Intestinal cramps, as the name implies, are intestinal cramps and colic, which are most common in acute abdominal pain in infants and children, and now occur in about 40% of babies, as a result of paroxysmal abdominal pain caused by paroxysmal strong contractions of the smooth muscles of the intestinal wall. Intestinal cramps are paroxysmal abdominal pains caused by paroxysmal strong contractions of the smooth muscles of the intestinal wall and are the most common condition in acute abdominal pain in children. In small infants, the presence of intestinal cramps can be understood by the degree and intensity of crying and clamoring.
Episodes of intestinal spasm in small infants are characterized by persistent, hard-to-soothe crying and fussiness, which may be accompanied by vomiting, flushed cheeks, tumbling, and curling of both lower extremities. The cry is accompanied by flushed face, distended and tense abdomen, and upward curling of the legs, and the attack may be terminated by exhaustion or defecation. In small infants, the seizures can be recurrent and self-limiting.
I. The main manifestations of intestinal cramps in small infants
Paroxysmal abdominal pain, each pain interval of several minutes to dozens of minutes once, each lasting about 3-5 minutes, may be recurrent.
The location of the abdominal pain is not fixed. When the parents gently press the abdomen with their hands, there is no fixed pressure point, and sometimes the spastic intestinal canal in the form of cords can be palpated. Abdominal examination mostly reveals an abdominal bulge without abdominal muscle tension (the belly is all soft and floppy).
The baby may present with persistent, hard-to-soothe crying, which may be accompanied by flushed cheeks, tumbling, and curling of both lower limbs. The face is flushed when crying, the abdomen is distended and tense, and the legs are curled upward. However, there are no symptoms of fever, diarrhea or vomiting.
When abdominal pain appears the baby will have crying and irritability, but the non-painful period the baby is in good spirits and can eat normally. And can be terminated by the affected child exhaust or defecation.
Second, the causes of intestinal cramps
It is observed that intestinal cramps may be related to the baby’s imperfect central nervous development and institutional immaturity, or it may be caused by his allergy to milk or certain food.
If the baby is partially cold, consumes a lot of cold food, has too much milk intake, or the milk contains too much sugar, it can easily lead to intestinal distension and induce intestinal spasms in the baby.
Intestinal cramps are also easily induced when the gastrointestinal tract peristalsis is accelerated or stimulated by hunger, indigestion, intestinal parasite toxin stimulation, fever, allergies, etc.
Therefore, parents should work with doctors to find and clarify the causes of intestinal cramps in babies, which is also an effective way to avoid intestinal cramps again.
Prevention of intestinal cramps
To prevent intestinal cramps, parents must pay attention to the reasonable arrangement of children’s diet and living during the holidays, and avoid children eating excessive cold drinks and indigestible food. Once the phenomenon of abdominal pain occurs, you should immediately contact a health care provider for early treatment.
1. Breastfeeding mothers should eat less foods that cause flatulence, such as: milk, apples, melons.
2. usually massage the baby’s tummy clockwise more often, and gently help him when he cries.
3, you can use hot water bags to warm up when crying, but be careful not to make the temperature too high, or you can rub your hands together and press them on the baby’s tummy to warm it up.
4, try not to let the baby cry, because when crying will inhale air to cause flatulence.
5.Do not give your baby a pacifier without special needs.
6, after eating milk must pat the back more to let the baby spit out the air eaten.
7. Feed your baby regularly, about once every 3 hours for a 2-month-old baby and once every 4 hours for a 3-month-old baby or older, and feed your baby water if he or she is upset in the middle.
Four, diet care
1, artificial feeding of the baby initially to a small number of meals
The concentration ratio is appropriate, gradually increase the amount and concentration of milk, to achieve regular feeding, conducive to the maturation of gastrointestinal motility function and secretion of digestive juices.
2, breastfeeding mothers, try to eat less stimulating food
Some easy to produce gas, spicy, alcohol, coffee and other stimulating foods, metabolites in the mother will enter the baby’s body through the breast milk, they will have a negative stimulation of the baby’s central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.
3. It is best to hold the baby up when breastfeeding and place it in a head-high, foot-low position
Keep the bottle at an angle of 30-40 degrees to your baby’s jaw, and don’t make the pacifier hole too big or too hot.