cause firmer stools (like bananas, apples and applesauce, carrots, rice, and squash).

4. Upper respiratory illness
Believe it or not, the common cold and the flu can give a child a tummy ache. That's because much of the mucus produced during an upper respiratory illness drips down the throat. When your child swallows it, it can irritate his stomach.

Some children vomit to clear the mucus out of their system. It's not pretty, but it usually does the trick and the pain goes away. Sometimes a more serious respiratory illness can give a child a stomachache as well. If your child has a sore throat, fever, and headache along with his tummy problems, he may have strep throat. Call your doctor immediately if you suspect that your child's stomachache may be related to a strep infection. This illness is caused by Streptococcus bacteria and needs antibiotic treatment.

5. Appendicitis
The classic symptoms of appendicitis are abdominal pain (especially in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen), fever, and vomiting. If your child has taken acetaminophen and it hasn't reduced his fever, his pain is worsening, and he can't keep anything down, including water, he may have appendicitis. Take him to his doctor or the emergency room.

6. Gas
You know as an adult how much having gas can hurt. It's painful for children as well. And it's a likely culprit behind persistent tummy pain that your doctor can't find a reason for. You might try to note what your child has recently eaten when he has a bout of gas. One possibility is too much juice. Many juices  including apple juice and cherry juice contain sorbitol, a nondigestible form of sugar.

The AAP recommends that children drink no more than 4 to 6 ounces (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) of juice a day. Besides causing stomach upset, more than that can ruin his appetite for other nutrient-rich foods and cause tooth decay.   

There are many health problems that can cause stomach pain for children, including:
• Bowel (gut) problems - constipation, colic or irritable bowel.
• Infections - gastroenteritis, kidney or bladder infections, or infections in other parts of the body like the ear or chest.
• Food-related problems - too much food, food poisoning or food allergies.
• Problems outside the abdomen - muscle strain or migraine.
• Surgical problems - appendicitis, bowel obstruction or intussusception (telescoping of part of the gut).
• Period pain - some girls can have pain before their periods start.
• Poisoning - such as spider bites, eating soap or smoking.

Symptoms of Stomach Pain in Children
• Duration of the pain: An important thing to remember is that most simple causes of abdominal pain do not last very long. Most of us have experienced gas pains or the stomach/gut flu, and remember that the pain was usually gone within 24 hours. Any abdominal pain that continues longer than 24 hours should be evaluated by a physician.

• Location of the pain: Most simple pains are located in the center of the abdomen. The child will rub around his or her belly button. Pain felt in other areas is more concerning. This is especially true of pain located low and down on the right side of the abdomen. Pain in that area is considered to be appendicitis until proven otherwise.

• Appearance of the child: As a general rule, if the child looks very ill in addition to being in pain, medical help should be sought. Often, the caregiver "just knows" the child is very sick. Key things to look for when abdominal pain occurs include pale appearance, sweating, or a child who is sleepy or listless. It is most concerning when a child cannot be distracted from the pain with play, or refuses to drink or eat for several hours.

• Vomiting: Children vomit quite frequently with abdominal pain, but vomiting does not always indicate a serious problem. However, as with the duration of the pain, most simple causes of vomiting go away very quickly. The rule again is that vomiting for longer than 24 hours is a legitimate reason to call the physician.

• Nature of the vomiting: In infants and very young children, vomiting that is green or yellow is a reason to call the doctor. At any age, vomiting that appears to contain blood or darker material is a reason to seek emergency care.

• Diarrhea: This is also very common with abdominal pain and usually indicates that a virus is the cause. This can continue for several days but usually only lasts less than 72 hours (three days). Any blood in the stool is a reason to seek medical care.

• Fever: The presence of fever does not always indicate a serious problem. Indeed, a normal temperature can be seen with the more serious causes of abdominal pain.

• Groin pain: One serious problem that a boy may describe as abdominal pain actually comes from somewhere else. It is testicular torsion, a condition in which a testicle twists on itself and cuts off its own blood supply. The child may be embarrassed to mention the location, so you should ask if there is any pain "down there." A testicular problem is usually easy to fix if treated early enough. So, if a child complains of pain in the groin area or testicles, seek medical emergency care.

• Urinary problems: Abdominal pain associated with any trouble urinating, such as painful or frequent urination, could indicate an infection and is a reason to seek medical care.

• Rash: Certain serious causes of abdominal pain also occur with a new rash. The combination of skin rash with abdominal pain is a reason to contact your doctor.

Treating Symptoms of Your Child's Stomachache
• Have the child lie down and rest.
• Give clear fluids such as water or flat soda.
• Keep a container nearby in case the child vomits.
• If the child vomits more than once, watch for signs of dehydration, such as decreased urination or dry diapers, dry lips, and crying without tears.
• If you think the child could be constipated, put him on the toilet. Passing a stool may ease the pain.
• Sit the child in warm water to help release a stool if you think the child is constipated.
• Avoid giving ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), pain medicine, or laxatives.

If your child has a stomach upset don’t give them fizzy drinks or fruit juice, as these can make matters worse. Plain water is best for diarrhoea and vomiting in young children, according to new advice for parents.

It is not uncommon that most of the infants suffer from infant gas during their first two months. Some babies have more gas then others.As you may be aware, it will cause all sorts of discomfort to the babies.Therefore, excessive crying is an important sign that a baby is suffering from the pain arising from gas. It is normal but it becomes a problem if your baby is bothered by it and is in a lot of pain. Of course you want your baby to be happy and content.

In such a situation, you may consider giving your baby the infant gas drops. Will it help relieving baby from getting pain due to the gas? The answer is yes because it consists of Simethicone, which helps to break the gas babbles in the digestive tract.

There are many options available for treatment if the colic has been aggravated due to gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort. There are three categories of treatments for infant gas like infant gas drops, gripe water, and probiotics. These treatments work in different ways and the differences between these types can help you to decide which one you should choose for your baby colic.

Infant Gas Drops also known as Simethicone - Simethicone breaks down the surface tension of the air bubbles that form the gas in the baby's stomach and discharges it in the form of belching or, pushing it out through the intestinal tract. This reduces the gassiness to a great extent. Just ensure that you discuss the use of this with your baby's doctor because it is not a recommended solution for the long term.

Gripe Water - Gripe water is a homeopathic remedy and uses herbal ingredients. It can help in reducing gassiness in a Gassy baby and can help in better digestion. Though these ingredients are not harmful still you can seek an advice from your baby's doctor before giving the gripe water.

Probiotics - Babies do not have the bacteria that are found in adults and that help in digestion. Since babies are only used to digesting their mother's milk, they have less adaptability to digesting everything else. This means added digestive problems for babies and hence cramps and gassiness is not uncommon in premature babies and other infants. Appropriate use of probiotics can help reduce these problems and get rid of the gassiness in a gassy baby.

It should be borne in mind that you should only give the correct dosage of infant gas drops or as prescribed by the doctor to the baby. Over consumption of it may cause unnecessary consequences to your baby.

What can you do to help ease your baby`s gas pain?
Burping - Make sure you burp your baby frequently while feeding; this will reduce the amount of air in your baby`s stomach. Burping is good but it will probably not help your baby totally get rid of the gas. There is gas created in the intestines during your baby`s normal digestion. The burping will not get rid of this gas.

In conclusion, infant gas drops can help relieving your baby from the abdominal pain and the dosage of it varies for different infants. It depends on the age of the child and his weight. Make sure that you clean the dropper after each use.

Myotcstore Related Products:

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