What is causing my 16 month old's gas?

Question

My 16 month old wakes many times during the night with gas. I have tried mylicon drops, limiting gas causing foods, lactose free milk and even meds prescribed by the doctor. He wakes many times during the night with his knees to his chest crying. His doctor has pretty much given up on finding a cure or cause and I wondered if anyone else had experienced this and could help me with ways to deal with it.

Answer 1

My son cried a lot and only ate a tiny bit then would get a stomach. When he was 3, we were living in the country of Turkey and a military (US) doctor realized that our son was hypo-glycemic. He had me change my son's diet and within 4 days I saw a BIG difference. I quit trying to feed him high calorie foods and gave him plenty of apples and bananas, but no refined sugar foods. I stopped feeding him cow milk at all. (You have to check with the doc about what kind to give your baby.) And I gave him food with rice and wheat in it. He gained weight and stopped crying all the time.

One problem had been that his liver couldn't process fats very well, so he would eat just enough to stop his immediate hunger, and about that time it would get to his liver and he'd get a stomach ache. But, he was so thin from not eating much that I'd try to feed him high-calorie food to put some weight on him. It was an awful circle. But the above diet did the trick. He outgrew most of the problem in about ten years, incidentally.

Hope that info helps in some way.

Answer 2

Find a new doctor, a doctor shouldnt "give up" on finding out whats wrong with your child. 16 months old, what is he eating? if youre feeding him starchy foods like rice, pototoes, white bread then that could be causing the gas. Try a more fibre rich diet for him and stay away from beans. In the meantime put a warm towel on his stomach and pat his back to see if it will ease out some of the gas.

Answer 3

Over-stimulation can actually lead to digestive problems in infants, just like when an adult is stressed out there can be stomach problems. Too much lights, sounds, activities during the day could be catching up to him at night when he is trying to relax, try having a very easy going day, not alot of bright lights and sounds, just a very calm day and see if that helps him during the night. (also check out http://www.coliccalm.com/index.htm for gripe water and what not)

I also suggest a new doctor to check into things, there is no harm in getting a second opinion specially if baby is in pain.

Answer 4

Have you tried feeding him two hours before he goes to bed? Don't give him a bottle two hours before bedtime. You could also give him a bath right before bed. I don't know if he is to young for this or not, but try giving him some organic ginger tea. When I was pregnant I drank this every morning for my morning sickness and it worked wonders.