Does your toddler experience distressing and uncomfortable tummy woes that keep them awake at night and leave them feeling miserable and distressed?
It turns out you’re not alone. According to Australian dietician and wellness specialist Melanie McGrice, it’s particularly common for toddlers to experience abdominal discomfort during this important time in their physical development.
“Over 80 percent of toddlers experience tummy troubles, and they can occur for a variety of reasons including constipation, diarrhoea, hiccups, wind and-or malabsorption issues and allergies,” she tells Kidspot.
Uncovering the cause of tummy troubles
With so many potential reasons for your child’s stomach discomfort, it can be difficult to pinpoint the root cause of their condition.
“Tummy upsets could be due to a range of factors and it is important for parents to try and be calm and logical when trying to determine the cause,” Melanie explains.
“If your bub is being exclusively breastfed, then chances are that it may be something in your diet that’s not agreeable or that they aren’t digesting lactose well.
“If you’re giving your bub infant formula, then it may be an ingredient in the formula or the formula load as infant formula is more concentrated than breast milk.”
But whatever it may be, Melanie advises parents to seek professional advice before taking any action.
“It’s wise to seek advice from a healthcare professional when changing any aspect of your or your bub’s diet, to ensure that they are still meeting all of their nutrition requirements,” she says.
Food allergies vs. food intolerances
Toddler’s digestive systems are immature at this early stage in their lives and some little tummies find it more difficult than others to mature. But it’s also a time when allergy and intolerances begin to rear their heads, which can cause all kinds of havoc in the gut.
But Melanie says it’s also important to understand the difference between food allergies and intolerances. “Food allergies are more serious than food intolerances but both can cause tummy issues and may affect your child’s digestion,” she explains.
“Allergies cause an immune response and can lead to increased inflammation; if a food allergy is suspected, it is important to get the diagnosis confirmed by a healthcare professional, and then to avoid the allergen in your child’s diet.”
While food intolerances might not have the same immune response, they can still be unpleasant. “Food intolerances may result in altered bowel habits, wind, pain and bloating, which can make the whole feeding and settling process difficult and result in your child not eating well, refusing feeds, increased agitation and impact on their sleep,” she says.
She says when it comes to intolerances, digestive issues don’t generally last forever. “After a period of eliminating trigger foods from your diet, try to slowly re-introduce small amounts of foods back into your little one’s diet to see how they tolerate it and how much they can handle.”
Identifying the culprits
When identifying the culprits causing toddler tummy distress, Melanie says breastfeeding mums need to review their own diets. “If you’re exclusively breastfeeding your child, then you should talk to a dietitian to help you assess your diet,” she says.
She says if during this process certain trigger foods are identified, you should avoid or at the very least reduce these foods. “You may also be advised to limit the amount of lactose that you have in your diet as the lactose can pass through breast milk and may not be absorbed or digested well by bub,” she says.
“You still need to consider the nutritional adequacy of your diet, so calcium-fortified cow’s milk alternatives, such as soy or almond milk, should replace lactose-containing cow’s milk.
“If formula feeding, consider changing the formula to one that may be more easily digested, such as goats milk formula like Oli6®, which has naturally less lactose than regular cow’s milk and naturally more oligosaccharides. These acts as a prebiotic, and may assist in digestion.” They are also structurally closer to breast milk.
Happy tummy, happy baby
Sore tummies mean unhappy babies so Melanie says it’s understandable that parents will do whatever it takes to alleviate pain and discomfort. She suggests parents try these recommendations:
- Get into a good feeding routine (regardless if you’re breast or formula feeding)
- Remember that your child’s stomach is much more sensitive than yours, so avoid trigger foods such as spicy foods, caffeine and gassy foods (such as cabbage or chickpeas)
- If formula feeding, consider changing from standard cow’s milk formula to goat’s milk formula such as Oli6®. Goat’s milk has six times the prebiotic oligos of cow’s milk, which helps promote beneficial bacteria and assists with gut health. It also has a unique protein structure with half the amount of a1 casein of cow’s milk and smaller fat globules which may make it easier for your little one to digest.
For more of Melanie McGrice’s excellent dietary advice, visit her website or to find out more about Oli6® dairy goat formula visit www.oli6.com.au or like Oli6® at https://www.facebook.com/Oli6Toddler
