Both adults and children hiccup, but if the baby has this phenomenon constantly, it is imperative to find out the cause of the hiccups and prevent recurrence. It is important to understand why the child hiccups, because sometimes this can be a sign of a pathological state of the body.
Hiccups are a reflex of the body that occurs due to the contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm. The result is unpleasant, intense breathing. The diaphragm contracts due to deformation of the vagus nerve. If he is irritated and squeezed, there is a throbbing that causes hiccups. Parents get worried if a toddler has hiccups, but before taking any action, you need to find out why the baby is hiccupping.
Hiccups in newborns occur in several cases:
- Impressionable children, subject to stress and intense anxiety, often hiccup. They need to be reassured, carried away with new activities. If seizures recur frequently, it is better to seek the help of a neurologist.
- Hypothermia. In this case, the hiccups will disappear only when the parents warm the child and give him warm milk, water or tea.
- Binge eating. Babies, when breastfeeding, sometimes swallow air, which provokes attacks of hiccups. To save the child from this phenomenon, he must be lifted vertically and wait a little for the air to come out.
- … The baby needs to be fed and given warm milk.
After a while after the cause is eliminated, the hiccups disappear. And in order to prevent repeated attacks, you need to dress the child warmer, monitor portions of food, establish a feeding regime and monitor his psychological state.
In children, hiccups can be episodic and pathological.
Occasional hiccups are common in all children and are not caused by major health problems and go away quickly.
If the parents cannot determine the reason why the child hiccups, and this condition is observed for several hours, it is necessary to consult a doctor. In this case, it can be a sign of an infection or an inflammatory process in the body, disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system or stomach. The pediatrician needs to be told how often attacks occur and how long they last, how the child is feeling, and if there are other signs of illness. First, the specialist prescribes an examination for the presence of helminths in the child, often it is these parasites that cause prolonged hiccups.
To help the baby overcome the hiccups, it is necessary to eliminate its cause: check if the baby has overeat, is cold, scared of something, or laughed for a long time. After that, you need to calm the child and give him warm water. If hiccups occur more than 5 times every 2 weeks and lasts more than 30 minutes, then you should not delay visiting a doctor.
