Big belly in small children (toad belly): What you need to know

The article was consulted with MSc Duong Van Sy - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology, Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

There are many causes of belly fat in babies. It can be a feature of normal growth because the abdominal wall is not fully developed, but it can also be caused by some disease. It is important for parents to distinguish these cases so that they can intervene promptly if the child has health problems.

Babies are born with a physiological feature of a large belly. This is because the structure of the intestines in babies is longer than the size of the abdomen. In addition, the abdominal wall muscle layer is not fully developed, so young children often have a distended abdomen, which is a normal physiological phenomenon.
As children grow up, the growth of height and the perfection of abdominal wall muscles will help the abdomen slim down. A large belly in a child is considered normal if the child is active, eats well, does not cry, gains weight evenly, and sleeps well.
Parents can tell the health of their child's digestive system by observing the child's stool. During the first 6 months, depending on whether the baby is exclusively breastfed or formula fed, stools may be light yellow or dark yellow. Usually, during this stage, the baby's stools are usually liquid, lilac-yellow in color. On average, children go outside about 3-4 times a day. If the child's stool is normal, parents can be completely assured about the baby's big belly.

Enlarged abdomen in children can also be caused by several medical conditions. Symptoms of an enlarged abdomen due to pathology include:
Children anorexia Asthenia Weight loss Pale skin, jaundice Crying Some common diseases cause an enlarged abdomen in children such as: Hepatoblastoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Tumors kidney... Each disease is caused by a different cause. In addition, children with large belly may be due to intestinal obstruction. This is an acute cause, children often have severe pain, crying, vomiting a lot, can see the intestines rotate like a snake crawling in the abdomen.

In addition to the above medical causes. Abdominal enlargement in young children can also be caused by gas or common digestive problems.
Young children are often prone to bloating because during feeding they can swallow a lot of air, especially with bottle-fed babies. Young children also cry a lot, accidentally causing air to enter the abdomen, creating a lot of gas.
For older children, bloating can be caused by eating a lot of fried foods, foods containing a lot of fat. Children with flatulence will feel bloated, full of stomach, so they often lose their appetite, stop eating, stop feeding, get upset, cry. If not timely intervention can cause children to lose weight, not gain weight, lack of nutrition
Signs of a large belly due to bloating include:
The abdomen is full and round after eating about 1-2 hours Patting the belly has a sound sounds like drums There is a rumbling sound Baby burps after eating Anorexia Constipation Constipation or loose stools Do not fart When a child has gas, parents should:
Massage the baby's abdomen, the mother should gently use it. mother's fingers rotate clockwise from the navel to the outside of the baby's belly, you can use massage oil to make the baby feel comfortable Burp the baby after eating Pay attention to the breastfeeding position to avoid Gas enters the abdomen Clean cooking utensils, baby bottles clean If your child has any abnormal symptoms of a large belly, it is best for the child to go to a reputable medical facility to examine and detect the disease. timely.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All doctors are well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.