7 Best Home Remedies for Abdominal Bloating (Distention) in Children

Worried about your child's abdominal bloating? Abdominal bloating is a common health problem experienced by children of all ages when stomach gas doesn't pass properly through flatulence or belching due to indigestion, stomach infection, lactose intolerance or food allergies. It is a difficult problem for your child as well as you as a mother.
My son had experienced stomach cramp for the first time as a 3 month old infant due to lactose intolerance ( he was bottle fed as a 3 month old infant, since he stopped breast feeding even after endless efforts to breast feed him). 
The thought of those sleepless nights I have had experienced along with him as he cried due to the stomach cramps is scary and painful (it is painful and very disturbing to see your playful child going through pain and discomfort). Frequent visits to the Pediatrician were made for sometime to help him get out of this problem.
Children especially infants and toddlers are sensitive to their environment, overstimulation can lead to distress which may further lead to stomach problems. There are several treatment for abdominal bloating in children which depends upon the causes. Get to know the symptoms of abdominal bloating in your child:

1. Tightness or distended stomach
2. Stomach Cramp
3. Loss of Appetite
4. Inability to eat
5. Difficulty to Pass Stool
6. Curling up and pulling their leg into the stomach due to stomach pain

You can make use of any of the following commonly found items in your kitchen as home remedies and help your child get relief from abdominal bloating.

1. Fennel (Saunf) Tea

In India, it is a tradition to chew few fennel seeds after a heavy meal. Dried organic fennel seeds help relax the gastrointestinal tracts and relieve abdominal bloating. This is due to the compound anethole present in fennel seeds which can cure inflammation of the intestinal lining and give relief from stomach pain. You can give your child some fennel seeds to chew or else give fennel tea as a home remedy for abdominal bloating.

Ingredients:

1 tsp of organic dried fennel seeds

1 cup hot boiling water

Method to Prepare Fennel Tea:

Put the fennel seeds into a cup and pour hot boiling water over them. Cover and leave aside for about 5 minutes. Strain it and ask your child to sip it hot if your child is adapted to sipping hot liquid or else ask to sip when warm. It will relief the abdominal bloating in some time.

My son who is 7  year old now, prefer chewing the fennel seeds to sipping the fennel tea after a heavy meal.

2. Ginger Root Tea

Ginger root is another herb that can help ease nausea, troubled stomach caused by indigestion and abdominal bloating. 2 components gingerol and shogaols does this wonder by relaxing the intestinal tract and ease distention or abdominal bloating.Ginger root acts as a carminative (agent relieving stomach pain) by preventing gas formation or help expel gas. Ginger root tea is another wonderful home remedy for abdominal bloating in children.
Ingredients:
A quarter tsp of grated raw ginger root
1/2 cup hot boiling water
Fresh Lemon juice or honey
Method for Ginger Root Tea:
Put the grated ginger root in a cup. Add some fresh lemon juice or honey if you want. Pour the boiling water into the cup. Cover and keep it aside for 4-5 minutes. Strain the ginger root tea and give it to your child before or after a meal for gas relief caused by abdominal bloating.
Note: Ginger root tea is not advisable for children under 2 years of age. Honey should not be given to infants below 1 year of age.

3. Peppermint (Pudina)

Peppermint tea made with peppermint tea bags or fresh leaves is another home remedy that can give your toddler or young child quick relief from a stomach cramp and abdominal bloating.

Ingredients:

1 peppermint tea bag or few fresh peppermint leaves

1 cup of hot boiling water

Method to Prepare Peppermint Tea:

Put the tea bag or the peppermint leaves in a cup. Pour hot boiling water into the cup. Keep aside for 4-5 minutes. Strain it and give it to your child. If your child doesn't like peppermint tea you can give peppermint candy as a substitute.

Note: Under 6 months old toddlers should not be given peppermint tea. Consult the Pediatrician for the right age to give peppermint tea.

4. Warm Water and Lime Juice

Ingredients:
1 tsp of fresh lime juice
1/2 glass of warm water
A pick of black salt
Method to Prepare Warm Water and Lime Juice:
Mix the lime juice with warm water and add black salt to it. Give this juice to your child at least 3 times a day for relief from abdominal bloating and stomach cramp.

My son loves his fresh lime juice. An easy home remedy since you always have fresh lime in your vegetable basket.

5. Chamomile (Babune ka Phool) Tea

The anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties of chamomile help do away with gas, abdominal bloating and stomach ache. Cure your child's problem of abdominal bloating with this simple home remedy.

Ingredient

1 chamomile tea bag

1 small cup of hot boiled water

Honey or lemon juice

Method to Prepare Chamomile Tea

Put the tea bag in a cup and pour the hot boiled water over it. Keep it aside and let it steep for 4-5 minutes. Squeeze the tea bag properly. Add honey or squeeze some fresh lime juice into it. Let your child sip it when luke warm or hot (bearable). This will cure your child's abdominal bloating.

Note: Children below 6 months of age who are being breast fed, should not be given any of these herbal teas instead, lactating mothers can sip any of them 2-3 times a day. Also chamomile tea is not recommended, if your child is allergic to ragweed or similar plants.

6. Asafoetida (Hing)

Asafoetida or Hing in Indian Ayurveda is useful to ease digestion, cure colic and stagnation in the gastrointestinal tract due to abdominal bloating too.

Ingredient:

A piece of asafoetida

1 cup of water

A piece of cloth

Method to Prepare Asafoetida Fomentation:

Dissolve the asafoetida (hing) in the water. Soak the cloth in the solution and use it as a fomentation on your child's stomach to soothe the stomach cramp and abdominal bloating. I make use of this home remedy personally whenever my son experiences a severe stomach cramp. The distention or bloating gets cured after some time.

7. Hot or Warm Water

This is the simplest among all home remedies for abdominal bloating in children. Let your child sip hot (as hot as they can) or luke warm water. I give warm water to my son to drink, when he experience a stomach ache or abdominal bloating before I start with other treatment. Half a cup is more than enough.

Note: Children under 6 months of age don't require consumption of any supplemental water or juice apart from breast milk or formula.

These are the best home remedies which can ease abdominal bloating experienced by your children. Apart from these home remedies avoid giving unhealthy food such as:
processed food
spicy food
fried food
junk food to your children
Avoid:
Beans
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Apples
Potatoes
Brussels Sprouts
Corn
Cabbage
Most dairy products
Pears
Refined sugar
These foods causes abdominal bloating and gas in infants, toddlers and young children.
Note: Avoid intake of such food if you are a lactating mother.

If your child is under medication, consult his/her Pediatrician before trying and giving any of these home remedies. Like drugs, herbal remedies too can be toxic and react when given with other medications.

Did I miss out with any other home remedies for abdominal bloating in children?Then do share them in the comments below. Until the next post stay well!