Question
A two-month-old premature baby, who had been treated for pediatric colitis at Beijing Bayi Children’s Hospital for 65 days and then discharged, experienced abdominal swelling and rumbling three days after discharge. The parents want to know if this situation is normal.
Answer
For babies a few months old, especially premature babies, their gastrointestinal function is not yet fully mature, making them prone to abdominal swelling and diarrhea. Parents should closely monitor the baby’s bowel movements. If the baby has difficulty defecating, they should return to the hospital for further examination to rule out the possibility of congenital megacolon or other colon diseases. Although the incidence of these diseases is extremely low, a final diagnosis should still be made after adjusting gastrointestinal treatment. Since I have not personally examined the baby, the above suggestions are for reference only.