Children often complain of stomach pain. Everyone experiences an upset stomach and indigestion from time to time. It is one of the most common occurrences that make the parents rush their kids to the doctor. For the most part, it is hard to detect a specific cause behind the condition of stomach pain in kids right off the bat.
Abdominal pain is pain or cramping anywhere in the abdomen (R) (tummy, belly or stomach).
In this article, we will focus on the 15 home and natural remedies for stomach pain in kids. The condition of stomach pain is usually of no concern, and it is often possible to treat the symptoms of stomach pain in kids with some of the home and natural remedies.
Check Out These Natural Remedies for Stomach Pain in Kids.
15 Natural Remedies for Treating Stomach Pain in Kids:
If you are tensed or worried about your kid’s complaints regarding stomach pain, here are some of the effective remedies that work. These remedies will definitively cure the stomach pain in kids.
1. Hydrate your kids by Drinking Lots of Water:
The body needs water to digest and absorb nutrition from food efficiently. Hydrating your kids with a lot of water intake is considered one of the best remedies in treating the stomach pain in kids.
You can also give them any kind of unsweetened tea like mint, ginger, aloe tea to your kids to keep him hydrated if your kid is above 3 years. This results in reducing stomach pain in kids.
Around 20 percent of the water content comes from food, with the rest coming from various beverages. For kids, a good figure to aim for is approximately 5-6 cups of water a day. Younger kids require slightly less water (R) than adults.
How to do:
- Make a practice of drinking water to your kids with a specific glass or bottle that give you an accountable amount of water your kids consume in a day.
How often:
- Kids should drink around 2 liters (l) of water in a day
2. Warm Compress:
One of the easiest and safest solutions for relieving stomach ache or pain in kids is the warm compress or use of heat. The best value you get from giving warm compress is that it will increase the blood flow to the surface of the skin which helps combat the abdomen pain. It does not have any side effects and helps to mask the feeling of pain in the stomach.
How to do:
- Take a heating pad or use a bottle filled with warm water. Wrap it in a cloth and your warm compress is ready to use.
Always check the warmth of the compress before starting the process and ensure your kid is comfortable with it.
How often:
- Do this for 1-2 times till the stomach pain is almost cured
3. Herbal Tea:
One of the most effective home and natural remedies to cure tummy aches in kids is by giving them herbal teas to drink.
The herbal tea can be served if your kid is above 2 years of age. The herbal tea is also helpful in treating nausea, gas, and other complaints in your kids. The herbal tea contains a natural sedative and anti-inflammatory, which help in relaxing the muscles of the abdomen of kids and ease cramping.
The herbal tea can be made of ginger (R), mint, chamomile, peppermint etc. depending upon the taste of your kids.
How to do:
- Add some boiling water to a cup
- To that add any of the tea you are fond of, ginger tea is the best option
- Let it steep for 5 mins
- Add 1 teaspoon of honey to it and drink
How often:
- Drink it for 2-3 times in a day
4. Honey:
Honey contains carbohydrates, sugar and antioxidants in it. It has beneficial anti-microbial properties (R) that fight the abdomen pain in kids.
It can be given to babies to adults through the various way by adding it in herbal teas or in warm water or in some food. Kids also love eating honey simply and directly. Try not to feed honey to the kids less than 2 years of age as there is a risk developing botulism in babies.
How to do:
- Consume 1 tablespoon of raw honey
- You can make some tea for your kids using a small amount of honey with some warm water.
How often:
- Do this 1-2 times in a day
5. Apple Cider Vinegar:
If you really want to get rid of stomach pain in kids, the apple cider vinegar is an amazing home and natural remedies to treat the abdomen pain in your kids. It can soothe the gastrointestinal lining and kill the infection and bacteria and gives your kids an instant relief.
Apple cider vinegar also raises the acid level in the stomach.
How to do:
- Mix 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to one glass of water.
How often
- Do it 2 times a day
6. Yogurt:
Yogurt is a great source of neutralizer of stomach cramps in kids, as it is referred to as probiotic food which helps in soothing the abdomen pain. Yogurt is the good bacteria which helps balance the nutrient intake in the tummy of kids.
Yogurt contains the bacterial culture which acts as healthy probiotics for gut health. One of the easy and simplest home and natural remedies to treat stomach pain in kids is the homemade curd/ yogurt.
How to do:
- Grind few fenugreek seeds and mix with yogurt and give it to your kids.
- You can serve yogurts with kichidi or plain rice.
How often:
- Repeat it 1 time in a day
7. Asafoetida:
Asafoetida or Hing is an amazing way to cure stomach pain in kids as it contains a lot of medical value in it. Stomach pain gets cured as it aids gases from the body of kids.
Hing consists of the anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties make it the most home and natural remedies to treat the stomach pain in kids. Asafoetida should not be exposed to the children directly. Hing should be given in the right proportion to kids. Here is the guideline on how to use hing.
How to do:
- Mix the ‘hing’ powder with some drop of water and make a paste of it.
- Apply it around the kid’s stomach navel area, or
- Mix the hing powder with olive oil and massage the kid’s abdominal area
How often:
- Do this for 1 time in day
8. Massage:
Massage (R) has an ample number of benefits for health, right from babies to adults. The simplest and easiest home and natural remedies to cure stomach pain in kids.
Massage in kids helps in aching the nerves and muscles of the abdomen area by enhancing the circulation around the stomach area. Massage also helps in the proper growth and development of your kids.
How to do:
- Massage gently in a circular motion in an anti-clockwise direction around the naval area of your kids.
- Use your palms and fingers to massage your kids.
- Massage from the chest area downwards to the lower portion of the abdomen pain area.
How often:
- Do this 2 times a day.
9. Tulsi:
Tulsi or basil is known as the queen of herbs as it has a lot of holistic properties in it. Tulsi is widely and mostly used in a lot of ayurvedic and naturopathic medicines. Tulsi leaves as well as its flower does have equal importance in health and in fighting a lot of diseases and infection.
A single Tulsi plant can help you get rid of ten health problems. Tulsi contains eugenol which help in reducing the acidity and improves the digestion power. Tulsi (R) also has anti-inflammatory properties.
How to do:
- Take one or two tulsi leave and have directly in the morning in empty stomach.
- Or mix half a teaspoon of tulsi leaves with boiled water and make a tea.
How often:
- Do this for 1 time in a day.
10. Rice:
Plain rice is one of the home and natural remedies to treat stomach pain in kids. It is quite useful for kids with abdomen and stomach pain complaints. It can help to reduce the abdomen pain because rice contains a high level of potassium and magnesium.
Vomiting and diarrhea can be slowed down by having some rice in the diet of your kids. Rice is also a part of the BRAT (R) diet that doctors often recommend.
How to do:
- Eat half a cup of plain, well-cooked rice.
How often:
- Repeat it once a time in a day.
11. Ginger:
Ginger is a common and natural remedy for an upset stomach and indigestion. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties which help with relieving the abdominal pain in the kids.
Ginger contains chemicals called gingerols and shogaols that help to speed up stomach contractions and cure abdomen pain in kids quickly. Ginger is not allowed to be exposed to children below 2 years of age.
How to do:
- Grate a small piece of ginger into warm water
- Let it stand for a few minutes.
- Drink it
How often:
- Do it 2-3 times a day.
12. Mints and Lemon:
Mint and lemon are natural and home soothers which go really well with all ages. Mint helps to fight bacteria and ease in quick stop your kid’s stomach pain. Mint is also effective in reducing muscles spasms in the intestine and in relieving the pain.
Lemon helps to combat constipation and digestive problems as it contains a high acidic level. Lemon has an ample effect in inducing better improvements. The composition of both makes an amazing effect on reducing the abdomen pain in kids as well as adults.
How to do:
- Take 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and some mint leaves
- Make a juice of lemon and mint by crushing it together
- Add this to a cup of water, and mix well
- Drink it
How often:
- Drink it 2-3 times a day
13. Outdoor Activities:
One proven non-scientific way to help with any stomach pain or stomach discomfort is to have your kids go to various outdoors games and get physically activity.
This really helps in dealing with the gastric problems to boost bowel movement in kids. Some effective outdoor activities include running, walking, playing any active outdoor game. Outdoor activities help kids with other functional growth and development. It also provides a healthy environment for your kids.
14. Cinnamon:
Cinnamon (R) contains several antioxidants that may help ease digestion and reduce the risk of irritation and improves digestive power. Some of the antioxidants in cinnamon include eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, linalool, camphor, etc. Cinnamon helps in reducing gas, bloating, cramping, and belching in kids. They may also help to neutralize stomach acidity to reduce heartburn and indigestion.
How to do:
- Take 1 cinnamon stick
- Boil it in a cup of water
- Let it stand for a few seconds
- Drink it
How often:
- Do this for 2-3 times in a day.
15. Coconut Water:
One of the simplest and easiest home and natural remedies for treating stomach pain in kids is coconut water. Coconut water is high in the levels of potassium and magnesium.
These nutrient value in it help to reduce abdomen pain, muscle spasms, and cramps in kids. Coconut water is also useful for hydrating the kids and is a widely used option than the rest of the sports drinks as it is also low in calories, sugar, and acidity (R).
How to do:
- Slowly sipping up to 2 glasses of coconut water
How often:
- Take this every 4–6 hours in a day.
Causes of Stomach Pain in Kids:
Sometimes, the cause of tummy ache in kids is hard to determine. The cause becomes more obvious over the course of time. There are many things that cause stomach pain in kids (R).
Some of them include:
- Bowel (gut) problem- such as constipation or irritable bowel.
- Infection- such as vomiting and diarrhea. Mesenteric adenitis- the lymph nodes in the abdomen commonly enlarge due to viral infection.
- Problems that may require surgery- such as appendicitis or bowel obstruction.
- Period pain- monthly pain can occur before or during the menstrual period.
- Food related-too much food, food poising or food allergies and intolerances.
- Kids get abdomen pain as a result of stress or anxiety.
Symptoms of Stomach Pain Kids:
Some of the alarming sign and symptoms that trigger your kid’s abdomen pain includes: (R)
- Weight loss
- Slow growth rate
- Lots of vomiting
- Chronic severe diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal blood loss
- Persistent pain on the right side of the abdomen
- Unexplained fever
- A family history of inflammatory bowel disease
- Other abnormal or unexplained finding when your child sees their health care provider
When to See Doctor?
A disturbed stomach and indigestion should not cause concern. For most kids, the sign and symptoms should go away within a few hours. As older adults and children can get dehydrated quickly, it can require medical attention.
It is best referred to opt for medical attention if:
- continual or uncontrollable vomiting or diarrhea
- chronic constipation
- fever
- bloody stool or vomit
- inability to pass gas
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- arm pain
- unintentional weight loss
- a lump in the abdomen or stomach
- difficulty swallowing
- history of iron-deficiency anemia or associated conditions
- pain when urinating
For children with chronic abdominal pain, parents often tend to ignore the severity of the condition. Parents and kids need to be convinced that functional symptoms are a normal feature of life. These home remedies can definitely help but if the symptoms are persistent, it is best to consult a doctor.
