Toddler with trapped wind at night

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Hi, I am new to mumsnet. I have a ds 18 months, who has suffered terrible tummy pain and trapped wind since birth, being unable to sleep for any length of time at night. He has seen so many docs but we are told that he will most likely grow out of it. We have had trials avoiding all sorts of foods but it seems that all food upsets him. I am constantly searching the internet on information on toddlers with abdominal pain and trapped wind and came across a message on mumsnet from Fimbles who has dd, same age as my ds, with near exact symptoms. Alas the message was posted at the end of 2003. I am desperate to find out if fimbles found a cure for her dd but unable to contact her by CAT messaging. If anyone knows or is in contact with fimbles I would be most grateful if you would let her know of my message. If anyone else has any advice to offer please help. My son has recently been started on Lactulose 10 ml twice daily and Senna 10 ml at night. Initially he passed a lot of wind and slept pain-free for 5 nights but his symptoms recurred and he has been in agony again for 2 weeks. There is also a question of silent reflux and he has been on Ranitidine syrup for quite a while but again we are not really sure if this helps. He also now seems to be in pain, holding his bottom, when passing stools which is maybe once or twice a day.

Hi LMS66
I feel compelled to write here despite never having done before. I have to say your post has been the best thing I have found on the Internet for a long time. We have had a year of exactly what everyone on here has described, wind at night with my son in pain wailing and writhing around and just no kind of settle sleep. Tried so many different things- dairy free, wheat free, gaviscon from docs and having seen this post before with no real suggestions of a cure I saw your latest post and thought it was worth a try. So glad I did as we have had similar results. After a year of interrupted sleep he now pretty much sleeps through since the day I started following the low fodmap diet with him. Similarly he seems to tolerate cows milk but I am yet to try reintroducing other foods so don't know what the exact triggers are. But, basically, thank you, and I would encourage anyone who has a child struggling with this to give it a go

Just an update, we have had a good week and a half, no pain at night and sleeping so much better. Only one or two wakes. He is dairy free and now think the soy formula isn't agreeing with him so trying to find something else as he needs fattening up.
Not sure if it's the dairy free or the antibiotics that helped. Fingers crossed it stays this way.

Hi there,
I know that this post is older, but I too dying for answers. My baby had colic and reflux along with a milk and soy allergy. I was breastfeeding and cut multiple things out of my diet, but we still had really bad days. At almost nine months we started neocate and it was a dream. She slept thru the night for the first time ever so I had to make the terribly difficult choice to quit breastfeeding. We started on solids soon after and again started the night waking. I had avoided every single allergen and at 16 months she still drinks three bottles of neocate a day. She currently tolerates blueberries, bananas, turkey, avocado, peas, chicken, carrots and broccoli without any night wakings. Every time i try any new food like beef, ham, grapes, rice, sweet potato, white potato etc, we have a bad night. We have been to a GI specialist multiple times without being any closer to figuring out the problem. We saw an allergist when she was around 14 months and everything came back negative on the scratch test including dairy and soy. I have yet to try these foods with her because when we tried soy formula she vomited profusely for hours. She wants to eat other foods, and I desperately want to oblige. All of you ladies who share my experiences, did your little ones just finally grow out of it like they say?? Please help! I'm a full time night shift nurse trying to keep my little girl out of day care until these issues resolve and I'm beyond the point of exhausted. She is currently on Prevacid and we give her gripe water as well. Sometimes it helps, but not really.

Hi Nic198...
Not sure why but I've only just seen your post... I usually get an email when someone adds to the thread...
I too had never posted anything before but just had to regarding these issues...
We have since seen a dietitian and she has given us a booklet on how to reintroduce FODMAPs... The leaflet is actually called Reintroducing FODMAPs... It's a good leaflet and guides you on how to reintroduce the foods... Basically you have to do a three day trial with each food and there is space in the booklet for tracking what you do and to make notes of symptoms etc... You then remove the food again and try the next one... Obviously it will take ages so we won't see the dietitian for a good few months again... If you tell your doctor your child is following this diet they too will refer you to a peadiatrician dietitian... Or you could just get the leaflet from somewhere... I will try and find it online for you and come back to you...
I'm so glad you have had such good results like us...

Hello mums,
Gas is a quite common problem among toddlers and rarely a cause for concern. But when gas does not pass easily, it leads to pain and other symptoms that parents understandably want to alleviate as quickly as possible.

Some causes of gas in toddlers include use of antibiotic medications, lactose intolerance, eating foods that increase flatulence, not chewing food thoroughly, swallowing large amounts of air while eating or drinking and not drinking enough water.

Immature digestive tract that results in rapid movement of the food through the digestive tract, not allowing adequate time for absorption is another common reason behind gas in small children.

The first sign of gas pain in a toddler is crying that is sharper, more intense and frantic than their typical cry. In addition, the toddler will be more fussy than usual and may draw his legs up toward the belly, not want to eat, have difficulty sleeping and not have a smooth bowel movement. You may also notice more flatulence and burping than usual.

Found this post very interesting as going through this at the moment what happened with your son?

Harlands11mum I am really interested in your story and wondered what happened?

hi, i have had the same problem with my lo. all the drs keep saying is that its colic but i know it isnt so i tryed colief which has worked a treat, you can get it at chemists but a bit expensive and some drs will perscribe it. hope it helps i would recomend you try it, it takes the lactose out of the formula milk. dont know about breast milk? good luck

Hi I'm glad I found this post and feel better that I'm not the only mum going through this Ruby is 3 and a half. Always suffered with her stomach and when she was younger had silent reflux and colic. Best thing was going on to movicol it help her poo as she used to struggle so much although she been on for adleast a year now. She still wakes up in constant pain most nights I have demanded that o be referred back to pediatrician as I am sure she has an intolerance but can't pin point it. I am going mad I hope we get a answer soon stay strong mums and keep going back to GP as you know when there is something wrong with your baby xx

Just thought I'd let u know what just worked for my one year old if anyone's going stir crazy trying to find something to help with the screaming. Bounce them on your knee, really quickly, and short bounces, like when your on a nerve and your leg twitches. It's just turned my screaming crying baby into a snoring one in about 2 minutes.

Hi all, your stories all ring loudly for us too.
I have sympathy and empathy for you parents and your little ones. It's reassuring- that not quite the right word- but normalising, to hear that you are not alone in this. Even to hear that others have been told the same adage of 'they'll grow out of it' which gets a bit tired after a few years...! Our DD is 3 1/2 am deathly has had excessive trapped wind and awful pain since just after weaning (so almost three years now). We had a very sympathetic paed consultant who sent blood samples, stool samples, ultra sounds and barium meal x ray. She's had anti spasmodically mess, ranitide (for silent reflux that we never felt she had), movicol after trying infacol and gripe water. Initially of course trying warm baths, massage, yoga type stretches. We've done various exclusion diets (dairy, wheat, additives). We've seen an NHS dietician (after almost a year asking for a referral and in the meantime spending a lot of money on private nutritionalist appointments and their 'prescribed' food supplements: aloe Vera juice, probiotics etc). Nothing seems to work. She's tired from the draining effect it has on her body and extreme interruptions to her sleep. When she suffers in the day it affects her demeanour so she is trtchy and irrational- rather like how you feel in labour I imagine!!
I am now 6 months pregnant (but fortunately a SAHP at present) and my husband now has a 70 mile commute so we are both exhausted. But mainly want our DD to have a better quality of life day and night. We are considering seeing an osteopath. Or anyone who can help!
Any advice or information very gratefully received.
(Also ought to mention elder children don't have any stomach problems).
Thanks for reading xx

Hi everyone
My DD is 14 months old and having severe trapped wind issue since 2 weeks old.
I have tried all kinds of colic drops. Used colief for 1 year. Didn't see much effect but kept on using. Gripe water, herbal tea almost whatever anyone says. First only milk seemed the culprit and so went from breastfeeding to formula. Around 8 different kinds of formulas I tried .... all in vain.
There have been few days between 8 to 10 month which were extremely peaceful and heavenly.
Even same feeds cause gas now 😷
Been to many peads and almost used all kinds of medicines. Now even current pead doctor is speechless.
It does effect a person's lifestyle. I feel like my DD is missing out so much.
I feel for u all ladies. I hope and pray our little ones get rid of this pain.

So having read these posts, it seems like me, you're all looking for answers. My LO was emergency C-S as was footling breach. Within 4 weeks diagnosed with "mild" tongue tie at the rear of her mouth (which was finally rectified at ; months) at 7 weeks, I took her to the hospital and refused to leave until the something was done due to her constant crying in pain, blisters on her skin and she was diagnosed with suspected milk allergy. Tried Pepti-junior which helped at first along with Ranitidine. Then as she was still waking, screaming and getting blisters all over her face we tried alphamino which helped the blisters. I also went Dairy free as was breast feeding but struggling to produce enough milk without expressing. She never slept through for more than 2-3 hours at a time. She's now 16 months and still wakes 4-5 times a night, very windy. Tried her on hazelnut milk and for the first time drank a 9oz bottle. Prior to that she only ever drank 3-4 oz's and ate poorly. I've been racking my brains as I'm self employed and struggling to manage. I've decided to try using meals from the candida diet as they are egg, milk and gluten free. I'm avoiding soy as much as possible.

She recently underwent a Beirum meal investigation which just showed an episode of reflux. In desperation I researched every ingredient in alphamino and neocate and surprisingly found this article regarding the DLA and AHA in baby formula. When I contacted neocate manufacturers they also confirmed that their additive was made from the fungus and algae oils.

They are known as Mortierella alpina oil and Crypthecodinium cohnii oil (sometimes listed as M. alpina oil and C. cohnii oil). These oils are extracted from fermented fungus and algae with a neurotoxic chemical solvent. The C. cohnii oil (algae) & M. alpina oil (fungus) used in many infant formulas are treated with hexane solvent, acid, and bleach. Some infants have experienced serious adverse reactions to these additives.

It is now clear that the majority of formulas dairy free and normal have this additive in but I'm unable to find any information on contraindications in the U.K..

How ever in the US... see for yourself. The link is www.cornucopia.org/DHA/DHA_Update_2_09.pdf

Having tried most formulas prior to Neocate and alphamino, I am wondering if it is the formula we are are supplementing our babies with is adding to the difficulties? I'm curious to see what you all have to say? I'm desperate to find an alternative to formula that can help fill my baby which is dairy & soy free. Any suggestions would be welcome

Hello - my 13 month old son has exactly the same problem! He’s extremely windy but it only bothers him at night. At the moment it burps and it can take an hour at least to get him down to sleep after lots of burping but other nights it’s been low trapped wind. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern with what he eats apart from obviously farty veg/beans or if he’s over-indulged! We tried no dairy, no wheat etc and nothing seems to make much of a difference...I’ve even resorted to a small amount of adult gaviscon these last two nights and that makes no difference either! Teething does seem to have a big impact. On a bad night he’s up at least 10 times, so every hour. I’m so tired and adding more air as generally just resort to giving him the boob as it puts him to sleep quickly and he lets me manipulate his tummy. Can’t get near it otherwise!
Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone could let me know what happened with their babies? Did they just grow out of it? Did it get better when the teeth came through / when their digestion matured??
Just looking for some hope. I’m so tired!!! Xxx

Hi Peekaboo,
I just wanted to let you know that my son is now four and he did outgrow it... He was diagnosed with IBS but started to get better and better around two. We never had an issue with burping etc... It was always trapped the other end... He more or less has a normal diet now and eats whatever, although we keep onion and garlic to a minumum at home as my daughter also has a very sensitive stomach and struggles with it too... We are just starting to introduce more to her as she approaches two and can see it is getting better. My son still has mainly loose stools but doesn’t seem to suffer with pain at all anymore.
It’s so hard as all our symptoms on here are so similar but the reasons behind it can be so different... I have lots of theories as to why it happened to us and I put it down to the fact that I suffered with hyperemesis gravidarum in both pregnancies and basically ate nothing... Garlic and onion and most food smells would make me vomit on the spot let alone be able to eat them so my children were not exposed to many foods at all through the placenta. However I could be completely wrong... haha...
I really hope you can find something that helps you and your son and hope you get some sleep soon... I’ve been tired for four years and it’s so hard... You and your son will get there eventually...
Good luck...😄...

Thank you so much for your speedy response! I do think we will just have to wait it out as he is thriving in every other way. I’ve been to see a dietician etc anc tried lots of different things but the only thing that seems to make it a lot worse is onion, garlic, leeks and beans / other fatty veg. So I guess I’m loosely following a FODMAP diet but some months it’s horrendous at night and then suddenly it will improve for a few weeks then worse again! I think teething and colds have a big impact on his tummy. It’s the perfect storm with him - he obviously has a sensitive digestion but he also sucks in so much air by putting everything in his mouth and sucking! Nightmare! Anyway, blah blah blah...only another 11 months to go ha ha.
Thank you again. It takes some of the worry away as I keep thinking there is something really wrong with him and that the lack of sleep is really going to affect his development but it clearly hasn’t with your children so onwards and upwards (with bleary eyes and a sore back)! Xx

I feel your pain as sleep deprivation is the worst!!!... I think teething makes a massive difference too as my daughter has bright red cheeks at the moment so is teething again and her tummy is all over the place and even more sensitive than usual...
Garlic and onion is so hard to avoid as its in absolutely everything and things you wouldn’t even think it was in!!!... ahhhh... haha...
I remember some of the fruits being quite bad for my son too and mango was a nightmare but like all IBS sufferers triggers can be so different... As I said it’s so hard but I hope he grows out of it super quick and wish you the best of luck... There doesn’t seem to be a solution for digestion problems in babies which is a real pain as it affect so many lives so negatively...

BTW Don’t even get me started on bad backs!!... 😂...
Xxx

I feel your pain, I have a 13 month old with the same problems, took to Dr today and put back on gavi, doing blood test for celiac, I'm exhausted 😭

I have a 14 month old who has the same problem since birth. We gave tried every possible thing but nothing works other than Asafoetida(hing). We make a paste of it using warm water and apply it on her navel.

Just thought I’d update my post in case anyone has had the same thing or if it could help anyone else. My son Beau is now two and has been diagnosed with SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth)! He did a hydrogen breath test and it was a clear positive.

It has a number of causes but I think in Beau’s case it’s probably food moving too slowly through his system, which has enabled bacteria to grow.

We now have to try a cocktail of antibiotics and probiotics. And probably adjust his diet...little and often seems to be the way forward so nothing has a chance to sit too long in his system!

I think he must’ve had this issue from birth and starting on solids made the bacteria grow.

Anyway, thanks for listening and I hope the above helps someone or if anyone could offer some advice Xx

I know this is an old thread..but wondered if you ever solved the problems of your babies wind. I too have a baby who is constantly waking through the night with wind, she is now 13 months and things haven't improved. She is on alfamiko milk after 5 months of problems been breastfed with colic, but since weaning I have a list of foods that seem to make her wind worse. Shes on colief drops (although shouldnt need these in alfamino milk) and gaviscon infant for acid reflux. I took extra time off work in the hope of getting her settled at night but still no better off. She wasn't drinking much water out her sippy cup yesterday so I gave her her 360 cup and she immediately drank more but last night she woke up wailing in pain. I have the straw cups like suggested but shes not too good with that so today I'm giving her water out of a dr browns bottle I use for her milk. Oh and we tried gripe water when she was quite young but that used to make it uncomfortable to go to the toilet so she was groaning and moaning because of that too. Back to work Monday and my daughter ends up in my bed every night because else I can ease her wind easier in my bed. Does it ever end not had a nights sleep for nearly 8 months?

Hi Windynights,

Good luck with your return to work. My daughter is nearly 2 and still waking up twice a night and I haven't had a nights sleep in that time. But the wind has reduced for us since I read this thread and started taking her for a little walk between dinner and bed.

11 years later and I'm trying this tonight. I hope it works. Thank you for the idea

Hi, a really
Old post I know but just wondering did you find anything to help with your child’s trapped wind.? My 19 month old seems to have terrible issues with this and I have run out of ideas on how to help him. I can’t stand to see him with this kind of pain for much longer. Thanks