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Getting Rid of Infant's Hiccups
QUESTION
Dear Dr. Jana,
Why do infants get hiccups and what is the best way to get rid of them?

— JP in Tampa, Florida

ANSWER
April 26, 2001
Dear JP,
As far as I know, no one is sure what causes babies to hiccup. What I can tell you is that they are quite common in newborns--sometimes beginning even before birth--and that they tend to cause parents far more distress than they do the babies themselves.

The answer to the other part of your question--how to get rid of them--is actually that you don't have to anything. You can consider your baby's hiccups as just another newborn reflex that will gradually become less frequent and eventually go away.

If you feel the need to do something, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests mixing up 1/4 teaspoon of sugar in four ounces of water and offering a few sucks. Can't say that I had great success with this method, but you can decide if it's worth a try.

— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.

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