10 Common Causes Of Stomach Pain In Babies And Their Solutions

10 Common Causes Of Stomach Pain In Babies And Their Solutions

Stomach pain in babies is quite common. Almost 9 out of 10 parents come across this situation and remain tensed when babies cry with pain. An infant with stomach ache can have poor feeding, lethargy, irritability and fussiness. The reason of this pain can be colic, stomach infection, improper latching, constipation, food allergy, GERD, intestinal blockage, urinary infections and intestinal blockages.

Stomach pain in babies can be spotted when:

  • Baby’s stomach is hard or bloated
  • When baby arches his back
  • When baby climbs up like tree upward when crying
  • When the baby wriggles his toe finger
  • When he refuses to feed
  • Additional symptoms as vomiting and diarrhea

As the infant can’t speak out what’s causing their trouble, parents have to find the issues with these symptoms.

Also Read: How to Soothe a Crying Baby in Minutes?

10 common reasons for stomach pain in babies

#1. Colic

Colic makes the baby irritable and annoying. Colic is the pain caused in the stomach due to intestinal cramping. It is the loud, continuous, piercing sound produced by the baby. There is no medical explanation for colic in babies. Nothing you do will soothe her. Baby pass a lot of gas while crying.

What Should You Do:

  • Carry the baby on shoulders: When the baby cries with tummy trouble, it is advisable to hold the baby in an upward position for 10 minutes after every feed. You can also tap his back until he burps. A burping is a sign of good digestion.
  • Massage his tummy: Gently massage the baby‘s stomach in a circular motion and bicycle slowly with the legs. Massaging helps to regulate respiratory and digestive disorders. A mother and the baby have natural bonding with a massage that works better than any medicines.
  • Medicinal drops: During your pediatric visits, ask for good colicaid syrup and dosage, store in your medicine tray. Also, we can prepare concoction with ajwain water and feed the baby who is above 6 months old.
  • Latching: Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, make sure the baby’s mouth is locked to the nipple such that no air is sucked along with the milk. This causes gas pain and burning in the throat. Change the feeding position to avoid swallowing of the air. Hold the baby at an angle of 30 to 45 degree to ensure smooth flow of milk to the mouth.

Also Read: Colic: symptoms, reasons and home remedies to treat the colic in babies

#2. Stomach Infection

Babies have a developing immune system and attract viruses easily. Rotavirus cause stomach pain in babies. Adenovirus is also another example that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Some viruses are easily transmitted from adults due to improper hygiene. Simple cold and flu also cause irritation in the stomach. Your child can have stomach pain when his stomach is swollen, or he pulls his leg towards the chest or doesn’t let you touch his belly.

What You Should Do:

  • If the baby is only on breastfeeding, then breastmilk along with doctor intervention is necessary. The pediatrician may prescribe antibiotics.
  • If you have introduced solid food, BRAT (Banana, rice, applesauce, and toast) can be followed. Give lots of yoghurt. The good bacteria in yogurt helps to balance the lost nutrients in the body. Don’t give spicy foods. Always smash the food and give for proper digestion during stomach infection.
  • Keep your baby hydrated with breastmilk, formula or water.

#3. Accidental ingestion

Babies put anything into their mouth as a matter of exploring them. If the child swallows it by mistake, it may cause stomach pain. If you suspect your child has swallowed something and he is crying with stomach pain and vomiting, please take to doctor.

What You Should Do:

  • Swallowing of non-edible items requires medical attention. The doctor will follow a procedure to stop the stomach pain and expel the swallowed objects.
  • Baby proofing your home and monitoring your child 24X7 are best to avoid accidental poisoning.

Read More: Is Homeopathy safe for Babies?

#4. Watch for constipation

As long as the baby is on breast milk, constipation won’t be a big issue. But if the baby has other foods like solids and formula then constipation causes bloating and tummy ache. This is evidenced by hard stools.

What You Should Do:

  • Try feeding foods like fresh juices, oats porridge and prunes if the baby suffers with constipation.
  • Give lots of water.
  • Raisins can be soaked in water overnight. The water can be boiled and then fed to the baby if he is above six months old.
  • A breastfed mother should include lots of fiber foods in her diet as well.

#5. Urinary infections

Small babies as young as 2 months cry with urine infections. It is the infection in the bladder . This may have additional symptoms and can lead to burning sensations in stomach. This is an unpleasant experience for the baby. Pain will occur when baby urinates, and pain will be accompanied by high fever. The child will be distressed and irritable. Doctor’s reference is necessary in acute cases.

What You Should Do:

  • A doctor will run a urine test and prescribe antibiotics and ask to maintain hygiene.
  • Keep the genital areas clean and maintain cleanliness preventing the spread and growth of bacteria.
  • Avoid using diapers and use a cotton cloth to cover the genital parts.
  • Give plenty of water or breastmilk if feeding.

#6. Food, nuts or milk allergies

Younger babies also get stomach pain. This is because of the food that the mother ate. Mother’s diet also can be a reason for stomach pain in babies. This is called food intolerance. Foods that cause an allergic response in babies include cow’s milk, eggs, nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and fish. Some kids are lactose intolerant which means their body can’t digest milk easily. This creates loose stools and pain in stomach.

What Should You Do:

  • If your baby has a stomach problem after eating a particular food then he has a food allergy.
  • Talk to your paediatrician about this if you feel the child is fussy after a particular meal.
  • If you are breastfeeding, watch for mother’s diet and eliminate the product accordingly.

#7. GERD (gastroesophageal reflux)

Reflux occurs when the food and acid mix in the baby’s esophagus. This results in some discomfort in the stomach leading to vomit or spit up. This happens for infants who breastfeed as well.

What You Should Do:

  • Keep the head of the baby elevated using the towel. Don’t let the baby lie flat for long.
  • Avoid feeding in the sleeping position and keep him upright for 10 minutes after every feed.

#8. Paediatric Hernia

This is the situation when the intestine slips out of the abdominal cavity. It leads to many other infections. This type of pain can be ruled out by pediatrician and can be corrected after a small surgery. Some children will outgrow as they grow bigger.

What Should You Do:

  • A hernia in an infant will be seen as a bulge or a swelling in the groin. In boys, the swelling might be seen in the scrotum. Swelling will be seen when the baby is crying or standing.
  • A child is admitted in the hospital and given pain relief dose. All pediatric hernias require surgery to avoid further complications.

Also Read: 5 Home Remedies to get rid of worms in Kids

#9. Appendicitis

Appendicitis is the inflammation of the infection of the appendix. It causes in the right side of the stomach. It is called neonatal appendicitis which causes sharp pain in babies.

What You Should Do:

  • This condition is very rare infants but if stomach pain is repetitive, it can be a symptom of appendicitis in infants. A surgical operation is recommended immediately or it would get worse. So visit the doctor at earliest.

#10. Intestinal blockage

This also causes stomach pain where the baby pulls the leg upwards and cry incessantly. This is the condition where the milk or food can not pass through the intestines and creates pain in the stomach. This intestinal block is called pyloric stenosis or intussusception.

What You Should Do:

  • Visit a specialist for further diagnosis and treatment.
  • Stomach pain in babies differ from what the adults get. It is difficult to diagnose why the pain occurred and how long it will remain.
  • Crying is the only form of communication for babies so if the baby cry, it could be mostly due to stomach pain so trust your instincts and follow accordingly.
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