Helped Over 500,000 patients with 98%+ satisfaction.

Connect & Get Personalized 1-to-1 Answers from Expert Doctors

DoctorSpring > Question Home

Recurrent hiccups occuring randomly. Treatment?

Resolved Question:

Hi, my little boy is 11 months old and over the last couple of months he has developed recurrent hiccups getting them several times nearly everyday. I cant work out what is causing it as it seems to occur randomly not when he is eating. Developmentally he is fine and physically he is a big boy-25lbs!
Please can you let me know if this is anything I need to investigate further our what it could be.
Many thanks
Sarah

Category: Pediatrician

Ask Your Own Question

Category: ICU/ Critical Care Specialist
 28 Doctors Online

Hello,
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
Medically, hiccups are a manifestation of sudden diaphragmatic contractions caused due to irritation or stimulation of the diaphragmatic nerves. Most of the times, hiccups are absolutely harmless. If it is very frequent or persistent, then they may be pathological.
Practically they can occur during feeding, consumption of large quantity of food quickly, consumption of spicy, hot or salty foods, etc. So many a times, a simple modification of the feeding behavior can decrease hiccups. Try to do the following:
1. Allow the child to chew the food adequately before the next spoon of food.
2. Give smaller amount per spoon or bite.
3. Provide smaller feed quantities but increase the frequency of feeding. Example: Instead of 3 large meals a day, make it 5-6 small feeds once every 4-6 hours.
4. Make the food less spicy, hot or salty.
5. Do not allow the baby to ingest water or breast milk immediately before or after solid feeds as this would dilute the gastric acid and delay digestion as well as clearance of food from stomach.
If none of these measures help, get your child evaluated for GASTRO-ESOPHAGEAL REFLUX. You may need to get your child evaluated once by a pediatric gastroenterologist for that. He or she ll prescribe the necessary tests.
Regards
Dr. Saptharishi L G


Dr. Saptharishi L G
Category: ICU/ Critical Care Specialist
Experience: 
Senior Residency: DM,  Pediatric Critical Care, PGIMER

Residency: MD, Pediatrics, Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 2013

Internship: JIPMER, 2009

Medical School: MBBS, Jawaharlal Institute of Post-graduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 2008
Dr. Saptharishi L G and 4 other Medical Specialists are ready to help you

Users who read this, also read:

Make informed and better medical decisions.

Join the 500,000 people who found a smarter, quicker way to get Answers, Recommendations & Expert Opinions.

Expert Doctors at fingertips

Recommendation on next step. Second-opinion.Multi-specialty.

Save Time

Average time for answers: 6 hours.

Save Money

$35 for typical specialist consult vs. $120 for a local appointment.

Free Follow-ups

Clarify, ask further questions for free in private conversation.

100% Satisfaction

Money back guarantee for the 1st reply. MEDNET Quality Board.

Start My Consultation

CHAT NOW

About DoctorSpring.com

Doctor Spring is a novel online Doctor consultation platform where you can get your medical questions answered by leading Doctors. Just Submit your question and rest assured that you will consult a Doctor easily. Once you submit the question, the Doctor from the concerned specialty will reply within hours. You can always ask more questions or add details with follow-up question options and make it an online doctor chat. You may use this service to consult a specialty or for getting medical second opinion. All paid services come with a MEDNET quality assurance and 100% money back guarantee.

DoctorSpring in news