What causes hiccups in a 2-year-old despite precautions?

Question

Hello doctor,

My 2-year-old daughter has persistent hiccups despite taking all precautions. We are naturally concerned and would appreciate your guidance on the matter. Is this something we should be worried about? Additionally, are there any specific remedies or actions we can take to alleviate her discomfort?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for your query.

I understand your concern. Usual hiccups (without any symptoms) are benign in nature. The following are the common causes

Overfeeding.
Feeding too quickly.
Swallowing a lot of air.

Any of these things can lead to stomach distention. When the stomach distends it actually pushes against the diaphragm, which causes it to spasm, hiccup, and start.

I suggest you to follow a few instructions mentioned below.

Keep watch on feeding, do not overfeed.
Do not rush to feed and burp after every feed.
Can extend the duration of burping to 15 to 20 minutes (keep baby upright).
During breastfeeding, make sure the baby latches the breast properly, improper latch leads to excess air swallowing.

This condition does not require medication but you can improve feeding practices.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

You are really taking good care. Keep it up.

Thank you.