Stomach pain

Young children might not be able express their pain well. When it comes to stomach pain, toddlers feel pain for several reasons. If parents know the reasons and can try few home remedies for stomach ache in toddler to give relief and bring back smile.

1. Compress: Use hot compress like heating pad with low heat and apply on child’s stomach. Before placing the compress check the temperature of compress to ensure child feels comfortable with heat.
2. Curd: Curd or yogurt is a probiotic food. It contains good bacteria that has a friendly effect on digestive system. Give half a cup of probiotic to child when there is pain.
3. Asafoetida : Asafoetida is also known as hing. Add ¼ tsp hing into little warm coconut or sesame oil, prepare a paste. Apply this paste around child’s belly button. Do not apply this paste on navel. Give light massage around the belly in clockwise motion. This reduces pain.
4. Honey: A teaspoon of honey with very little fresh grated ginger. Give this to kids, they like honey taste. Ginger and honey both reduce not only inflammation, reduce gas too.
5. Castor oil: Warm 1 tsp of castor oil and apply around belly button. Massage gently, slowly.
6. Betle leaf & castor oil: On low flame warm betle leaf on both sides. Apply couple of drops of castor oil on the upper surface. Place it on the child’s stomach. It helps to relieve the pain.
7. Gentle massage: Use your fingertips to give gentle massage around the stomach area in clockwise direction. This not only enhances the blood circulation and relieves nerve pain.
8. Mint: Boil a cup of water with 2 mint leaves. Cool and give 2-3 tsp of light mint water to baby. For child over 2/3 years add very little grated ginger in the tea while boiling.
9. Foot reflexology: By holding child’s left food in hand, apply slight pressure on the central arch using thumb for couple of minutes. This method has a therapeutic effect on baby’s stomach pain. Left foot central arch is linked to tummy region.
10. Exercise: Help child to move the body. Taking small stroll inside the house while holding your hands gives a comfort. Moving body helps to move digestive muscles and releases gas.
11. Constipation related pain: If child has constipation, give one or two prunes. This helps in motion. Give adequate liquid to child. Teach them to learn drink water and fresh juices. Drinking liquid solves dehydration and constipation problem. Constipation is one the reason for stomach pain in children. Keeping them hydrated reduces constipation and stomach ache.
12. Carom seed water: Also known as ajwain water, carom seed water reduces gas, indigestion, heaviness and stomach pain in children and adults. Add ¼ tsp carom seed to 1 cup water and boil on low flame. Let the color turn slight brown. Strain and give 1 or 2 tsp of water to child.

If any of these remedies does not work and the child’s pain is consistent then talk to your child’s pediatrician to understand what could be happening. Stop home remedies if you are planning to OTC or prescribed medicines or if there is any allergic reaction.

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