A number of chronic gastrointestinal conditions can cause intestinal symptoms in toddlers, although some might occur more commonly in older children. Dietary habits can also cause bloating in a toddler that could wake him in the night or keep him from sleeping. If your toddler has abdominal bloating that disrupts his ability to sleep, see his pediatrician for diagnosis and treatment.
Possible Causes
Many chronic diseases can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, celiac disease and allergies. Bloating can be associated with intestinal gas that leads to abdominal discomfort, diarrhea or constipation that can interfere with your toddler's ability to sleep. Your toddler is too young to tell you that his stomach hurts, but her distended stomach will cue you that she may have gastrointestinal issues. Insomnia can occur when a toddler has chronic discomfort. Insomnia, an inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, affects between 10 percent and 45 percent of preschool and school-aged children, according to a Baylor College of Medicine research article in the 2004 "Pediatrics Clinic of North America."
Effects
Abdominal disorders that cause bloating might also have other side-effects that aid in differentiating between them. Lactose intolerance normally causes abdominal cramping, gas and diarrhea within 30 minutes to two hours after eating dairy products. Celiac disease causes abdominal pain, gas and diarrhea after eating foods containing gluten, a wheat protein also found in rye and barley. Allergies can cause rashes, swelling, hives and difficulty breathing as well as gastrointestinal symptoms. Irritable bowel syndrome can cause alternating diarrhea and constipation in addition to abdominal pain.
Diagnosis
Differentiating between types of gastrointestinal distress takes good detective work as well as possible diagnostic testing. Allergy testing can determine whether your toddler has allergies contributing to his stomach woes. Diagnosing celiac disease and lactose intolerance might be a matter of trial and error. In a United Kingdom sleep clinic study, 12 percent of 13-month-olds who were having sleep issues began sleeping through the night when taken off milk products, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Pinky McKay reported on the website Bellybelly.
Considerations
If your toddler has stomach pain or cramping that keeps him awake at night or wake him in the night, it could affect his growth and development in several ways. Children need sleep and adequate nutrition to grow properly physically and mentally. Some chronic intestinal disorders that cause bloating and pain can interfere with digestion and absorption of foods.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digstive and Kidney Diseases: Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children
- The Pediatric Clinics of North America: Childhood Insomnia: Why Chris Can’t Sleep
- Bellybelly: Could Your Baby or Toddler’s Diet Be Keeping You Awake At Night?
- MayoClinic.com: Lactose Intolerance
- PubMed Health: Celiac Disease
