{"id":14027,"date":"2021-09-16T14:30:27","date_gmt":"2021-09-16T19:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=14027"},"modified":"2022-02-11T10:04:32","modified_gmt":"2022-02-11T16:04:32","slug":"child-hiccups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/child-hiccups\/","title":{"rendered":"Child hiccups are seldom cause for alarm"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oh, the joy of a baby\u2019s hiccup!<\/p>\n

The baby\u2019s eyes get big and their whole body jolts with that cute little hic!\u00a0 There it goes again: hic! Ha-ha! So cute. And again: hic! Hmmmm. Hic! OK, you can stop. Hic! Anytime, just stop. Hic!<\/p>\n

Not so cute anymore. What\u2019s going on? Is something wrong?<\/p>\n

Probably not.<\/p>\n

\u201cA hiccup is part of a natural process,\u201d said Ameera Nauman, MD<\/a>, a pediatrician with OSF Medical Group \u2013 Pediatrics<\/a>. \u201cHiccups and sneezes are just two things babies do. Generally, they\u2019re very mild, and they usually go away after a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Feeding plays a major role<\/h2>\n

Hiccups occur with a spasm of the baby\u2019s diaphragm. The diaphragm is a sheet of muscle below the lungs. When it contracts, air is drawn into the lungs. When it relaxes, air is pushed out.<\/p>\n

\n

Talk to an expert<\/p>\n

Find a pediatrician near you | OSF HealthCare.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Usually, those retractions and expansions occur in an even, controlled rhythm. However, when that rhythm is interrupted by an involuntary contraction, the vocal cords suddenly close and produce a hiccup.<\/p>\n

\u201cMostly with newborns, hiccups are associated with feeding<\/a>,\u201d Dr. Nauman said. \u201cThe baby might eat a little too fast or a little too much. Their belly gets distended and starts to touch the diaphragm and cause those spasms. Sometimes, they ingest air while taking a bottle or breastfeeding. Sometimes, there\u2019s a little reflux involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stopping your baby\u2019s hiccups<\/h2>\n

Most adults tend to have hiccups infrequently. When hiccups do occur, a teenager or adult might overcome them by turning to an array of time-honored tricks: drink a glass of water, hold their breath or breathe in and out of a paper bag.<\/p>\n

Young children, particularly babies and toddlers, might get hiccups several times a day. And the remedies don\u2019t translate as well. After all, Dr. Nauman said, \u201cYou can\u2019t give a 6-month-old child a glass of water to drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

Burping is the best way to get rid of the hiccups. If breastfeeding, burp the baby when switching breasts. If bottlefeeding, burp the baby about halfway through.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, the baby needs a break so their tummy has time to digest. When they stop feeding and relax, they\u2019ll stop hiccupping. \u201c<\/p>\n

As a child grows, gradually introduce them to other remedies.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of times, you can stop the hiccups by distracting the child, getting their mind on something else,\u201d Dr. Nauman said. \u201cI usually recommend something mild, like drinking a glass of cold water. If the child is a little older, you can try having them hold their breath and count to 10, or maybe put some sugar under their tongue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steps to prevent child hiccups<\/h2>\n

Another thing to do is try to prevent hiccups from starting in the first place.<\/p>\n

Adults have learned the basic triggers. They know to avoid eating or drinking too much or too fast, gulping drinks or sucking too hard from a straw. They\u2019re aware that excess caffeine or alcohol can cause a fit of hiccups, too.<\/p>\n

Babies and kids need help learning the ropes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith a baby on a bottle, make sure it\u2019s full of milk and there\u2019s no air in the nipple,\u201d Dr. Nauman said. \u201cIf breastfeeding, make sure the baby\u2019s lips are really latched on. When they\u2019re finished feeding, don\u2019t lay them right back down. Keep them up for 15 or 20 minutes to help them better digest. Rubbing their back is soothing and helps alleviate hiccups.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith older kids, keep them from overeating, and don\u2019t let them eat or drink too fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

When to call the doctor<\/h2>\n

A baby\u2019s hiccups don\u2019t cause any physical damage. Even if they go on for 10 minutes or more, they generally are not a cause for concern. But if hiccups persist, a parent should be vigilant.<\/p>\n

\u201cHiccups can be a little more concerning if the child also has other signs, such as being really fussy or arching their back a lot while feeding or after feeding,\u201d Dr. Nauman said. \u201cSometimes the baby might spit up a lot. If they have a lot of reflux, keep an eye on how they\u2019re gaining weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re concerned or your baby is uncomfortable, then call your pediatrician. Generally, hiccups are very mild and they go away. But if you\u2019re concerned with persistent hiccups, discuss that with your pediatrician.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oh, the joy of a baby\u2019s hiccup! But when those hiccups don’t stop, you might start worrying something is wrong. The remedies that can work so well for adults, might not work for children, so it is important to know when your child is experiencing something other than a regular bought of age-old hiccups.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":14040,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[129,116],"tags":[754,371],"coauthors":[912],"class_list":["post-14027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miscellaneous","category-pediatrics","tag-parenting","tag-pediatrics"],"yoast_head":"\nChild hiccups are seldom cause for alarm | OSF HealthCare<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Getting your baby or young child to relax and slow down while eating can help prevent or at least reduce the frequency of hiccups.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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