As with adults, infants and children can also have digestive problems. One of the most common, especially in infants and infants under 2 years of age, is indigestion, more commonly known as empacho or dyspepsia. This digestive condition occurs mainly when a baby consumes more food or milk than necessary.
But how do I know if my baby is indigestible? And, if so, what can I do to alleviate this digestive problem? In the following article we explain both the symptoms of empacho in babies and the possible existing treatments to improve this annoying health problem. Read!
Causes of empacho in babies
Indigestion or empacho in babies is a digestive condition that is characterized, mainly, by the appearance of pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen of the child during or after a meal. When this problem appears, there are many parents who wonder why my baby is soaked?
The most common cause of indigestion in infants or infants is that the adult has given him more milk than the little one really needed. Therefore, empacho or indigestion in young children could be caused by causes such as:
- Excess intakes or amount of breast milk or formula supplements.
- In case of having started complementary feeding, it can also occur if we maintain the same amounts and intakes of milk and, in addition, we provide the baby with new foods.
- In the preschool stage (i.e., early life) empacho may be caused by overly sugary complementary foods such as juices and/or fruit compotes.
- In preschool stages it can also be caused by eating too fast.
Symptoms of empacho in babies
Although knowing the causes can help us prevent this problem, it is also important to know the signs that indicate that the child is suffering from indigestion. How do I know if the child is suffering from this condition? Below, we discover the main symptoms of empacho in babies:
- Stomach pain.
- Heaviness and swelling in the stomach (especially on top).
- Regurgitation of food.
- Increased frequency of belching and flatulence.
- Repeated hiccups.
- Pallor.
- Sweating.
- Loss of appetite (refuses to eat).
- Diarrhea or very hard stools (usually black and sticky).
- Nausea and/or vomiting.
What to do if your child suffers from a binge or indigestion
If you have noticed that the baby suffers from several of the symptoms indicated in the previous section, he is probably suffering from a binge. In this case, surely you have wondered what do I do to relieve their indigestion?
There is currently no medication or drug to treat empacho in infants. The only thing you can do in this type of case is, on the one hand, try to relieve some of the symptoms and, on the other hand, be patient and wait for it to pass, since this discomfort does not last more than 12 or 15 hours.
To reduce the symptoms of empacho in your baby, we advise you to follow the following recommendations:
- First of all, it is recommended that you take the child to the pediatrician to rule out other stomach problems.
- Keep hydrated: It's important to keep your baby well hydrated, especially if he or she has symptoms such as vomiting and/or diarrhea. Try to give him water and drink him in small sips.
- Massages in the stomach: another way to relieve the empacho and some symptoms such as stomach pain is to massage the little one with oil some special oil for babies. It is important that the movements are smooth, rotating and that they always go clockwise. You can also use warm water cloths to soothe the pain.
- Finally, if he has stomach pain and upset, it's important that you don't force him to eat if he doesn't want to. Keep in mind that he himself will ask you for food when he is better.
If you found this information useful, you may be interested in this article on How to cure empacho in children. And, if you also suffer from empacho, this article on the best home remedies for empacho in adults can be of great help.
