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Tummy Still Looks Bloated

e&j0304

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e&j0304 Enthusiast
e&j0304
Posted

My dd's stomach still looks quite bloated a lot of the time. What could be causing this? She has been gluten-free for almost a year now and although it looked much better initially, it has started looking more bloated again lately.

Any ideas? I just don't accept the "toddler tummy" answer because it is not just a chubby toddler tummy. It is distended from right below her ribcage all the way down to her low pelvis. It is not loose, chubby skin. It is tight and she actually looks pregnant sometimes. It seems to be worse after she eats. It is not as though she is eating a ton to make it stick out though. She just had 1/2 of a sandwich and a couple of small pieces of cheese for lunch and she looked so bloated.

I am frustrated and feel badly for her because I know it probably isn't too comfortable.

We are also struggling with constipation right now, so maybe that is causing some of it?

Any insight is welcome!!

It just doesn't seem normal. None of my friends' 3-4 year olds have stomachs like that. I always worry that something else is wrong with her...

Thanks!

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sclark9602 Apprentice
sclark9602
Posted
My dd's stomach still looks quite bloated a lot of the time. What could be causing this? She has been gluten-free for almost a year now and although it looked much better initially, it has started looking more bloated again lately.

Any ideas? I just don't accept the "toddler tummy" answer because it is not just a chubby toddler tummy. It is distended from right below her ribcage all the way down to her low pelvis. It is not loose, chubby skin. It is tight and she actually looks pregnant sometimes. It seems to be worse after she eats. It is not as though she is eating a ton to make it stick out though. She just had 1/2 of a sandwich and a couple of small pieces of cheese for lunch and she looked so bloated.

I am frustrated and feel badly for her because I know it probably isn't too comfortable.

We are also struggling with constipation right now, so maybe that is causing some of it?

Any insight is welcome!!

It just doesn't seem normal. None of my friends' 3-4 year olds have stomachs like that. I always worry that something else is wrong with her...

Thanks!

This is the first time that I've posted on this website so sorry if I'm doing it wrong. My DD's tummy looks real bloated also. She is 9 and has been gluten/wheat free for 2 yrs. now. I don't know if it's just weight that's making her look bloated or if it's actual bloating. I would too like to know the answer to this.

e&j0304 Enthusiast
e&j0304
Posted
  • Author
This is the first time that I've posted on this website so sorry if I'm doing it wrong. My DD's tummy looks real bloated also. She is 9 and has been gluten/wheat free for 2 yrs. now. I don't know if it's just weight that's making her look bloated or if it's actual bloating. I would too like to know the answer to this.

Is it just her stomach that is big? My dd is only 3 1/2 and is a little chubby in her arms and legs although I wouldn't say for a second that she is "overweight". She is only about 30lbs, which is average for her age. She just has such a huge tummy. She was quite skinny in her arms and legs before going gluten-free and although she has filled out everywhere else, her tummy is still big.

Maybe someone else can help us! :huh:

sclark9602 Apprentice
sclark9602
Posted

Is it just her stomach that is big? My dd is only 3 1/2 and is a little chubby in her arms and legs although I wouldn't say for a second that she is "overweight". She is only about 30lbs, which is average for her age. She just has such a huge tummy. She was quite skinny in her arms and legs before going gluten-free and although she has filled out everywhere else, her tummy is still big.

Maybe someone else can help us! :huh:

I'm actually on the phone with DD's doctors office to find out about this. I don't know if they will tell me anything w/out doing tests. My DD is 91 lbs. and she'll be 10 in Aug. I don't look at her and think that she's really chubby. Her build is very solid. She is in between heavy and skinny. Arms and Legs aren't toothpick skinny but not fat either. I just spoke with the nurse and she really didn't have a clue. She did ask if DD was gassy all the time and told her yes that she always is. She said that I could try Beano or Gas X if they are gluten free and see what happens. A girl told DD not too long ago that she looked pregnant. That's how bad her tummy is. It's so sad.

e&j0304 Enthusiast
e&j0304
Posted
  • Author

I'm sorry they didn't have more answers for you. I don't even know if I can give Gas-X to a 3 year old. I'm sorry your dd had to hear that comment about her looking pregnant. Little kids can be so cruel. I hope she handled it ok.

Let me know if they end up testing her for anything.

Good luck!

sclark9602 Apprentice
sclark9602
Posted

I'm sorry they didn't have more answers for you. I don't even know if I can give Gas-X to a 3 year old. I'm sorry your dd had to hear that comment about her looking pregnant. Little kids can be so cruel. I hope she handled it ok.

Let me know if they end up testing her for anything.

Good luck!

I'll let ya know if they do. You do the same. BTW, my DD did get her feelings hurt but she did handle it okay and I did go straight to the little girls home and had a long talk w/her parents. Of course the mom blew it off as "kids will be kids" but I told them about Celiac disease and how it can cause stomachs to bloat. Everything has passed now and the important thing is keeping my DD healthy and DS, he has it too but doesn't bloat and he's 4.

Good Luck to you too!

Kris Fisher Rookie
Kris Fisher
Posted

My suggestion comes from this message board. I was diagnosed in April and began eating vegy's vegy's and more vegy's. My abdomin was actually larger than when I would react from gluten. In my case it was the gases from the vegy's. I quit that and the bloating went away with in 2 days. My next thing was taking dairy out for a while. These guys here are wonderful and suggested me taking dairy out for a couple of months and hopefully I can re add it back in later. I feel so much better now. I really want a big glass of milk but I'm strong and will avoid anything that potentially makes me hurt.

I hope you find something that works for you daughter.

Kris

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sclark9602 Apprentice
sclark9602
Posted

My suggestion comes from this message board. I was diagnosed in April and began eating vegy's vegy's and more vegy's. My abdomin was actually larger than when I would react from gluten. In my case it was the gases from the vegy's. I quit that and the bloating went away with in 2 days. My next thing was taking dairy out for a while. These guys here are wonderful and suggested me taking dairy out for a couple of months and hopefully I can re add it back in later. I feel so much better now. I really want a big glass of milk but I'm strong and will avoid anything that potentially makes me hurt.

I hope you find something that works for you daughter.

Kris

Kris,

Does that include soy milk also?? How long did it take before you noticed a difference with taking the milk out of your diet? Thanks for you advice.

BRUMI1968 Collaborator
BRUMI1968
Posted

Hey guys. I'm 37 and I have a bloated tummy too...and have been gluten-free for about two months; wheat free for about two years.

The first thing I would try is:

1. quit dairy, soy, and corn. These are the high allergen foods. With them out of the system, see if it's better. Then add one back a time until the bloat comes back. This way you can find if there is another bloat food.

Okay, I don't have a 2. Garlic really made me bloaty back in the day - still does if I eat it, which I don't. Charcoal pills might help, but they are not for long-term use, and I'm not sure about using them with kids. The tend to absorb the gas.

I really hope you guys find out some answers - then I hope you post them, since I'm still having bloat at my age.

sclark9602 Apprentice
sclark9602
Posted

Hey guys. I'm 37 and I have a bloated tummy too...and have been gluten-free for about two months; wheat free for about two years.

The first thing I would try is:

1. quit dairy, soy, and corn. These are the high allergen foods. With them out of the system, see if it's better. Then add one back a time until the bloat comes back. This way you can find if there is another bloat food.

Okay, I don't have a 2. Garlic really made me bloaty back in the day - still does if I eat it, which I don't. Charcoal pills might help, but they are not for long-term use, and I'm not sure about using them with kids. The tend to absorb the gas.

I really hope you guys find out some answers - then I hope you post them, since I'm still having bloat at my age.

Okay so let's just say it's the dairy for now. Would I eliminate like of course the milk for cereal, yogurt, cheese and so on? Do you have to pay attn to the Whey in ingredients too?? This is really getting difficult but I don't want DD to look like she's got a watermelon in her tummy either. Thanks for your input.

emcmaster Collaborator
emcmaster
Posted

I would eliminate any form of milk in any product she eats. Here's a website that lists the names for all dairy derivatives:

Open Original Shared Link

Try to switch her over to Rice or Almond milk for cereal and stay away from the soy until her bloating goes down. When it does, you could try adding soy back and see if it causes a reaction.

BRUMI1968 Collaborator
BRUMI1968
Posted

I definitely agree not to change to soy milk. Rice milk is better, but watch out for RICE DREAM, it has gluten in it. I think it is Pacific brand that is alright to get. Almond milk is pretty good too...but I'd be sure there's no barley malt or brown rice syrup in it.

Some folks are allergic to the casein in milk, others to the lactose, so it's hard to say. I'd definitely start out be eliminating ALL forms of dairy...just to see.

Good luck!

sclark9602 Apprentice
sclark9602
Posted

I definitely agree not to change to soy milk. Rice milk is better, but watch out for RICE DREAM, it has gluten in it. I think it is Pacific brand that is alright to get. Almond milk is pretty good too...but I'd be sure there's no barley malt or brown rice syrup in it.

Some folks are allergic to the casein in milk, others to the lactose, so it's hard to say. I'd definitely start out be eliminating ALL forms of dairy...just to see.

Good luck!

Thank you guys and I'll go shopping tomorrow.

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