3 Year Old Suddenly Developed Bloated Tummy

In the future try and refrain from using laxatives. Constipation is usually attributed to lack of fiber and/or water in the diet. It's not good for adults to use, so probably not to good to start using with a child other a rare occasion. Eating diary to often can make that worse. For instance, my child is almost 6 and has never been constipated since we eat lots of fruit & veggies and always have water with us. Bloating is a know side effect for Miralax.

One thing you may find helpful is to gently message her abdominal area1 - 3 times a day in a clock wise motion. The bowels move in this direction. So if there is gas & bowel that needs some help moving, this is a great way to assist it. Plus it's relaxing, and can be an additional bonding time for you two. As a previews post mentioned Probiotics daily are wonder for the digestive system.

Sorry to write so much. I just enjoy sharing helpful info w/ other moms. Knowledge is power. Us moms as much knowledge and empowerment as we can get.

FYI: Sometimes what people think is the stomach flu can often be a sensitivity or intolerance to gluten (no, it doesn't necessarily mean Celiac Disease). Gluten is a complex protein found in wheat (white flour), barley rye, and some oats. It causes over 300 conditions (bloating & fullness is a minor one). http://www.glutenfreeworks.com/symptomology.php. My daughter and I have gone off gluten. It's a great thing. I've been in poor health for over 5 yrs. I recommend checking out that site. Over 85% of Americans have a disposition to be at least sensitive to gluten. If one has even 3 or 4 of the symptoms lists, one should consider getting off gluten. Many Americans go their whole life's with multiple health issues, not knowing that gluten is an underlying issue. It damages the small intestines and prevents proper absorption of many nutrients. Which, in turn, may lead to minor or major health consequences. The real sad issue is that the majority of MD's are minimally educated about nutritional issues, especially in regards to Gluten. So they truly don't know to check for it at all, or only check for Celiac Disease w/ a blood test or more invasive testing.

Going off of Gluten is good for anyone. It will save you money, by not buying so many processed foods (many which have wheat added, even when it's not necessary). And there are several bonus reasons, in my opinion. 1) after you eat you won't have the miserably full feeling 2) your overall health and well being will start to improve in probably a short time 3) without trying hard, one may easily lose weight (I lost over 60 with 7 months & still losing)

I would consult my pedi as bloating can be a sign
of other things. My nephew ended up having
Celiac Disease which is an allergy to wheat
and wheat products, it may be nothing but request
some tests.

Call your pediatrician. That doesn't sound normal, so you may as well ask the experts and be sure.

Call your ped and ask ... they should be able to answer fairly easily over the phone or tell you to come in :)

I agree with the first post. When my daughter was 1 to 2 years old before we got her on the proper medication she would get a very distended abdomen from constipation and trapped gas. She suffers from chronic constipation and what would happen is we would give her a stool softener and she would have a good BM; but way up inside the colon there would be another stool that was impacted and would trap gas in her intestine and stomach causing her tummy to balloon up like she was 9 months pregnant. She would scream and cry... it was HORRIBLE!!! I went through 15 different peds. Dr’s before I found one that finally listened and sent us to a gastro. She still is on her Miralax every day and she is 6 years old now. I would talk to your Childs Dr. and maybe ask for a KUB x-ray (it stands for kidneys, ureter, and bladder) but it shows the abdomen and will show if there is impacted stool in the colon. If this is the case, they will typically have you do a colon cleanse. Different Dr's have different methods. In our case we have a few options for her. (PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS WITH OUT DOCTORS CONSENT!!) Magnesium Citrate 1/2 cup morning 1/4 cup afternoon, 1/2 cup evening... or Miralax 17 grams 3x's a day or 2oz Milk of Magnesia 3x's a day. Hope it gets better soon!!

Try Activia. I know after being sick with stomach issues your tummy can get out of whack. The last time I was sick throwing up, someone suggested Activia and it was the best thing I'd ever had at that point. I instantly felt so much better and my tummy thanked me for it. It's easy, and worth a shot!

How long has it lasted? It might be gas if we're talking a day or two after, or it might be an indication that the stomach flu was really a parasite of some sort potentially. Lots of possibilities. If it lasts more than a day or two, you should probably get her checked by a doctor.