Frequent Belching in Teenagers

Your teen might let out the occasional burp because he thinks it's funny, but if he belches all the time, he could have a health issue that needs to be checked out. Most of the time, you can address frequent belching at home, but if a heath condition is the root of the problem, your teen's doctor can evaluate him and prescribe treatment.

Causes

When your teen eats or drinks, she swallows air along with her food or beverage. This air produces belches when it builds up in her stomach, according to MedlinePlus. Unconsciously swallowing air is a condition called aerophagia and might be the culprit of your teen's noisy habit. It can also be caused by chewing gum, anxiety and some medications. Frequent belching might also be a gas-related problem because of diet or a digestive disorder.

What to Do

Most of the time, a case of the belches doesn't warrant a call to your teen's doctor. Your teen can try lying on his side and pulling his legs to his chest. The pressure on his stomach can help push the air up and out. Lying on his stomach has the same effect. MayoClinic.com suggests a short walk to get the air moving out of your teen's body 1.

Prevention

If your teen suffers from frequent belching, a few simple tweaks can help. Avoiding the foods and drinks that play a role in frequent belching for your teen is an effective way to reduce the amount of gas in her stomach. A food diary can help you and your teen figure out the offending items. For many teens, soda, beans, added sweeteners, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, apples, peaches and pears produce excess gas. Help your teen avoid the foods that cause her problems, but it's also a good idea for her to eat and drink slowly, even if she's having foods that don't cause excess gas. Drinking without a straw decreases the amount of air your teen swallows.

When to Call the Doctor

Some belching is normal and nothing to worry about, but if frequent belching accompanies other symptoms, it's important to have your teen evaluated by his pediatrician. Diarrhea, unintentional weight loss, blood in the stool, constipation, vomiting, fever, stomach pain and chest pain are indications of a more serious problem, according to MayoClinic.com. Your child could have a food intolerance, celiac disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease or heart problems. Often, treating these conditions can help alleviate frequent belching.