A sour stomach or indigestion in a child can be a simple, temporary problem or a symptom of something serious. Try some simple home remedies, but if the discomfort goes on or is accompanied by severe symptoms such as pain or lethargy, seek professional care. In simple cases, the sourness comes from excess acid. The best remedies will reduce the acid and keep it where it belongs, beginning the process of digestion.
Bland Foods
Plain soda crackers and soft breads, lightly toasted if that encourages your child to eat them, will absorb some of the acid and provide some relief. Ask your child to nibble slowly; Don't give in, at least at first, to adding spreads that contain heavy fats or sugar, such as jelly or cream cheese. A light scraping of butter or a thin drizzle of honey may go down all right. Salt is also best avoided, though soup with a mild broth and a little pasta can also help.
Cool Liquids Rather Than Cold
Liquids can help to dilute the acid up to a point, but they can also irritate an esophagus already battling heartburn from acid rising from the stomach. Have the child merely sip plain water or mild teas; choose liquids a little cooler or warmer than room temperature as opposed to ice cold or hot. Very sweet drinks are not recommended; dairy drinks may contribute to mucus formation, which can also tend to produce an excess of acid.
Specifics
Gentle traditional remedies to put in teas -- if your child will take them -- include peppermint and ginger.The sugar in peppermint candy may make it too sticky to help, but a small piece of candied ginger can be munched. Ginger ale is another traditional form for treating tummy troubles, but it shouldn't be too cold or too highly carbonated, as gas in your child's stomach will only add to the discomfort, and a burp can easily turn into slight vomiting.
Foods to Avoid for Now
Most of the foods to avoid during an episode of sour stomach are the ones your common sense has warned you against. They include all foods with a lot of fat, salt or sugar, dairy products and those that are highly spiced. While cola syrup was originally sold as a stomach remedy, it is high in caffeine, which may be too much for your child and can aggravate indigestion in anyone unused to caffeine. The carbonation in cola drinks can also lead to burping.
