Mothers often notice that the child has a stomach ache in the navel area. Such manifestations are rarely avoided - there are too many factors that provoke such symptoms. This complicates diagnosis and sometimes leads to inappropriate treatment.
Tummy ache
Common causes of pain
Grown up children already know how to complain that their tummy hurts and show them exactly where. With babies, everything is more difficult - the crumbs react to the situation by crying. Therefore, it is difficult for mom to immediately figure out what caused the restless behavior of the little one.
Note! There are many reasons provoking pain in a child in the navel, their signs often overlap.
Volvulus
Occasionally, a baby may develop acute intestinal obstruction, which is a rotation of a section of the intestine around its axis. For this reason, feces are not able to move through the intestines. This is added to the accumulation of gas, all this leads to asymmetric bloating.
Volvulus
Important! Volvulus is accompanied by severe pain in the peritoneum and intoxication of the body.
Most often, the reason lies in congenital pathology. Infections, improper nutrition of artificial people, and premature transition to complementary foods may also be to blame.
Seasickness
This pathology is called "travel disease". Kinetosis occurs against the background of monotonous movements (when traveling by any type of transport). The vestibular apparatus and the central nervous system become the culprits.
Signs of illness other than abdominal pain:
- dizziness;
- nausea and vomiting;
- pallor of the skin;
- weakness, drowsiness.
Fainting is sometimes observed. In infants with a weak central nervous system, motion sickness can be provoked by even intense motion sickness in a wheelchair (cradle).
Umbilical hernia
If the reason lies in this factor, then it can be visually identified by the protrusion in the navel. In a calm state, the umbilical tubercle does not bother the baby. Under load (both external and internal), the protruding part of the intestine can be pinched and cause pain to the baby.
Dyspepsia
All problems that cause pain in the abdomen are related to the work of the digestive system. In babies under one year old, this function is often frustrated due to an incorrectly selected diet. The problem may also be due to the discrepancy between the volume of food and the physiological possibilities of digestion of the crumbs.
Infection with parasites
To a small child, helminths are transmitted from an infected person, through contact with animals, through surrounding objects (toys, dishes, towels, etc.). The waste products of parasites poison the body, disrupting metabolic processes. This leads to dyspeptic disorders.
The child has helminths
Note! Worms damage the organs and tissues in which they have settled, causing severe pain at the child's navel.
Viral infection
Any microorganism that has entered the baby's systems is already a pathology called infection. Even a habitual respiratory illness can lead to digestive upset, hence, tummy pain.
It is dangerous when the virus infects the liver and knocks down the metabolism. Some babies get sick with jaundice even during the period of intrauterine development, picking up an infection from their mother. In babies, against the background of digestive disorders, pains are observed not only in the abdomen - the syndrome spreads to muscles and joints.
Food poisoning
More often, bottle-fed babies are susceptible to food intoxication. Bacteria can enter a child's body in several cases:
- mom handles bottles and nipples poorly;
- the mixture was made with a stock and kept in the refrigerator for a long time;
- the toddler was given low-quality complementary foods.
The kid got poisoned
A child with hepatitis B can also get food poisoning, when toxins got into breast milk and then migrated into the child's body.
Urinary tract infections
Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylo, and enterococci, chlamydia, ureaplasma, etc. lead to nephrological pathology. The bladder, ureters, pelvis are involved in the inflammatory process. The disease is accompanied by extensive symptoms. In this case, the pain is cutting in nature, making the child cry a lot.
Colic in babies
Colic for newborns is an integral part of development. In this case, the child's navel has a stomach ache due to the accumulated gas. Usually, pathology occurs during feeding, this makes the baby refuse to eat.
Infant colic
In babies who hastily suck and overeat, belching is delayed. This provokes flatulence after eating. In any case, the baby will cry, writhe in pain and try to fart.
Symptoms and diagnostics
In addition to the reasons described above, physical exertion can provoke pain near the navel in a baby: the mother overdid it with gymnastics for the abdominal muscles, or the child strained them during an intense cough, crying in anticipation of attention. Such sensations pass quickly, and the baby rarely complains about them.
In order not to ignore the serious factors causing abdominal pain, the following signs must be considered:
- the baby is crying, twisting his legs;
- refuses food and does not sleep well;
- does not show activity in games.
Regardless of why the child has a stomach ache, the pathology will be accompanied by his bloating, increased gas discharge and regurgitation. Some children may develop liquid, frequent stools, while others, on the contrary, suffer from constipation and excessive accumulation of gas in the intestines.
Sick kid
Symptoms are sometimes accompanied by sweating, high fever. However, in some babies, the limbs may remain cold.
The mother will not be able to diagnose the true cause of the problem on her own, even if she begins to feel the baby's tummy. Therefore, in case of recurring pain, the baby should be shown to the doctor, giving a description of the behavioral features.
The specialist will not be content with one palpation examination. To establish the cause of the pain, the baby will be prescribed:
- blood and urine tests;
- breath tests;
- coprogram;
- Ultrasound of internal organs, X-ray, etc.
Sometimes a pediatrician alone is not enough to look at the situation. It is advisable that the baby is seen by a gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist, urologist and surgeon.
What to do when a child has a stomach ache
Parents should not reassure themselves with the fact that pain in the baby's tummy is a common phenomenon. It is necessary to react to the problem immediately, even if the disturbances in well-being are minor.
First aid
When the baby's tummy aches, it is better for mom to take the baby in her arms. The baby begins to feel protected and gradually calms down. An older toddler needs to provide bed rest. In the supine position, the load on the intestines is weakened, and the unpleasant symptoms go away.
How to calm a baby
Note! If mom is sure that the baby has colic, she can put a warm diaper on his tummy. This will make it easier for the gas workers to leave.
Light stroking of the abdomen helps well with this condition. In this case, the hand should only move in the clockwise direction.
What can you eat
If the cause of the pain is unknown, then it is better to keep the baby on a starvation diet until a doctor is examined. When the baby asks for food, and the meal does not cause him additional pain, he can be given a breast or a mixture in a small amount. Children who have switched to solid foods are advised not to feed before diagnosis.
When a doctor's intervention is necessary
There are situations that parents cannot cope with on their own. Medical assistance will be needed in such cases:
- the child writhes in pain and screams violently;
- the attack lasts more than an hour;
- pain is accompanied by constipation or diarrhea, as well as vomiting;
- blood impurities appeared in the stool or vomit;
- the child has a swollen or stiff belly;
- when the pain intensifies from touching the umbilical region;
- the symptom has spread to the scrotum (in boys);
- heat.
Important! The larger the set of symptoms and the worse the baby's condition, the more indications there are for an immediate call for an ambulance.
What to do before the doctor arrives
When a child's navel and areas near it hurt, it is impossible to self-medicate. If there is a need to call a doctor, the baby is put to bed and his temperature is measured.
It is not worth feeding a child so that a full stomach does not "blur the picture" of pathology. In this case, it is better to just give the baby small portions of water to prevent dehydration from diarrhea and vomiting.
It is not necessary to carry out such activities before the arrival of the doctor:
- knock down the temperature;
- give an analgesic, laxative, or, conversely, fixing;
- put an enema;
- put a heating pad on your stomach.
The best thing a mom can do while an ambulance is on the way is to be near the baby and try to calm him down.
Preventive measures
In most cases, a child's tummy can get sick due to an irritant that has entered the digestive system. Only a small percentage of children suffer from congenital pathologies. Therefore, it is realistic to avoid the problem if you follow the rules:
- the child is provided with high-quality balanced nutrition;
Prevention of colic
- if the toddler is artificially fed, mixtures, milk porridges are prepared immediately before eating;
- do not rush to the introduction of complementary foods - the baby's systems must physiologically prepare for innovations;
- it is important to maintain the daily and one-time norms of products;
- giving the baby yogurt, juice, mashed potatoes, they are clearly monitored so that they are not expired;
- strictly adhere to the principles of hygiene to avoid viral, bacterial infections and helminth infections;
- if the baby has an umbilical hernia, exercises are selected that do not overstrain the abdominal muscles;
- with a child's predisposition to seasickness, they try to make the trip by transport sparing, so as not to provoke an attack.
Often, a baby on GV has a tummy ache due to mom's habits (smoking, alcohol, excessive coffee addiction, improper diet). The symptoms of a baby can be affected by medications taken by a nursing woman.
Council. To avoid problems in an older child, he is taught to hygiene, proper nutrition, and a regimen.
A child can get a stomach ache for any reason. This is not an independent pathology, but a symptom of another disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract, metabolic system, genitourinary and even respiratory. Therefore, the slightest malaise of the baby should be the reason for going to the doctor. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable, because an acute condition can develop very quickly and lead to more serious consequences.
