By Rakhi Jayashankar
A mother’s role in raising her child is multifaceted. We have to don the caps of several professionals, sometimes doctors too. We cannot rush our children to hospitals whenever they are in discomfort. Hence it’s imperative to have some home remedies in your knowledge so that you could relieve your child of the pain and may cure them as well.
One of the most common issues that mothers face during the early years of the child is a stomach pain. When your active, happy, and healthy child suddenly complains about stomach pain, you can try the following remedies.
The causes of stomach pain could be many.
10 home remedies for stomach ache in kids:
Being a mother of three and a biotechnologist, once, I thought I shall share my knowledge with fellow mothers. The following are the 9 most effective and commonly used home remedies for stomach ache in kids.
1. Ginger
Ginger is the first and the most effective ingredient in treating stomach pain in kids and adults alike. Gingerols are active compounds in ginger which have anti-inflammatory properties. Since it is mildly spicy, kids might be reluctant to have it. There are several methods with which we can make your child ingest ginger.
1. Ginger Lime- Lime Juice mixed with ginger juice
2. Ginger tea- Black/ Milk tea with the water boiled with ginger
3. Ginger Water- Water boiled with grated ginger and filtered13
2. Nutmeg
Nutmeg is magical medicine, particularly helpful if your child is suffering from diarrhea. Make a paste of Nutmeg and mix it with a teaspoon of water. It relieves the upset stomach.
3. Asafoetida
Asafoetida reduces the stomach spasm. It reduces flatulence and thereby relieves the pain. Mix asafoetida powder in a little water/ ghee and apply it around the navel. It considerably reduced gas formation.
Ayurvedic doctors often recommend this method as a relief to stomach ache.
4. Ashtachoornam
It is an ayurvedic medicine that is effective in regulating metabolism in kids. Giving a teaspoon of Ashtachoornam mixed with honey daily makes your child less prone to indigestion and develops immunity in the long run.
5. Hot water Bag
Though this method doesn’t relieve the cause of pain, it helps in reducing the symptoms. If your child has a severe stomach ache, it would be tough to bear it till your remedy takes effect. You can give the hot water compress to relieve the pain. The heat increases
6. Cumin
Cumin is another home ingredient that is effective in reducing gastritis and stomach ache due to it. If your child is older and likes cumin, you can ask them to simply chew and eat it. You can also dry roast cumin and boil water with roasted cumin. Water boiled in unroasted cumin is also helpful but it gets spoiled fast and hence you cannot store it for more than a few hours.
7. Probiotics
Probiotics are helpful bacteria found naturally in our stomach. They are important for our gut health. Natural sources of probiotics are yogurt, fermented soya, kefir, kimchi, etc.
8. Chamomile
Chamomile tea has mild sedative effects. If the stomach pain is uncomplicated, the child would be fine once after a good nap
9. Peppermint
Peppermint has a calming effect on the stomach muscles by improving the bile flow. It can be given as a tea or candy or even powder added to milk.
10. Regulate their diet
Though this is not a remedy, it can be helpful in preventing the symptoms from worsening. Giving bland foods, and dry fruits like cherries, raisins, apricot etc could help.
Dr. Paramjeet Singh Kumar, child specialist, dermatologist, and adolescent physician recommends a reflexology technique to reduce stomach pain. “The technique calms the nerve endings in their foot thereby relaxing the whole body. Hold your child’s foot with one hand and apply pressure on the heels with the thumb of the other hand. Shift hands and do it from right to left and vice verse till you cover the whole foot.” says Dr.Paramjeet
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When to consult a doctor:
Dr. Isac Mathai, head of the Department of Pediatrics, MOSC medical college, Kolechery says, “home remedies can be helpful in many situations but without proper diagnosis, it is not possible to find out the reasons. Hence it is ideal to take expert help if the symptoms persist, or recurs”. We should not wait and must consult a doctor if
1. If a child has pain on a side
2. If the pain is severe and persists
3. If your child is constipated for more than a week
4. If the child has continuous vomiting or diarrhea
5. If the child is feeling dizzy
6. If there is fever
7. If there is blood in the stool
8. If your child finds it difficult to urinate
