Question
A seven-month-old baby frequently gets hiccups on their fingers. What could be the cause, and is it related to nutritional deficiencies?
Answer
Medically, hiccups are known as inverted stripping. Normally, the skin around the nail is tightly connected to the nail, forming a ’natural barrier.’ However, sometimes we observe cracks in the skin near the nail root, creating a twisted triangular protuberance, which is what we call ‘hiccups.’ An increase in a baby’s activity level, such as playing with toys, biting nails, or rubbing objects with their hands, may lead to fragile skin developing hiccups. Additionally, if a baby’s diet lacks vitamin C or other trace elements, this may also manifest through the skin and become one of the reasons for the appearance of hiccups.