1 year old child burps after eating. Causes and methods of preventing belching in a child per year

Often parents encounter certain problems in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract in their children. And belching after eating is one of the most common. Belching in a child is an involuntary release of small air masses through the oral cavity. This is due to the fact that a certain amount of air accumulates in the esophagus or stomach and enters the baby’s body with food. This process can occur from 10 to 15 times a day and is considered the absolute norm if the air released during regurgitation does not have characteristic odors. If this phenomenon begins to become more frequent, accompanied by a certain smell and taste, then this may serve as a signal for disturbances in the functioning of the child’s gastrointestinal tract.

In this article we will tell you about the main causes of belching in children, the types of this phenomenon, as well as methods for effective treatment of regurgitation caused by various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Important to remember! This article is not an accurate and direct guide to action. Do not treat your baby yourself at home. If you experience any symptoms, be sure to consult an experienced physician or other qualified health professional.

Description

The phenomenon of belching in a child after eating is quite common. This action is the involuntary release of a certain amount of air accumulated in the digestive organs through the child’s mouth. This kind of process is possible in the case of an open sphincter connecting the esophagus and stomach (cardia) and contraction of the stomach muscles. If the baby’s development proceeds without any disturbances, this problem disappears after some time.

Most often, burping in children is a normal physiological process.

Belching in children in a normal state is an integral regulation of the functioning of the digestive organs and performs a number of functions, such as:

  • activation of natural gastric motility;
  • freeing the stomach from excess gases and air accumulated in the cardiac part, which thereby prevents unwanted stretching of the organ;
  • assistance in the digestive processes of the gastrointestinal tract;

Involuntary regurgitation after eating most often occurs at an early age of the child due to incomplete closure of the cardiac esophageal sphincter. This is due to the fact that the fetus in the womb received nutrition through the umbilical cord, and its digestive system was not fully formed, which is the absolute norm.

As the baby develops, regurgitation can be caused by poor eating habits, such as frequent talking while eating, rushing, not chewing enough, and swallowing large pieces of food. In this case, belching will be a natural physiological phenomenon.

If this phenomenon appears too often, even after following all the principles of proper nutrition, then this may indicate some disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, the belching will be pathological.

Causes

Why does my child burp after eating? Parents are often interested in this question from the first days of feeding. Some of the most common reasons are:

  • poor chewing of food;
  • swallowing air while eating;
  • binge eating;
  • active motor games immediately after eating;
  • unbalanced diet (for example, simultaneous consumption of sweet fruits or juices with animal proteins);
  • compression clothing;
  • nervous tension while eating;

Poor nutrition is the main cause of belching

Having a smoking family member in the house often causes reflux due to passive smoking. Constant relaxation of the sphincters under the influence of nicotine can lead to chronic belching.

Among the diseases that cause belching in children are:

  • ulcerative lesions of the stomach;
  • acute and chronic forms of pancreatitis;
  • gastritis, accompanied by high acidity;
  • esophagitis;
  • gurgle;
  • dysbacteriosis;

In addition to regurgitation, these diseases are also accompanied by bloating, nausea, diarrhea and periodic pain.

Belching air

Frequent empty regurgitation is an involuntary portioned release of a small amount of air from the oral cavity. The reasons for frequent burping of air in a child can be:

  • diseases of the oral cavity and teeth;
  • frequent conversations with your mouth full;
  • food on the go;
  • difficulty breathing through the nose;
  • frequent use of chewing gum;
  • excess air entering the stomach (aerophagia);
  • abuse of carbonated drinks;
  • stomach neurosis;
  • physical games or exercise after meals;
  • consumption of legumes;

With frequent aerophagia, diseases such as gastric neurosis can develop, which is a pathological problem and requires drug treatment.

Belching in children aged 2 years

Often, belching in a 2-year-old child is explained by both physiological and psychological disorders.

Psychological disorders include frequent nervousness and nervous tension in the environment of the baby, as well as possible worries or fears. With these disorders, not only regurgitation can be observed, but also a feeling of nausea, the urge to vomit, heartburn and fever.

Physiological disorders include disorders associated with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as various infectious lesions. In this case, this process will most often be accompanied by a rotten odor or bitter taste.

Belching in children aged 3 years

The causes of belching in a 3-year-old child have a wide range and most often indicate a serious malfunction in the body. Main reasons:

  1. Increased salivation due to problems with the gastrointestinal tract, as well as dental diseases.
  2. Frequent diseases of the ENT organs, such as: chronic tonsillitis, runny nose, enlarged tonsils. These diseases cause the child to swallow more air during meals due to difficulty breathing.
  3. Emotional overexcitation and nervous shock.
  4. Irregular and fussy eating.

Diseases of the ENT organs often cause belching in children 3 years old

Basic principles of treatment

Frequent belching in a child can be caused by a number of reasons. And first of all, disturbances in food consumption processes should be normalized. To do this you need:

  • thorough chopping and chewing of food;
  • splitting meals;
  • slow food consumption;
  • no active games or physical activity for 2 hours after eating;
  • use of digestive enzymes prescribed by a doctor;
  • stopping the consumption of free liquid to wash down food;

If this therapy does not produce results, you must immediately consult a gastroenterologist and then undergo a course of drug treatment.

If a child's belching has a rotten smell, this may be a signal of problems with the pancreas or liver.

Remember! If symptoms of the disease appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. Do not do home treatment.

When burping occurs in children, do not panic. First you need to analyze the causes of the occurrence and only then proceed to active action. Remember that the main problems in the occurrence of this process are poor nutrition and insufficient development of the baby’s gastrointestinal tract in the early stages. In case of a pathological disorder, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination.

Very often, parents notice improper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract in their child. Problems may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and belching of air.

Belching in children is the release of air through the mouth, which is explained by the accumulation in the esophagus of a large amount of gases that enter the body during eating.

The phenomenon can be observed up to 20 times a day and should not disturb the young mother if the air coming from the child’s mouth does not smell at all.

In the case when belching becomes more frequent and has an unpleasant smell or taste, one can suspect various types of disorders in the child’s gastrointestinal tract.

Air accumulated in the esophagus or stomach is released through the oral cavity when the cardiac sphincter opens with contraction of the gastric muscles.

The first time this phenomenon occurs is newborn babies who swallow a large amount of air when sucking at the breast.

It is worth considering that regurgitation performs several important functions in the body.

They are:

  1. Activation of gastric motility.
  2. Proper digestion of food.
  3. Protecting the stomach from distension.
  4. Relieving the stomach of gas accumulated in the esophagus.

If the child develops normally, then the problem will be solved on its own. In cases where belching does not go away for a long time, it is worth showing the child to a specialist.

The problem may be diseases of the liver, gall bladder, rectum or gastrointestinal tract.

Causes of belching

Belching in a child can be caused by both physiological and pathological factors. In infants and children under 1 year of age, such symptoms are considered normal and should not cause panic in the mother.

In older children, the phenomenon in question can be caused by the following reasons:

Physiological

  • crying, talking while eating;
  • excessive food consumption;
  • poor nutrition;
  • physical activity after meals;
  • nicotine poisoning from inhaling cigarette smoke (while being near a smoker);
  • stressful situation.

Pathological

  • gastritis;
  • hepatitis;
  • pancreatitis;
  • dysbacteriosis;
  • cholecystitis;
  • digestive system disorders.

Belching itself should not provoke anxiety on the part of parents if it is not accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms.

If such a condition causes severe discomfort in a child, then you should try in every possible way to prevent its occurrence, excluding the above reasons that provoked it.

When can belching be considered a pathology?

Very often, in children who exhibit sour belching, doctors diagnose various pathological conditions. Here we are talking about the following diseases:

  1. Acute or chronic gastritis, accompanied by high acidity. When food enters the stomach, its inflamed mucous membrane produces a lot of hydrochloric acid, which provokes nausea, heartburn and belching with an unpleasant odor or taste.
  2. Acute or chronic form of pancreatitis. Inflammatory processes in the pancreas provoke disruption of its functioning, stagnation of food in the intestines and increased gas formation, which comes out through the oral cavity.
  3. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, characterized by insufficiency of the sphincter in the esophagus, which provokes the reflux of acid into the esophagus. This is what causes heartburn and air belching in children after eating.
  4. A hernia in the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm leads to increased pressure in the abdominal cavity and the occurrence of belching with an unpleasant odor and sour taste.
  5. Stomach or duodenal ulcer. This pathology has a large number of symptoms, some of which are pain in the epigastrium and belching.
  6. Neoplasms of a benign or malignant nature. In this case, the child should be carefully examined, because such a pathology is life-threatening.

Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by sour belching, have a number of additional symptoms: diarrhea, constipation, nausea, abdominal pain.

If your child experiences any of the listed signs, he should be taken to a pediatrician for examination and a final diagnosis.

Features of belching in children by age

Alas, frequent burping is considered normal only in a child under 1 year of age. A phenomenon that occurs later indicates an unhealthy diet or gastrointestinal diseases.

To identify the true causes, you should understand how and when belching occurs.

If a child has odorless belching, then the doctor may suspect a pathology such as gastric pneumatosis.

The disease is characterized by the entry of a large amount of air into the stomach, which then exits through the oral cavity.

In addition, belching occurs due to diseases of the oral cavity and improper nasal breathing.

The development of aerography is also possible - a condition that manifests itself against the background of neurotic problems and is characterized by the absence of discomfort in the baby.

This phenomenon cannot be ignored, because it is considered pathological.

Constant belching with a sour taste often indicates dangerous diseases that require immediate treatment.

If the phenomenon is observed immediately after eating, then we are talking about the malfunction of the valve separating the gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus.

When burping in children over one year old occurs half an hour after eating, the problem may be a lack of enzymes, which provokes fermentation and rotting in the stomach.

If belching of air with a sour taste is noticed 2 hours after eating, then we are talking about gastritis.

Belching in a newborn

If belching occurs in babies, then parents have no reason to worry, because this is a natural process.

The phenomenon is explained by the fact that the baby’s nervous system is still very weak, and the esophagus is designed so that food moves in the opposite direction.

To be more precise, food passes from the stomach through the short esophagus, pharynx, mouth and out. With age, a complete restructuring of the gastrointestinal tract occurs, so belching in children completely disappears.

Young mothers can discover the problem when they overfeed the baby. Here we are talking about the baby pushing out excess food, which is also considered a variant of the norm.

When belching is accompanied by crying, you can suspect the reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus.

The fact is that milk formula with a sour taste can cause irritation of the walls of the esophagus in the baby, which provokes pain. If this phenomenon occurs too often, otitis media or sinusitis may occur.

Such actions make it possible for gases to come out naturally without causing discomfort to the child.

It is worth remembering that the further condition of the baby’s gastrointestinal tract depends on compliance with the correct feeding regimen during the first months of the baby’s life.

Belching in children 10 months old

Regurgitation in a child under one year of age is considered a physiological process. The reasons are that children at this age have not yet developed their digestive system.

In the future, the pressure inside the stomach will prevent the swallowing of air, so in adults, gases come out in small quantities, without provoking various disorders.

To protect the baby from pain when gases come out, it is worth holding him in an upright position for a while after eating, waiting for the gases to come out naturally. It can be stroked on the back.

It is worth trying to calm the baby down if he is very excited. If parents cannot do this on their own, then it is better to show the baby to a neurologist or gastroenterologist.

The appearance of belching after the first year of life

The reasons for the appearance of belching in children of this age are hidden in increased nervous excitability.

It has long been proven that an excitable and nervous child is more susceptible to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and frequent regurgitation of food.

Upsets can be caused by rushing while eating, talking or watching cartoons. In addition, there are a number of factors that provoke air belching:

  1. Manifestations of ENT diseases that cause breathing problems.
  2. Growth of adenoids.
  3. Chronic rhinitis of an allergic or other nature.
  4. Tonsillitis, accompanied by hypertrophy of the palatine tonsils.
  5. Inflammatory process in the nasal sinuses.
  6. Increased salivation.

You should not engage in self-diagnosis when belching provokes severe discomfort or pain. It is necessary to immediately show the little one to a qualified specialist.

Belching at age 2

In a child over 2 years old, burping is often caused by psychological or physiological reasons. Nervous stress, fear and various experiences provoke belching and gagging, increased body temperature and heartburn.

In the case when a bitter taste is added to the problem, we are talking about an infectious disease. In addition, the doctor can diagnose pancreatic diseases or chronic gastritis.

In order to prevent such a problem, it is worth changing the baby’s diet, because a large number of foods provoke excessive gas formation.

In addition, it is very important to maintain your child’s drinking regime and not give him carbonated drinks and juices with dye.

Immediately after eating, you should not play active games, which can cause indigestion. It is prohibited to overfeed or underfeed a child.

Belching in a child after 3 years

Caring parents are always concerned about why their older child burps. Such worries are completely justified, because this phenomenon may indicate pathology.

When belching is observed in infants, this is considered normal, but at the age of three it indicates problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

This is especially true if the phenomenon in question is combined with a deterioration in the child’s general condition.

It is forbidden to treat your child on your own or with traditional medicine, because the sooner the pathology is diagnosed, the more positive the prognosis for the treatment of the underlying disease.

And self-medication can only aggravate the situation and lead to serious and dangerous complications.

When is burping considered a dangerous condition?

The phenomenon in question may not be as safe as it seems.

If it is combined with any alarming symptoms, then the doctor can diagnose certain diseases or the consequences of such pathological conditions.

Experts include belching, which is accompanied by vomiting and increased body temperature. If a child experiences such signs, then you should immediately seek medical help.

Belching in combination with vomiting in children of different years is often a symptom of peptic ulcer disease. If the vomit has a sour smell, then this indicates adhesions and scars in the child’s stomach.

Belching, along with which the mother notices an increase in the child’s body temperature, may indicate a pathological condition.

If such symptoms include diarrhea and nausea, then the doctor can diagnose severe poisoning or the presence of an infection in the body.

Such conditions are extremely dangerous for children, so it is forbidden to delay a visit to the doctor.

Only qualified specialists are able to prescribe a proper examination of a small organism, make an accurate diagnosis, prescribe therapeutic measures, if necessary, and eliminate the causes of the phenomenon in question.

How to treat belching

Before prescribing treatment, you should finally figure out what caused the belching in a 3-year-old child, because it is pointless to treat symptoms without knowing the underlying disease.

Doctors prescribe a special diet for almost all young patients, which involves avoiding carbonated drinks and food that stays in the stomach for a long period of time.

In cases where regurgitation occurs due to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, treatment is prescribed not by a pediatrician, but by a gastroenterologist, which makes it possible to quickly relieve the baby of discomfort.

It happens that you can achieve the desired effect with only one diet, but if the situation is very advanced, then you cannot do without taking medications.

Standard therapy consists of taking the following drugs:

  1. If belching is accompanied by a sour breath, the child is prescribed baking soda or alkaline mineral water.
  2. If children belch after they have eaten, this is due to a lack of enzymes. Lactobacilli, which normalize the intestinal microflora, will help cope with the problem.
  3. When gastritis, ulcers or pyloric stenosis appear, specialists prescribe diet, gymnastic exercises and enzymes. Treatment through surgery should not be ruled out.
  4. If you experience belching with a rotten smell, you need to take enzyme agents. In the case where a serious pathology is being treated, the doctor prescribes a long course of medication.
  5. When a child complains of heartburn, parents should reconsider his diet and ensure that the child does not overeat.

But it should be taken into account that heartburn is considered the first symptom of pathologies of the duodenum, pancreatitis, gastritis, cholecystitis. This suggests that you need to show the baby to the doctor in any case.

You should not ignore your baby's alarming symptoms and complaints. A timely diagnosis helps prevent serious consequences of diseases.

Prevention of belching

In order to prevent belching, the mother must comply with several conditions. They are:

  1. Make sure your child chews food slowly and thoroughly.
  2. Do special exercises with your baby that relieve tension after stress or strong excitement.
  3. Prohibit your child from chewing gum and drinking soda.
  4. Eliminate from your child’s diet all foods that cause gas formation.

If parents do everything correctly from the very first days of the baby’s life, they will ensure the normal functioning of his gastrointestinal tract in the future.

Useful video

What to do if a child burps? With the birth of a baby, young parents have many questions regarding the care of the baby and his health. Often, ordinary physiological processes in a child’s body frighten them. One of these processes is belching. It most often occurs due to air entering the baby's stomach, which occurs when eating.

Main reasons

Belching in a child can be both a physiological and a pathological process. In babies under one year old, this process is normal, so it should not cause concern to parents. In older children, belching occurs due to the following factors:

  • talking while eating;
  • severe overeating;
  • unbalanced diet;
  • outdoor games after meals;
  • nicotine poisoning (occurs if there is a smoker in the family);
  • tense atmosphere during meals.

Of course, belching in a child is not always physiological in nature; sometimes it can be provoked by serious pathological diseases:

  • gastritis;
  • hepatitis;
  • pancreatitis;
  • dysbacteriosis;
  • cholecystitis;
  • stomach upsets.

As a rule, such diseases are accompanied by nausea, stomach pain, intestinal upset and bloating. Therefore, if such symptoms are present, you should consult a specialist.

Belching is not a serious cause for concern unless it is accompanied by other illness-related symptoms. Sometimes burping can cause discomfort in a child; in this case, physiological factors that influence its occurrence should be avoided. This will help reduce its frequency, and after a while it will completely stop bothering the baby.

Illness in a newborn

Every young mother worries about her child, so she pays attention to everything that happens to him. Belching in a child is the first thing that can frighten a young mother, because such a manifestation can be encountered from the first days of a toddler’s life. Belching itself in a newborn is a normal phenomenon that occurs after eating. This happens due to a weak nervous system and the structure of the baby’s digestion (food comes back out). Most often, young mothers are afraid that the little one is hungry, and feed him more and more often. This overfeeding of the child causes the opposite process - excess food is pushed out.

In some children, belching causes malaise and tears; this condition is associated with the reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus. It is not always possible to completely eliminate such a process, but you should at least try to prevent it. Your baby's feeding schedule will help with this. It is best to feed your baby often and in even portions.

Based on all this, we can conclude that belching in a newborn is the most common process in its development. Therefore, you should not immediately sound the alarm when faced with such a problem.

Symptoms of the disease

Unfortunately, only in children under one year old can this phenomenon be considered completely normal. After a year, frequent belching in children will primarily occur due to an unbalanced diet or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Of course, the most dangerous is belching caused by diseases. In order to determine what exactly is associated with frequent belching, you should understand its manifestations.

If a child has frequent belching of air, which does not have specific odors from the stomach, this condition indicates a possible disease, such as gastric pneumatosis. This happens as a result of air entering the stomach, and then empty regurgitation. This condition may also indicate diseases of the oral cavity or nasal breathing disorders. However, if such a condition does not cause unpleasant sensations in the baby and does not have an unpleasant odor, it may be of neurotic origin and called airbrushing. This syndrome requires urgent medical attention because it is pathological.

Belching, which smells like rotten eggs, is often due to the decomposition of proteins, which is accompanied by various chemical reactions. This smell is a common symptom of the following diseases:

  • disturbance of intestinal microflora;
  • malignant formations in the gastrointestinal tract;
  • inflammatory processes in the stomach;
  • gastritis.

If burping “rotten eggs” occurs immediately after eating, most often it indicates a high content of sulfur-containing foods in the stomach, such as greens, vegetables and protein foods. This disorder is very often accompanied by severe diarrhea and occurs due to an imbalance of intestinal microflora. In infants, this malaise can also occur quite often; it is associated, first of all, with the immaturity of the baby’s internal organs. And may be accompanied by pain, nausea or loose stools.

Sour belching in a baby can indicate many dangerous diseases, and therefore requires diagnosis. When this process occurs immediately after eating, it indicates incomplete closure of the valve that separates the gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus. Belching also occurs 30 minutes after eating, which indicates an insufficient amount of enzymes, which leads to the fermentation process in the stomach. And if sour belching occurs after 2 hours, then most likely this condition is associated with gastritis. To find out an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a complete diagnosis.

ARVE Error:

Dangerous conditions

Belching can also be dangerous, especially when combined with other symptoms that indicate a certain disease. Such dangerous conditions in the baby’s body can usually be caused by complications of serious diseases.

Among them, one can identify belching, which is accompanied by severe vomiting and elevated body temperature. Belching and vomiting are pathological symptoms that require urgent medical attention. The manifestation of belching with vomiting may be associated with a peptic ulcer, and therefore requires urgent diagnosis. Sometimes vomiting is accompanied by a sour smell, which indicates the formation of adhesions and scarring in the baby’s stomach.

Belching, which appears in a child along with a fever, first of all, indicates pathological processes in the body. If such a malaise is accompanied by diarrhea and severe nausea, it may indicate poisoning or infection in the body. These conditions are very dangerous for the child and require urgent medical intervention. Therefore, if you find a child with belching with fever or vomiting, you should call a doctor who, after diagnosis, will prescribe the correct medication to improve the baby’s general condition.

Belching in children after 3 years

Why does a 3 year old child burp? This question can often be heard from caring parents. And for good reason, because it can signal various diseases. If belching is normal for an infant, then at three years old this condition may indicate gastrointestinal diseases, especially when the child does not feel well. Of course, there is a possibility that belching after eating is caused by other factors, which include:

  • increased salivation;
  • dinner conversation;
  • chronic runny nose;
  • damage to the ENT organs;
  • enlarged palatine tonsils.

Belching in a child after eating can also be of a physiological nature, so if it does not occur so often, it is necessary to exclude the physiological factors of its occurrence, and it will stop altogether. Well, if it occurs frequently and is accompanied by symptoms, then you need to contact a gastroenterologist who will conduct a diagnosis and, based on it, prescribe treatment, taking into account the age of the child.

Under no circumstances should you treat your baby on your own without consulting a doctor, especially with the help of traditional methods and medicines.

After all, such actions can lead to negative consequences for the baby, which will aggravate the course of the disease.

Treatment methods

In all children, treatment for belching begins with diagnostics, which helps determine the causes of this ailment. With all this, children are prescribed a diet, regardless of diagnosis. Such a diet involves the exclusion of harmful foods and carbonated drinks, and the portions should be quite small.

When the diagnosis is made and the cause of this condition is determined, treatment is carried out based on the doctor’s recommendations. If the regurgitation process was caused by a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, the gastroenterologist will suggest a course of treatment, thanks to which the child’s condition will improve in a short time.

ARVE Error: id and provider shortcodes attributes are mandatory for old shortcodes. It is recommended to switch to new shortcodes that need only url

In the absence of serious pathologies, the doctor will give the necessary recommendations to help the child avoid this condition. And, of course, we should not forget about measures to prevent this ailment in a child, including:

  • chewing food thoroughly;
  • a walk in the fresh air before eating;
  • refusal to consume products that contain air (carbonated drinks, cocktails);
  • eating healthy food;
  • calm atmosphere when eating.

With proper prevention, the child will belch less frequently. At the same time, these rules must be followed by the whole family so that the child feels supported. This will help the child cope with the problem and lead a healthy lifestyle. And the main thing is that with the help of such simple preventive methods and doctor’s recommendations, belching will very soon stop bothering the baby.

At a more conscious age, this phenomenon ceases to be the norm and speaks of digestive disorders and pathologies. What can go “wrong” will be discussed below.

In medical reference books, this concept is known under the word “reflux” - a process when gastric gases or part of food returns back into the esophagus. This is very unpleasant and incorrect from a physiological point of view (everything that gets into the esophagus should not come back out).

Reflux may have a one-time manifestation due to improper food intake, but it can be a sign of pathology. It is necessary to monitor the frequency of belching, the presence of an unpleasant smell, sensations, and the period of occurrence. If there is no hope for your memory, then write down your research in a notebook.

How does belching occur?

The main cause of belching is the occurrence of gas in the cavities of the stomach.

The main cause of belching is the occurrence of gas in the cavities of the stomach; it can simply be air from the atmosphere, or it can be formed by the stomach itself.

Gas formation in the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT) occurs due to:

  1. eating foods with increased gas production: legumes, sweet fruits, cabbage, radishes, grapes, peaches, carbonated drinks, chewing gum, too fatty, spicy, spicy foods, chocolate, confectionery and yeast baked goods. All these products actively cause fermentation in the stomach during digestion.
  2. swallowing air with food. Typically, air that enters the gastrointestinal tract along with food does not interfere with the process of digesting food. It is absorbed into the walls of the small intestine, and the remnants that are not absorbed exit through the anus, the large intestine. When eating properly, swallowed air does not cause belching. Otherwise, the cavities of the stomach try to push out excess air so that the latter does not interfere with digestion.
  3. The digestive organs produce gas (the internal cavities of the stomach). When food enters a healthy body, digestion takes 1/2 - 4 hours (it all depends on the type of product). In the case of pathologies and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, food lingers longer than usual and begins to ferment, which leads to the formation of hydrocarbons, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide. These gases have nowhere to go except into the esophagus. Belching occurs, accompanied by an unpleasant odor, and bloating, heaviness and pain may occur.

You need to eat calmly, chewing your food thoroughly with your mouth closed so that too much air does not enter the stomach. Otherwise, when the accumulated gas seeks to exit in the same way as it entered the body, it “takes” with it the entire contents of the stomach - food and gastric juice.

If reflux recurs periodically in a child, which is accompanied by a taste of rot, rotten eggs, bitterness, etc., it is worth checking the gastrointestinal tract for the presence of pathologies or diseases (erosive-ulcerative esophagitis, Barrett's pathology).

These signs indicate that the walls of the stomach are constantly exposed to acid, which leads to erosion of the walls of the esophagus.

For what reasons does excess air enter the body?

Overeating can cause belching.

Parents often face the problem of feeding their child: at first he doesn’t want to eat, and then he eats everything on the plate in two bites.

In addition to excess air, it is difficult for the stomach to digest poorly chewed food and, as a result, belching. Reflux can also be triggered by:

  • active conversation during meals;
  • active actions during meals and immediately after meals - playing, jumping, running, swimming, etc.;
  • quickly absorbing food on the go, snacking;
  • clothing that is too tight and pressure on the stomach (uncomfortable body position while eating);
  • nervous atmosphere and stress;
  • bad combination of foods (for example, give sweet fruits after meat);
  • binge eating;
  • nicotine poisoning (in the case of a smoker in the house, the child’s internal walls of the stomach may not form properly, the ligaments may weaken, which will lead to chronic belching).

Diseases that cause belching. The list of diseases that provoke belching includes:

If you notice frequent reflux in a child, examine him for the presence of these diseases; only a doctor can tell you the true diagnosis.

In addition to belching, diseases carry a bunch of symptoms: pain, nausea, fatigue, upset stomach, etc.

Detailed information about reflux disease is in the thematic video:

Help a child

A circular abdominal massage can help a child with belching.

If a child has reflux from time to time and it does not depend on food intake, then there is no need to worry, perhaps the child ate quickly, excitedly, or became nervous.

In such isolated cases, the child needs to be provided with an upright position and reassured that everything will pass now. Do not put your baby down as this may cause burping. Pat the baby on the back and give a circular tummy massage.

If belching has become a “comrade” when eating food, review the child’s menu and diet, clarify what he eats at school, kindergarten, limit or eliminate the consumption of foods that produce gas. Belching is not a disease, but only a symptom of something more unpleasant. Go to a gastroenterologist, have your stomach examined, you may need treatment and take appropriate medications.

Tell your friends! Share this article with your friends on your favorite social network using social buttons. Thank you!

Dr. Komarovsky about regurgitation

Questions regarding regurgitation in babies are among the most common among young parents and experienced mothers and fathers. And all because there are practically no newborns who do not do this. According to medical statistics, 8 out of 10 toddlers do this. The only difference is in the frequency, volume and intensity of the process. The famous doctor Evgeniy Komarovsky tells what to do if the baby regularly “throws” back part of what he eats, and whether this requires treatment.

About the problem

In medicine, regurgitation has a scientific name - gasesophageal reflux. It was first described as a medical phenomenon in the 19th century. Reflux develops mainly after eating. It manifests itself in the fact that part of the stomach contents is passively thrown back into the esophagus, enters the pharynx and mouth. As a result, the baby “pleases” the mother by giving back what was recently eaten, sometimes quite generously.

In an adult, food most often cannot come back out, since the whole barrier mechanism of different sphincters of the esophagus is triggered. In newborns, especially premature babies, these “locking devices” are poorly developed. As they improve, episodes of regurgitation occur less frequently and then disappear altogether. Underdevelopment of the digestive organs is considered the main cause of gasesophageal reflux.

In the first months of life, this phenomenon is considered physiologically justified and normal. In a third of children, digestion returns to normal at the age of 4 months; most toddlers stop regurgitating at 5-6 months. Only in a small proportion of babies this is observed after 7 months, but by the age of one year such a “late” child completely stops spitting up.

If the child’s general condition is normal: the baby is gaining weight well, the pediatrician does not see any abnormalities, and the neurologist has not made a serious neurological diagnosis, then regurgitation does not cause any harm to babies.

Treatment

There is no magic pill for this phenomenon, says Evgeny Komarovsky. Therefore, treatment of reflux always represents a complex of psychological and pedagogical measures aimed, first of all, at parents. They, who are alarmed and panicking, need to be explained in an accessible and understandable way that there is nothing pathological in this process, the child is not sick, is not starving, is not suffering and does not need hospitalization.

If this is successful, then another important point is explained to mom and dad. Regurgitation is not vomiting. You should immediately consult a doctor if you are vomiting, because this symptom is very dangerous for infants. When vomiting, in addition to food expelled from the stomach (a large amount of it), the baby will have other symptoms. With reflux, nothing else happens to the baby except a small amount of milk or formula that comes out.

There are children with increased activity of the vomiting center who can react by vomiting even to slight overeating. Such babies need to be underfed, says Evgeny Komarovsky, that is, limit the time they spend at the breast. And if the baby eats an adapted milk formula, then dilute it in smaller quantities than the age norm requires.

The main treatment for any regurgitation should be aimed at ensuring that the child does not overeat, because he will still “throw away” the excess. In especially severe cases, drugs are prescribed to reduce gas formation - Diflatil or Espumisan. For a baby who spits up frequently and profusely, especially if reflux does not appear immediately, but half an hour or even an hour after eating, Komarovsky advises swaddling and putting him to sleep on his side so that the baby does not choke in his sleep.

If your baby resents having to sleep on his side (and this is not at all uncommon!), then you can put an adult pillow under the crib mattress. The baby's back, but not the baby's head, should be on this elevation. It can be laid on its back at an angle of about 30 degrees, in this position the danger of choking is minimized.

When do you need a doctor?

If a child is not gaining weight well and is noticeably lagging behind in development, then regurgitation needs correction, which will be thought out by a specialist after an examination. You should also consult a doctor if, after an episode of reflux, the baby behaves restlessly - begins to cry piercingly, draws in its legs, and squirms. This can occur when the esophagus is irritated by gastric juice. As a rule, this becomes possible with certain pathologies of the digestive organs and with neurological problems.

The mother needs to see a doctor as soon as possible if the baby regurgitates not just milk or formula, but a brownish or greenish liquid, as this may be a sign of a serious pathology - intestinal obstruction. Yellow masses from the stomach should also be grounds for a visit to the doctor, as they may indicate problems with the functioning of the stomach or pancreas.

Mothers whose babies did not burp until six months ago should definitely visit a pediatrician, and after 6 months this problem has just begun. Regurgitation like a fountain is also a reason to seek help from a qualified specialist.

If a child often spits up, parents should listen to a few simple tips:

  • During feeding, babies can swallow air - this is also one of the reasons for regurgitation. After eating, you need to hold the baby upright, leaning it against your shoulder and lightly tapping the back with your palm until the excess air escapes;
  • if the child is bottle-fed, after preliminary consultation with a doctor, you should buy him not just an adapted formula, but a product marked “anti-reflux”. It contains special safe thickeners such as rice starch;
  • after regurgitation, you should not try to feed the baby; his digestive tract should be given a little rest;
  • if the baby burps through the mouth and nose, it is imperative to clear the nasal passages of the remaining stomach contents in order to prevent the development of bacterial inflammation;
  • You should not entertain your baby immediately after eating, but you should leave him alone - this way the likelihood of regurgitation is reduced.

Regurgitation is a problem that affects all nursing mothers and their babies. What should a mother do and how should she behave in this situation? Tips from Dr. Komarovsky from the video below will help you figure this out.

What to do if your child burps

Often parents encounter certain problems in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract in their children. And belching after eating is one of the most common. Belching in a child is an involuntary release of small air masses through the oral cavity. This is due to the fact that a certain amount of air accumulates in the esophagus or stomach and enters the baby’s body with food. This process can occur from 10 to 15 times a day and is considered the absolute norm if the air released during regurgitation does not have characteristic odors. If this phenomenon begins to become more frequent, accompanied by a certain smell and taste, then this may serve as a signal for disturbances in the functioning of the child’s gastrointestinal tract.

In this article we will tell you about the main causes of belching in children, the types of this phenomenon, as well as methods for effective treatment of regurgitation caused by various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Important to remember! This article is not an accurate and direct guide to action. Do not treat your baby yourself at home. If you experience any symptoms, be sure to consult an experienced physician or other qualified health professional.

Description

The phenomenon of belching in a child after eating is quite common. This action is the involuntary release of a certain amount of air accumulated in the digestive organs through the child’s mouth. This kind of process is possible in the case of an open sphincter connecting the esophagus and stomach (cardia) and contraction of the stomach muscles. If the baby’s development proceeds without any disturbances, this problem disappears after some time.

Belching in children in a normal state is an integral regulation of the functioning of the digestive organs and performs a number of functions, such as:

  • activation of natural gastric motility;
  • freeing the stomach from excess gases and air accumulated in the cardiac part, which thereby prevents unwanted stretching of the organ;
  • assistance in the digestive processes of the gastrointestinal tract;

Involuntary regurgitation after eating most often occurs at an early age of the child due to incomplete closure of the cardiac esophageal sphincter. This is due to the fact that the fetus in the womb received nutrition through the umbilical cord, and its digestive system was not fully formed, which is the absolute norm.

As the baby develops, regurgitation can be caused by poor eating habits, such as frequent talking while eating, rushing, not chewing enough, and swallowing large pieces of food. In this case, belching will be a natural physiological phenomenon.

If this phenomenon appears too often, even after following all the principles of proper nutrition, then this may indicate some disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, the belching will be pathological.

Causes

Having a smoking family member in the house often causes reflux due to passive smoking. Constant relaxation of the sphincters under the influence of nicotine can lead to chronic belching.

Among the diseases that cause belching in children are:

  • ulcerative lesions of the stomach;
  • acute and chronic forms of pancreatitis;
  • gastritis, accompanied by high acidity;
  • esophagitis;
  • gurgle;
  • dysbacteriosis;

In addition to regurgitation, these diseases are also accompanied by bloating, nausea, diarrhea and periodic pain.

Belching air

Frequent empty regurgitation is an involuntary portioned release of a small amount of air from the oral cavity. The reasons for frequent burping of air in a child can be:

  • diseases of the oral cavity and teeth;
  • frequent conversations with your mouth full;
  • food on the go;
  • difficulty breathing through the nose;
  • frequent use of chewing gum;
  • excess air entering the stomach (aerophagia);
  • abuse of carbonated drinks;
  • stomach neurosis;
  • physical games or exercise after meals;
  • consumption of legumes;

With frequent aerophagia, diseases such as pneumatosis or gastric neurosis can develop, which is a pathological problem and requires drug treatment.

Belching in children aged 2 years

Often, belching in a 2-year-old child is explained by both physiological and psychological disorders.

Psychological disorders include frequent nervousness and nervous tension in the environment of the baby, as well as possible worries or fears. With these disorders, not only regurgitation can be observed, but also a feeling of nausea, the urge to vomit, heartburn and fever.

Physiological disorders include disorders associated with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as various infectious lesions. In this case, this process will most often be accompanied by a rotten odor or bitter taste.

Belching in children aged 3 years

The causes of belching in a 3-year-old child have a wide range and most often indicate a serious malfunction in the body. Main reasons:

  1. Increased salivation due to problems with the gastrointestinal tract, as well as dental diseases.
  2. Frequent diseases of the ENT organs, such as: chronic tonsillitis, runny nose, enlarged tonsils. These diseases cause the child to swallow more air during meals due to difficulty breathing.
  3. Emotional overexcitation and nervous shock.
  4. Irregular and fussy eating.

Basic principles of treatment

Frequent belching in a child can be caused by a number of reasons. And first of all, disturbances in food consumption processes should be normalized. To do this you need:

  • thorough chopping and chewing of food;
  • splitting meals;
  • slow food consumption;
  • no active games or physical activity for 2 hours after eating;
  • use of digestive enzymes prescribed by a doctor;
  • stopping the consumption of free liquid to wash down food;

If this therapy does not produce results, you must immediately consult a gastroenterologist and then undergo a course of drug treatment.

If a child's belching has a rotten smell, this may be a signal of problems with the pancreas or liver.

Remember! If symptoms of the disease appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. Do not do home treatment.

When burping occurs in children, do not panic. First you need to analyze the causes of the occurrence and only then proceed to active action. Remember that the main problems in the occurrence of this process are poor nutrition and insufficient development of the baby’s gastrointestinal tract in the early stages. In case of a pathological disorder, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination.

But perhaps it would be more correct to treat not the effect, but the cause?

Why does a child burp after eating?

Belching in a child after eating is an involuntary release of air accumulated in the esophagus and stomach. It gets there through eating food.

Swallowing air is caused by eating dry food, on the go and in large pieces, without thorough chewing. In addition, belching after eating has a number of useful functions, which include helping digest food, triggering gastric motility, and even protecting the stomach from distension. The norm is considered to be about belching per day, provided that the air that comes out with belching has no odor. Let's look at why a child belches after eating, whether a one-year-old baby should have it, as well as the causes and treatment of belching in children of any age.

Causes of burping at different ages

Infants and newborns burp after sucking at the breast or after taking a bottle - this is normal, since the air entering the body controls the pressure inside the stomach and, when released, reduces colic and bloating. Breast milk often enters the stomach along with air, and therefore the baby of the first year of life often regurgitates not only air, but also part of what he has eaten. Despite the fact that the process is natural for an undeveloped body, the young mother still needs to ensure that during feeding the baby swallows the nipple well.

If feeding from a bottle, make sure that the nipple is completely filled with the mixture. In children 1 year of age and after 1 year, belching after eating appears due to:

  • You need to eat in silence, avoiding talking while eating.
  • Improper food consumption (when a lot of fruit is eaten immediately after a fatty and heavy meal).
  • Sleep after a meal or very active games.
  • The child often inhales nicotine – refers to passive smoking

At 2 years of age and older, belching after eating may occur due to:

  1. Excitability of the nervous system, with frequent emotional outbursts and fears. This can be classified as a psychological disorder. When they occur, a malfunction of the body may occur and nausea, heartburn, regurgitation and even fever may occur.
  2. For disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Talks about a physiological disorder that is caused by various infectious diseases and dietary disorders. A child's belching after eating may have an unpleasant rotten odor and bitterness in the mouth.

Important! Breastfeeding is a whole process that is not always possible to establish from the first days of life. Make sure your baby is properly attached to the breast and let him burp after each feeding. Pay due attention to your food intake and then you will get rid of many natural problems in the next months of life.

Causes of burping in children over 3 years old

In a child 3 years of age and older, belching after eating food may occur due to:

  • Dental diseases.
  • Disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Diseases of the ENT organs - with a runny nose, enlarged tonsils.
  • Nervous overexcitation.
  • Irregular meals and snacks on the go.

In children after 4 years of age it occurs due to the development of pathology of internal organs. Often, along with regurgitation of food or air, there is pain in the abdominal area and heaviness. At 4 years old, the signs of various diseases become more obvious and, if a child has something in pain, he can talk about it himself and even explain his pain. Under no circumstances should you break your diet at this age. In children over 5 years of age, the presence of belching after eating may indicate and be detected in the following pathological processes:

  1. Ulcerative lesion of the gastric mucosa.
  2. In case of cardia insufficiency.
  3. A burning sensation and frequent belching are often a manifestation of a diaphragmatic hernia.
  4. Malsorption syndrome.
  5. With IBS, as indicated by unstable stools.
  6. In case of individual intolerance by the child’s body to certain foods.

Important! The occurrence of belching in a child after eating does not always mean that there is a disruption in the functioning of the digestive organs. Most often this is normal and a natural process. Komarovsky says that the alarm should only be sounded if there is constant belching with an unpleasant odor and if the stomach still hurts during belching.

Detection of pathology

Children's burps after and during meals perform important functions. Such as starting the work of gastric motility, freeing the body from accumulated gases, and most importantly, helping in digestion and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. What does the presence of belching after eating with the smell of rotten eggs indicate? If these symptoms appear, then you should consult a doctor immediately, as this is the first sign of such diseases and pathologies:

  • Various liver disorders.
  • Pathologies of the biliary tract.
  • Pathology of the cardia is a muscle that is a congenital disease and is located in the area between the stomach and esophagus.
  • Malignant formations in the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Stomach ulcer.
  • Pancreatitis in acute or chronic form.
  • Gastritis.
  • Bulbits.
  • Esophagitis.
  • Intestinal and digestive disorders are obligatory in case of dysbacteriosis.
  • Neuroses of the stomach.

These diseases are also accompanied by frequent bloating, diarrhea, nausea, which can lead to vomiting and pain.

The older the child, the more concern there should be with these manifestations after eating.

Ways to deal with burping in children

At the age of one year, children are not yet particularly picky with food and therefore they should be taught to eat properly and eat healthy foods, since already at two and three years old your child will begin to show a desire to eat foods that do not always have a positive effect on the functions of the body. The summer period is characterized by the ripening of a large number of necessary vegetables and fruits, so do not forget that after winter you should replenish your reserves of useful vitamins and minerals. If the belching is frequent and, one might say, chronic, then you need to urgently take action and then monitor changes in the baby’s condition:

  1. Establish a food intake routine, eat small portions and avoid overeating.
  2. Food must be chewed thoroughly and the child must be taught to do this from childhood.
  3. Eliminate harmful foods from their diet.
  4. Improve daytime and nighttime sleep.
  5. Spend enough time in the fresh air, get used to sports.
  6. The ban applies to all fast foods, carbonated drinks, chips and crackers.
  7. A calm environment at home - excessive worry can be a factor in the manifestation of not only belching, but also abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea. Most often occurs in children aged 2 years.
  8. After eating there should be a short rest.

If all of the above measures to combat belching after eating were taken, but unfortunately did not give the desired result, you need to contact a gastroenterologist and pass a list of necessary tests. After identifying the causes of belching, the doctor will prescribe treatment, diet and prescribe the necessary medications. The duration of treatment depends on the nature and severity of the symptoms. As a preventive measure, you should maintain an active lifestyle, monitor your child’s proper nutrition and avoid frequent consumption of foods that are harmful and difficult for the body.

What does Dr. Komarovsky say about regurgitation in infants?

Infants spit up food. Many parents see this as a cause for concern. Let's consider what Dr. Komarovsky says about regurgitation of infants, in what cases you should consult a doctor and what are the causes of regurgitation.

1 Belching, regurgitation, vomiting

Often these 3 processes are confused. Despite the fact that each case is the release of milk or formula through the mouth, physiologically all 3 processes differ from each other.

During feeding, the infant swallows air, which can enter the stomach and intestines and linger there, causing spasms and bloating, causing discomfort to the baby and causing regurgitation. To avoid this, before placing the baby in the crib, after feeding, he is held upright until he burps air. Usually you have to wait no longer than 20 minutes. When burping, air may escape from the stomach, trapping a small amount of milk.

If, during belching, the food is released with air in a stream - this is regurgitation. The contents of the stomach are expelled passively, the diaphragm and abdominal muscles do not tense. Regurgitation does not affect the baby's well-being. Vomiting occurs when the abdominal muscles are activated, and the baby’s facial features are distorted. The milk comes out curdled and with a sour odor. With real vomiting, the child turns pale, his pulse quickens, and his limbs become cold.

2 Don't panic

Regurgitation is observed in children from birth or begins at the age of 1-4 months. Food may rise from the stomach immediately after feeding or after 1-2 hours. In some children this happens occasionally, in others several times after one meal. It happens that a child spits up minutes after he starts sucking. Sometimes, when milk gets into his nose, the baby breathes with difficulty, but does not let go of the breast. Mothers are especially frightened at the sight of liquid pouring out of the child’s mouth like a fountain. How dangerous is regurgitation for a baby's health? Maybe the baby is sick and needs urgent treatment?

Candidate of Medical Sciences, pediatrician with 30 years of practical experience Komarovsky E.O. believes that regurgitation is natural for a baby in the first months of life. Most often, this happens because the newborn, due to the instinct of self-preservation inherent in him by nature, overeats, and later the excess food is excreted. In addition, in many children the activity of the vomiting center is so increased that even slight distension of the stomach leads to vomiting. If, despite this, the baby is cheerful and active, do not panic. The main thing that parents should pay attention to is how the baby is gaining weight and whether his development corresponds to his age. After the child has burped heavily, mothers, confident that everything that was eaten has come out, rush to feed him again. The volume of the mass released during vomiting always seems larger than it actually is, so if the baby is calm and does not show hunger, do not rush into feeding.

Babies may overeat if milk comes from the breast in large quantities or the nipple is not selected correctly. A hungry baby who sleeps for a long time and then sucks greedily can eat more than his stomach capacity allows. This kind of greed appears in a baby if the interval between feedings is 4 hours or more.

Correctly applying it to the breast will help prevent the baby from swallowing a significant amount of air when sucking, namely, so that the baby does not rest his nose on it, grabs the nipple and areola, and does not throw his head back. The bottle must be held, raising the bottom so that the nipple is completely filled with milk. Don’t forget to clean your baby’s nose of mucus and crusts in a timely manner.

Reducing the amount of food and changing the feeding schedule rarely leads to getting rid of regurgitation in infants. For some, it gets worse as teeth begin to grow. It may disappear completely as soon as the baby begins to sit up or walk.

3 When is a doctor urgently needed?

The cause of regurgitation may be replacing the formula to which the baby is accustomed to another, as well as feeding the newborn ahead of time. In some cases, stroking the baby clockwise around the navel before eating or if he lies on his tummy can help prevent vomiting. You can interrupt the feeding and hold the baby upright so that the food settles inside him. After the air comes out, continue. It is important that the tone of the muscles of the baby’s esophagus and stomach is strongly influenced by passive smoking. It can cause vomiting in the baby.

Dr. Komarovsky claims that regurgitation, in which the child feels well and gains weight, is a normal phenomenon that goes away by the age of 1 year. You should immediately consult a doctor if milk return is accompanied by the following factors:

  • the baby spits up or vomits from birth and after each feeding;
  • there is slow weight gain;
  • there are disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • severe vomiting every day;
  • when regurgitating, the child behaves restlessly and cries;
  • The vomit contains green bile.

Parents should be alarmed if regurgitation occurs after drinking or taking a small amount of milk and the child hardly gains any weight. This may be a sign of pyloric stenosis - a sharp narrowing of one of the sections of the stomach, as a result of which almost nothing enters the small intestine. This kind of anatomical defects are usually detected in the first days after birth and are immediately operated on. But sometimes pyloric stenosis is detected only at 3-10 weeks.

For atypical regurgitation, the doctor suggests choosing a mixture with an anti-reflux effect, which includes thickeners that prevent vomiting. It can only be used on the recommendation of a pediatrician.

Frequently weighing the child will help the doctor determine the diagnosis. It should always be carried out at home under the same conditions so that side factors do not affect the performance. The baby is weighed at the same time before feeding, naked, with a diaper placed under him, the weight of which is subtracted from the data obtained.

The baby's body is structured completely differently. Many manifestations of its functioning lead parents to real confusion. This article will tell you what moms and dads should do when their child burps.

Causes

Doctors call burping the return of food from the mouth after a child has eaten. Each age has its own criteria for normality.

Many, even novice parents, know that babies in the first months of life constantly regurgitate food after feeding. This does not mean that the child has any health problems. As a rule, this symptom is completely physiological and indicates the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract of a newborn baby.

The appearance of belching in a child at an older age and especially after eating should alert parents. In most cases, this symptom already indicates about the presence of problems in the baby’s health. If the child’s unfavorable symptoms of belching persist constantly, then there is no point in postponing a visit to the doctor.

A variety of reasons can cause belching in babies of different ages. Some of them are completely physiological, while others indicate the presence of some pathology in the child’s body.

Currently, doctors identify several dozen different diseases in which a child may belch. Many parents believe that only diseases of the gastrointestinal tract contribute to the appearance of this unfavorable symptom in the baby. However, this is not at all true.

Belching of food in a baby occurs due to the fact that the stomach contracts when the esophageal sphincter is not closed. This situation provokes the return of food contents and its exit from the mouth.

There are several types of belching. In most cases, this is the food form, where ingested food is released. There is also belching of air. It can develop in both adults and children.

In this case, the food eaten passes from the stomach to the intestines, and air is released from the mouth. This feature allows our body to equalize the disturbed gastric pressure, which changes during digestion. In healthy people, air is released in such small quantities that they simply do not notice it.

A variety of reasons can lead to belching in babies. First, it should be noted - in what situations this manifestation is very physiological. In this case, parents should not panic, but only need to pay attention to the child’s eating behavior.

Physiological belching quite often appears in babies who engage in active conversations during meals. The air that enters in large quantities during such a conversation mixes with food particles and enters further into the esophagus. This condition quite quickly leads to stretching of the hollow organs of the gastrointestinal tract, leading not only to the formation of belching, but also to a feeling of fullness in the stomach.

Insufficient chewing of food is also a fairly common cause of belching in babies. Incoming lumps cause stretching of the esophagus, and then the stomach, which leads to excessive overflow of these organs.

In order for the food bolus to be well crushed, the food must be chewed very well. This situation is quite common in children in the first years of life, who have already “moved” to a common table and eat regular food with adults.

Rushing while eating is also quite often a provoking cause of belching in babies. Children who attend a large number of sports clubs and educational clubs are often inattentive to table manners.

The eternal rush and attempt to attend all scheduled classes often leads to the child swallowing large pieces of food that he carefully does not swallow. This frequent situation not only provokes frequent belching in the child, but is also a trigger point for the development of chronic diseases of internal organs in the child in the future.

Doctors recommend that all family members not eat during or immediately after any severe psychological stress. The physiological process of digestion is inextricably linked with a certain innervation. All organs of the gastrointestinal tract are connected to a large number of nerves, which ensure proper contraction of their walls (peristalsis).

Medical specialists have long noticed that eating food in a state of emotional arousal leads to the development of belching and other very unfavorable symptoms.

Some foods also promote bolus secretion in the opposite direction. These include: carbonated drinks and kvass, oxygenated cocktails, onions, some dairy products (especially whole cow's milk), many types of legumes and cabbage.

Eating such food not only causes the baby to burp after eating, but can also cause severe gas formation.

There are also pathological reasons that lead to the appearance of this unfavorable symptom in a child. In the overwhelming majority of cases, these are gastrointestinal pathologies. According to statistics, they become the culprits in the development of belching in babies in approximately 90-95% of cases. Other diseases of internal organs are much less common triggers.

Among the most common pathologies of the digestive tract are the following: pancreatitis, gastritis, duodenitis, liver and gallbladder diseases and many others. In most cases, these diseases occur in children in a chronic form. Their frequent exacerbations only contribute to the persistent persistence of belching in the child.

Without treating the underlying disease, it is almost impossible to eliminate the adverse manifestations of these pathologies.

A fairly common cause of belching in a child is a peptic ulcer. This pathology may be associated with the stomach or duodenum.

Poor nutrition, long breaks between meals and severe stress are common causes of the development of this disease in childhood. This pathology manifests itself in a child, as a rule, by the development of belching. It can be either with the release of food or air.

Much less often, the cause of belching in a baby can be various diseases of the internal organs. Pathologies of the cardiovascular system, especially those occurring in a rather severe form, lead to a violation of the pressure inside the abdominal and thoracic cavity. This situation contributes to the development of severe symptoms of belching in the child.

Children who are overweight also often have adverse symptoms. A large amount of adipose tissue puts pressure on the diaphragm, which causes disturbances in the movement of the food bolus in the physiological direction.

The occurrence of belching in obese children is associated with the development of a relative insufficiency of the esophageal sphincter in the child. Normally, this anatomical formation does not allow food from the stomach to flow back into the esophagus.

Belching can have a very different taste:

  • Appearance of sour taste in the oral cavity after the return of food may indicate existing problems in the gastrointestinal tract.
  • If your child feels bitterness in his mouth, then, as a rule, in most cases this symptom indicates that the baby has problems with the liver, gall bladder or biliary tract.

  • The foul smell of food contents is a very unfavorable symptom. It appears mainly when a child has excessive fermentation processes in the stomach or upper intestines.

If a child regurgitates food along with air, then this manifestation is called aerophagia. This condition can be either physiological or develop in a variety of pathologies. Errors in the daily diet are also common causes of the development of this condition.

You should not ignore the appearance of belching in a child. Prolonged reflux of sour or bitter contents into the esophagus can lead to the development of very unfavorable conditions.

Gastroenterologists say that this process becomes a trigger for the further development of dangerous chronic diseases, and in some cases even contributes to the growth of tumors.

Belching with a bitter taste can also occur after long-term use of certain medications. This situation is due to the fact that almost all drugs undergo “processing” through the liver, and only then their active metabolites enter the bloodstream and reach the necessary internal organs.

Doctors note that taking muscle relaxants can lead to impaired sphincter tone, which causes the child to persist in persistent belching for a long time.

A rather rare reason leading to the appearance of this unfavorable symptom is also surgical operations performed. In some cases, belching after such interventions is transient, that is, it completely stops over time.

If the surgical technique is violated, surgical complications may occur, which lead to the appearance of unfavorable symptoms of dyspepsia in the child.

Age characteristics

The appearance of belching at each age requires separate consideration. The reasons that contribute to the development of this condition in children can be very diverse.

Every mother can identify the triggering factors that contributed to the appearance of physiological belching in a child. To do this, she only needs to more carefully observe how the baby behaves at the table.

If, in the opinion of the parents, there are no compelling reasons for the development of belching in the child, they should definitely show the baby to the pediatrician. Under no circumstances should this unfavorable symptom be left without due attention.

Each age requires a unique diagnosis. You cannot equate the appearance of belching in an infant and a schoolchild.

In newborns and infants

The appearance of belching in a child under one year old is quite often the simplest sign that the child is simply completely full. This is quite easily explained by the peculiarities of the physiological development of children of this age. The digestive tract of a one-year-old baby is structured completely differently than that of older children.

The volume of a newborn baby's stomach is very tiny. It will only increase as the child grows and develops. Only a few milliliters of mother's milk is enough to satiate the baby in the first days of life.

At the beginning of lactation, it is quite fatty and has the necessary calorie content for the development of a newborn child's body. A weak esophageal sphincter causes the child to belch frequently.

To prevent the development of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, pediatricians recommend not placing the baby in a horizontal position immediately after feeding. This simple measure will prevent food contents from being thrown in the opposite direction.

For proper digestion, support the baby in your arms in an upright position until he burps.

Burping several times should not frighten parents, as it can be a completely physiological reaction of the baby.

If the baby is quite emotional or has some kind of nervous system disease, then more favorable situations should be chosen for feeding.

You should first reassure the child well. Some overly emotional children rock well in their parents' arms. The baby should be fed in an atmosphere of maximum calm.

In children 2-3 years old

The appearance of belching in children of this age is quite often the cause of disrupted behavior. Children 2-3 years old can already chew food, as they have the required number of teeth in the oral cavity. To prevent a child from belching, he should be taught the basics of proper eating behavior from a very early age.

Parents should be sure to explain to their child that all food must be chewed thoroughly. This will reduce the occurrence of adverse symptoms, especially belching and heartburn.

At this age, the organs of the gastrointestinal tract are still forming and developing. It is important that children 2-3 years old receive in their daily diet all the nutrients and microelements necessary for their growth and development.

For optimal digestion, your baby should eat at least 5-6 times a day. Portions should be age appropriate. Overfeeding a child only contributes to excessive stretching of the walls of the esophagus, which leads to severe belching.

In children from 5 to 7 years old

The appearance of belching in children of this age should be a good reason for parents to consult a doctor.

It is quite easy to identify eating disorders in children of this age. To do this, you just need to carefully observe your child. Quite often, a baby's belching is caused by excessive eating while watching cartoons.

Various food poisoning and toxic infections also quite often lead to the formation of this unfavorable symptom at this age.

Viruses and bacteria that enter a child's body release a large number of toxic products, which cause a variety of digestive disorders. Their most common manifestation is the appearance of a fountain of belching or frequent vomiting. Yellow contents in these pathologies indicate involvement of the gallbladder or liver in the process.

For schoolchildren

If the appearance of belching in newborn babies is a rather physiological phenomenon, then the development of this unfavorable symptom in a school-age child, as a rule, indicates the presence of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

According to statistics, the most common of these pathologies is gastroesophageal reflux.

In this case, the acidic contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus, causing inflammation and damage to the walls there.

With diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, a child may burp even after drinking water. Backflow of the eaten contents occurs in a baby suffering from severe gastritis. In this case, the child’s physiological process of digestion is significantly disrupted. Adverse symptoms in this situation appear in the baby mainly due to errors in the diet.

It is worth noting that not only diseases of the gastrointestinal tract contribute to the development of belching in school-age children. Excessive growth of adenoids in the nasal cavity can also lead to its appearance.

The polypous tissue that develops there affects the functioning of nearby organs, which contributes to the appearance of various unfavorable dyspeptic symptoms in the baby.

Frequent consumption of carbonated drinks and dry crackers or chips also leads to various digestive disorders. For proper digestion, a child needs nutritious meals and an optimal drinking regime.

Eating large amounts of dry foods or snacks is a fairly common cause of belching in babies of this age.

In teenagers

Almost all the same causative factors as in adults lead to the development of belching at this age.

An important reason that is involved in the development of belching in a teenager is smoking. The toxic effects of nicotine and cigarette smoke lead to irritation of receptors and mucous membranes, leading to the development of a wide variety of adverse symptoms.

Snacking on the run is also a fairly common cause of belching and heartburn in teenagers. Abuse of fatty and fried foods not only contributes to the appearance of this unfavorable symptom, but also leads to the development of dangerous chronic diseases of internal organs.

For optimal digestion, a teenager should eat every 3-3.5 hours. At the same time, cooked food should take up at least 75% of everything consumed per day. As an afternoon snack or snack, it is better to give preference to fermented milk products or fruit rather than sweet soda with chips.

If belching in a teenager is also accompanied by the appearance of heartburn and pain in the abdomen, then this requires mandatory consultation with a gastroenterologist.

To clarify the correct diagnosis, a number of laboratory tests will be required, as well as the mandatory appointment of fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS) and ultrasound of the abdominal organs. This will allow us to identify all deviations in health status at the earliest stages.

To learn why children in their first year of life burp, watch the following video.

CATEGORIES

POPULAR ARTICLES

2023 “kingad.ru” - ultrasound examination of human organs