Bloating in Child

Updated on July 19, 2011
S.B. asks from Santa Barbara, CA
7 answers

My 7 year old son gets severe bloating...I have tried to eliminate dairy..seems to help but I have to admit I am not very consistent. I have had him tested for everything...allergies, and celiac diseease. Everything negative. The doctors seems reluctant or maybe ignorant of what the problem could be. I know there is a problem, just my mother's instinct. They seem to think that he is just fat. Most of his bulge is in his belly area but it does not always bulge or bloat..sometimes he wakes up it is as flat as ever and other times it bloats badly. He has suffered from constipation but we seem to be getting that under control. Lots more fruits and plain water. He is also pretty active. I need some advice from moms who has had this with their kids and what iif anything that they did that really help. I feel bad for my son. Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Hi Jessica, How are you treating with the Glycolic diagnosis? I am intersted in that infornation . Do you restrict certain foods...Please tell me more. Thanks!

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K.U.

answers from Detroit on

You could try eliminating wheat and wheat gluten from his diet, as well as dairy, and just really be more strict and consistent about it for a month, and see what happens. My stepson always seemed to be having stomach pains and bowel issues until we tried not having any dairy for several days - no milk, ice cream, cheese, nada. That's how we figured out he was lactose intolerant. Otherwise maybe you need a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist if you have not seen one already.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.E.

answers from Indianapolis on

There are many different possibilities, but as his mom, stick with following your instinct. My daughter had a bloated belly that I noticed shortly after her first birthday. It would sometimes be such an issue, that she couldn't bend over, had to do what I call the Pregnant Belly squat to reach something on the ground. Patting her belly would make a very hollow sound. They went through the whole gastro possibilities, and finally and ultrasound showed questions about her liver and its size. We are still working on diagnosing, but she definitely has metabolic issues, and has experienced ketotic hypoglycemia. We are working with the diagnosis of Glycogen Storage Disease, or GSD. I would suggest going in the direction of metabolic disorders if you are still seeing these symptoms. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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B..

answers from Dallas on

What kind of test did they do for Celiac? Blood panels are notoriously inaccurate. My sister was so sick, they tested her for all kinds of cancer and illnesses. Her blood test came back negative. It wasn't until they actually did a gut biopsy, that she got a positive test. I tested positive with a blood test, but I was lucky. Have you tried eliminating wheat and gluten? I am very thin (around 100 pounds) and would often have a bloated stomach. It wasn't until I eliminated wheat and gluten, that it stopped. I also started taking probiotics, to help my gut heal. My whole family still takes them.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.N.

answers from Cleveland on

sodium?! my step daughter would come home from her mom's an entire pants size or 2 bigger than she left, every week, but she ate a lot of processed high sodium foods, she'd shrink back down after a couple days with us, then it would happen all over again.

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E.W.

answers from Cleveland on

Try a probiotic. Any drug store has them. I use Culturelle. Try to reduce the sugar. There is a great osteopath doctor in Richfield Ohio, Dr CHeryl Leuthauser. She treats a lot of kids with allergy issues. I do not trust the regular allergy tests. Her practice is called Integrative Wellness? Also if you are interested in learning more about the food we are eating there is a book by Robyn Obrien called the Unhealthy Truth. She is also on Facebook to follow. Good luck to you.

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

My grandson was constipated and his belly would extend if he didn't have a bowel movement but he didn't have gas. When you say bloat, do you mean that he also passes gas? IF he's not passing gas then his condition is unlikely to be lactose intolerance. I don't know about gluten.

My grandson did have to not have dairy because dairy is constipating.

If he's lactose intolerant he will have gas and bloat unless you completely eliminate dairy. I suggest you be consistent about it for a couple of weeks and see if that helps. Gas is always presence with lactose intolerance.

Gluten intolerance has become a common subject now a days. I suggest you do a trial without wheat. You have to be consistent for a couple of weeks for either trial to work.

You can do a trial without learning about everything that contains dairy and wheat. Be just eliminating the obvious you should see some improvement if intolerance is the issue. Dairy is anything made with milk. That ones easy. Gluten is anything made with wheat. But some grains also contain gluten. Oatmeal is one. Look up a list to go by but don't worry about the obscure.

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R.S.

answers from Terre Haute on

My daughter would look bloated when she was severly blocked (bowls) though we thought she was pooping and all was fine. She takes stool softening pills that help and no more bloating - I sometimes sneak a fiber thing in her drink - tastleess.

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