GI symptoms can show up in many ways, from belly pain to trouble gaining weight. In many cases, these symptoms are mild and go away on their own. But if symptoms keep coming back or don’t improve, they could be a sign of something more serious.
Heartburn and Acid Reflux
Heartburn feels like a burning sensation in the chest or throat. It can happen after eating, especially spicy or fatty foods. Acid reflux is when stomach acid moves up into the throat.
Mild reflux is common in kids and teens, especially after eating certain foods. But if your child has regular heartburn, trouble swallowing or a sour taste in the mouth, it could be more than typical reflux.
- Normal: Occasional heartburn after eating, especially spicy or fatty foods.
- When to call the doctor: Ongoing heartburn, frequent vomiting, poor weight gain or trouble swallowing.
- Could be: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Eosinophilic Esophagitis or Helicobacter Pylori infection.
Occasional heartburn should subside on its own. To avoid it in the future, skip triggering foods. Diet and lifestyle changes should be enough to avoid normal heartburn and acid reflux. If it’s not, talk to your child’s doctor.
Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea is the sick feeling you get in your stomach, and vomiting is throwing up. These are common with stomach bugs or motion sickness.
Throwing up once or twice from a stomach bug is common. But if nausea or vomiting keeps happening for more than a week, especially with no clear reason, it could be a sign of something more complex.
- Normal: Vomiting from short-term illness, food poisoning and motion sickness.
- When to call your doctor: Vomiting more than a few days. Weight loss and dehydration from vomiting.
- Could be: Cyclic vomiting syndrome, abdominal migraines, GERD, GI obstruction or functional nausea.
If vomiting is from a short-lived virus, the best course is to simply wait it out. Have your child consume only small quantities of bland food until his or her stomach settles down. Give small amounts of clear liquids frequently to avoid dehydration.
Your child should temporarily avoid dairy products as they can bother an upset stomach.
Constipation
Constipation means your child has trouble pooping or poops less often than usual. Poop may be hard, dry or painful to pass. Most kids get constipated now and then.
- Normal: Constipation from diet changes, travel, illness or potty training.
- When to call your doctor: Pooping fewer than three times a week, belly pain, excessive straining to stool, stool accidents or large hard stools.
- Could be: Functional constipation or Hirschsprung disease.
Ways to help relieve constipation in kids include:
- Diet changes: Offer more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fiber-rich foods. Encourage more water and fruit juice. Limit processed foods, caffeine and whole milk (for kids over age 2).
- Daily movement: Encourage outdoor play and limit screen time.
- Healthy bathroom habits: Have your child sit on the toilet at least twice a day for 10 minutes.
- Use medicines only if needed: Laxatives, stool softeners or enemas may help. Only use if your child’s doctor approves them.
But when it's hard to poop for weeks — or accidents happen after age 4 — it may be something more. Chronic intractable constipation is when constipation doesn’t get better with usual treatments.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea means your child has loose, watery stools more often than normal. Short-term diarrhea often comes from a virus or food issue. This usually goes away after a few days.
But long-lasting or repeated diarrhea can mean a bigger digestive problem.
- Normal: Diarrhea for a few days from illness or food intolerance.
- When to call your doctor: Diarrhea lasting over a week, blood in stool, weight loss or poor growth.
- Could be: Inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation with overflow diarrhea, and malabsorption or celiac disease.
Treatment for diarrhea usually involves replacing lost fluids. Your child’s doctor may prescribe antibiotics if it’s from a bacterial infection. You may cut out dairy temporarily to improve this. Do not use anti-diarrheal medicine unless your child’s doctor approves it.
Poor Weight Gain or Weight Loss
Poor weight gain or weight loss is when kids don’t gain weight or may lose weight. They may drop down the growth curve if they’re not getting the nutrients they need.
- Normal: Brief slowdowns in growth during illness or stress.
- When to call your doctor: No weight gain over months, losing weight or not following their growth curve.
- Could be: Malabsorption, Inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, pancreatic insufficiency or food allergies.
For most children, the solution is to increase calorie consumption. Some children, including those with significant developmental delays, may be candidates for tube feeding. Sometimes an appetite stimulant can help increase hunger.
Gas and Bloating
Gas and bloating can make your child’s belly feel full, tight or gassy and causing farting. Some gas is normal, especially with certain foods. But constant bloating or belly pain could be something more.
- Normal: Gas after eating beans, dairy or high-fiber foods.
- When to call your doctor: Regular or frequent bloating, belly pain, weight loss or diarrhea that doesn’t get better.
- Could be: Inflammatory bowel disease, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, air-swallowing, constipation or bacterial overgrowth.
Try these tips to help your child feel better:
- Watch for food triggers: Some kids get gassy after eating beans, broccoli, cabbage, onions, carbonated drinks or dairy. Try cutting back on one food at a time to see if it helps.
- Avoid gulping air: Teach your child not to drink through a straw, chew gum or talk while eating — these can cause them to swallow extra air.
- Slow down meals: Eating too fast can cause gas. Encourage your child to chew well and take their time.
- Add more fiber slowly: If your child needs more fiber, add it gradually. Too much fiber too fast can make gas worse.
- Encourage movement: Light exercise like walking or playing outside can help move gas through the intestines.
- Try a warm bath or belly massage: This can relax the belly muscles and ease discomfort.
- Offer water, not soda or juice: Water helps digestion. Carbonated drinks can make gas worse.
- Monitor stooling: Constipation can cause extra gas. Diet changes to help constipation can lessen gas.
