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My 6-week-old baby has gas problem where Simethicone did not work. Why?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Answered by

Dr. Payas Joshi

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Vinodhini J.

Published At April 16, 2020
Reviewed AtJanuary 18, 2024

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I have a 6-week-old baby. He is only breastfeeding, no formula. He had gas problems like any other baby, and the doctor prescribed us Simethicone for infants (0.02 fl oz) three times a day to help relieve it. He eats and defecates normally (at least once a day, sometimes once every two days).

Lately, he has begun crying hysterically and inconsolably. We thought of it to be colic, so we exercise his legs (bicycle kicks) and massage his stomach. But that only soothes him for a few minutes, and then he resumes crying. Today, I noticed that he was grunting. We offered him the breastmilk thinking he is hungry. But he latched on, then immediately threw his arms up, stiffened his back and let go. Then it seemed like he was grunting while trying to poop. I know babies cry. It is how they express their feelings. But when he cried, we could figure out what the reason was hunger, discomfort, wet diapers, etc. But now, we are dumbstruck. Please help.

Answered by Dr. Payas Joshi

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern. Usually at this age babies have gas or colic problems. It seems like that only. I need a few more questions to be answered.

Does he regurgitates feeds also? Any relation of such episodes with feeding? Is it happening since birth (not these severe episodes but milder ones)? Have you checked the perianal area, is it red? Have you given anything other than mother's milk? What all medicines have been tried and for how many days? Do you burp the child after each feed? Is there a lot of flatus that baby pass? Does he pass stools with force? How is the child between episode, active?

Patient's Query

Thank you doctor,

He does not fully regurgitate but spits up a little every now and then (looks like curdled milk white in color). There are times when he will cry during a feeding, bite and let go, even though he has not fed in a while. Often, he will fall asleep while feeding or make noises or cry while feeding. Such inconsolable crying has not happened since birth. Usually, he only cried when hungry.

Perianal area is not red. I feed him nothing except mother's milk. Simethicone 0.02 fl oz for three weeks now, and a generic sodium chloride nasal spray for nasal congestions for a month. He was also prescribed Paracetamol after his vaccinations (0.03 fl oz twice a day).

Yes, we burp during and after feeds. When he tries to pass stool, it seems like he is forcing it. This usually happens when he has not passed stool all day. And he does this especially while feeding (a lot of grunting and sometimes passing flatus). But when he actually passes stool, he looks quite relaxed. In between episodes, the baby is active. He will move his arms and legs around from a lying down position in a playful manner, make funny sounds, etc.

Answered by Dr. Payas Joshi

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

It seems it is a gas issue only. I am prescribing for three days and see the response.

Drops Colimex (Simethicone with Dicyclomine) 10 drops thrice a day for three days, Lanzol junior (Lanzoprezole) 15 mg, quarter tablet a day for thee days. You can crush the tablet and give one-fourth powder with milk in the morning. This will be done for the next three days.

If there is no improvement in three days, you can try stopping all dairy products like milk, paneer, ghee, etc for mother. At times babies have mild cow milk protein allergy which may cause such symptoms as they pass to the baby through mother milk.

I hope this helps.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Payas Joshi
Dr. Payas Joshi

Pediatrics

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