If your child loves to eat and try everything, it is not uncommon to have suffered episodes of indigestion or indigestion, however, it is also not uncommon that although it is almost a common thing in the child population, is an episode that often confuses parents, because in many cases do not know what to do to make the small feel better. If this is your case, here we tell you everything you need to know about food pocketing, so take note and put into practice these simple recommendations.

What is food pocketing?

The food pocketing is nothing more than indigestion or dyspepsia, which occurs when the child eats too much, or has consumed foods that for some reason do not sit well (can be sweets, fried foods or gluten, among others). The food pocketing can also occur when eating too fast, or while doing some other activity (sport, play).

In summary, food pocketing occurs when the child ingests a larger amount of food than he/she can or should eat, or when a food is heavy, slowing digestion and causing discomfort, especially stomach discomfort.

Symptoms food pocketing

Knowing if your child has food pocketing is simple, you just have to pay attention to the following symptoms, which are usually the most common:

Tummy ache

 It is the most normal symptom after a feeding, so if your little one cries or complains of pain there, it is one of the main symptoms. 

Nausea or vomiting

If after eating you feel like vomiting or vomit directly, you may be stuffed.

Pallor

If your child looks pale and sometimes that pallor is accompanied by cold sweats, it may be one of the symptoms of food pocketing.

Diarrhea

When the child has diarrhea or, on the contrary, has very hard stools, or with mucus, he/she may be bloated, or may also be bloated if he/she has a lot of gas.

Headache

If they have a headache after eating, it could be that some food has gone bad and they could be stuffed, usually the pain is so strong that it causes them to cry.

Remember that, if the child has a headache and for some reason they go out to perform sunny activities you must make them wear  the best kids sunglasses.

You should keep in mind that there are two types of food pocketing, dry and wet and both have different symptoms, for example, dry food pocketing, produces a white tongue, belching, bad breath, swollen belly and produces sounds, fever and constipation.

On the other hand, if the food pocketing is wet, the symptoms are the same as those just mentioned, except that the child would not be constipated, but on the contrary, would present abundant diarrhea, which can cause dehydration.

Other minor symptoms (but also very frequent) would be the presence of gas, heartburn and reluctance to eat.

Both usually do not have major complications, however, a solution must be found soon and if the symptoms do not improve, the pediatrician should be consulted.

What is good for food pocketing in children?

Although medically there is no treatment that eliminates the stomach upset immediately, it usually takes between 10 or 12 hours (at most) for the discomfort to be completely relieved, the most advisable is that the child does not eat more, at least nothing copious, what he should do is drink enough water to avoid dehydration and help with digestion.

You can massage the child's stomach with some oil, this in a clockwise direction, you can also apply some cold and hot compress, combining them, taking care that the child does not get burned neither with the cold nor with the heat (i.e. apply a temperature that the child can withstand). This will make him/her feel better.

Medical treatment 

As we mentioned before, if the symptoms become more severe, the best thing to do is to consult your pediatrician, who usually treats it with antacids, serum or antispasmodics, depending on the child's symptoms. Remember that it is very important not to medicate without first consulting with a specialist, because in children, the treatments are more specific and require more attention and precision, as it could generate adverse damage.

Even the same doctor can also recommend a natural solution such as activated charcoal, ginger or chamomile. However, check that your child can consume it without any problem, because remember that the cure should not be more serious than the disease, as the old popular adage says.

Natural remedies and tips

Regarding natural solutions, there are some recommendations that can be useful to alleviate the stomach ache in children, these are some of them, just incorporate them to your routine, or rather to the routine of the little one:

Rest

Make sure the child rests and is comfortable. Let him move gently, that is, walk or take a short walk, if that is what he wants, as it will help him to improve his digestion. Of course, avoid running or jumping, because it will have the opposite effect.

The child could, in this case, see essential kids movies, make games to learn mathematics, or popular board games and even if you could teach child to read he can read short stories for kids quietly. Another option is to try performing Games to Learn the Hours of the Watch for Kids in the comfort of your home.

At  Kiddus  we have clocks suitable for playing with time.

Light foods 

As we already mentioned, do not give your child any heavy food when he/she has an upset stomach, if he/she gets hungry, opt for a soft soup, or salad, some fruit or juice without sugar, it also works well, or in any case something light. This also avoids dehydration and helps the intestine to work.

Chamomile

It is one of the most common remedies against indigestion, so if your child is over two years old and does not have any allergy to this plant, you can give him/her an infusion, it will surely help him/her to have better digestion. Of course, do not forget to consult a doctor.

A bath

Giving your child a bath helps him/her to relax and therefore rest, which is beneficial in case he/she is indigested, as it helps him/her to feel better.

To avoid food intolerance, keep in mind not to leave food within the reach of children, especially those that are very processed or very sweet, not the most fatty, or salty in excess. Do not allow them to eat many foods at once, teach them to chew everything very well, to have fixed meal times and not to abuse carbonated drinks. You will see how these tips will help prevent your child from becoming overeating. Eating is one of life's pleasures, teach your child to enjoy it!

How to prevent it?

In addition to the tips we have already mentioned, there are some preventive measures you can incorporate if you want to prevent food pocketing. The most important are these:

• Avoid giving fatty foods, such as fried foods, products made with caffeine or cocoa, or spicy foods.
• Feed him in adequate amounts, do not abuse the food. Serve him according to his age and in portions with which he is full, but also nourished and does not generate inconveniences in his stomach.
• Eating food in small pieces and chewing well is also key to prevent binge eating. Let him take his time eating! And enjoy it too.
• Don't put him to bed full, avoid having a long dinner before going to sleep, don't give him heavy dinners either, something light is perfect for him to sleep well.

Conclusion

As you can see, children's binge eating can be prevented, however, it is more common than you think, so it is advisable to be cautious with food and create good eating habits. Remember that you teach by example, so incorporate healthy practices in your life so that your child can see what this implies: eating healthy, avoiding excesses, in short.  

In any case, in the event of an upset, follow the recommendations we give you here and you will see the improvement. Remember that the most important thing is that your children are healthy and above all happy, and that happiness undoubtedly has an impact on good health.