Gas Pain (Children)

Gas pain is common in babies and rarely a cause for concern.

Call Doctor If:

• Your child seems sick.
• Your child vomits blood or green or yellow liquid.
• Your child has blood in her stool.
• Your child cries for longer than two hours.
• Your child has pain in the lower right side.
• Your child's abdomen seems to be distended and causing pain.

How to Treat Your Child's Gas Pains
1. Adjust Feedings

• Don't overfeed your child.
• Hold her upright.
• Burp your child often.

2. Move Your Child

• Rock your child gently.
• Move your child's legs as if he was pedaling a bicycle.

3. Massage Your Child

• Rub your child's stomach lightly.
• Lay her across your lap and pat her back.

4. Apply Heat

• Place a warm towel or water bottle on your child's tummy.

5. Review Feeding

• If formula-feeding, talk with your pediatrician about switching to a soy-based formula or, if your child is older than 1 year, soy or almond milk. If an older child has gas pain after having milk products, talk to your doctor about lactose intolerance, especially if there is a family history of it.
• If you're breastfeeding, you don't need to be concerned about your own diet causing gas pains in your baby. There's no evidence that a mom's diet has an effect on gas in babies.

SOURCES:

American Academy of Pediatrics: "Abdominal Pain."

American Academy of Family Physicians: "Feeding Problems in Infants and Children."

Administration for Children and Families: "Troubleshooter's Guide to Crying Babies."