Helping the Belching Child

Pediatrics for Parents, Jan, 2001

Does your child seem to belch too much? It's rarely the result of a serious medical problem. Belching is normal and everyone does it sometimes. It's the way the body gets rid of excess gas from the digestive tract. Those who belch a lot usually swallow too much air - a condition called aerophagia.

Here are a few tips that may help you child lessen the amount of air he or she is swallowing.

* Give up chewing gum. Not only will the snapping and popping of the gum be eliminated, but your child will swallow less air. Chewing gum is one of the main reasons we swallow air.

* Avoid carbonate beverages. All those bubbles have to come out somewhere.

* Give up drinking with a straw. A lot of air is mixed with the liquid being sucked up.

Bottom Line Personal, 9/15/00, p.7.