BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuPotbellies and toddlersChildren and potbellies Information Question:Is there any reason to worry about a child's potbelly?Answer:It is generally normal for toddlers to have potbellies. By the time children reach school age, the potbelly will most often disappear and their bodies seem more proportionate.The belly should feel soft and NOT tender. There is nothing to worry about unless the child also has other symptoms such as: Belly pain Fever FeverFever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hard or firm-feeling belly Short stature Swollen belly Swollen bellyA swollen abdomen is when your belly area is bigger than usual.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting Open ReferencesReferencesBall JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Steward RW. Abdomen. In: Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW, eds. Siedel's Guide to Physical Examination. 10th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2023:chap 18.Srinath A, Rudolph JA. Nutrition and gastroenterology. In: Zitelli, BJ, McIntire SC, Nowalk AJ, Garrison J, eds. Zitelli and Davis' Atlas of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 11.AllVideoImagesTogPotbellies - illustration A toddler's potbelly is nothing to worry about unless the swollen belly is accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, or vomiting. A potbelly should also be evaluated by a physician if the swollen belly appears suddenly, or the child exhibits a short stature.PotbelliesillustrationPotbellies - illustration A toddler's potbelly is nothing to worry about unless the swollen belly is accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, or vomiting. A potbelly should also be evaluated by a physician if the swollen belly appears suddenly, or the child exhibits a short stature.PotbelliesillustrationRelated Information Review Date: 1/24/2023 Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Potbellies and toddlersChildren and potbellies Information Question:Is there any reason to worry about a child's potbelly?Answer:It is generally normal for toddlers to have potbellies. By the time children reach school age, the potbelly will most often disappear and their bodies seem more proportionate.The belly should feel soft and NOT tender. There is nothing to worry about unless the child also has other symptoms such as: Belly pain Fever FeverFever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hard or firm-feeling belly Short stature Swollen belly Swollen bellyA swollen abdomen is when your belly area is bigger than usual.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting Open ReferencesReferencesBall JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Steward RW. Abdomen. In: Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW, eds. Siedel's Guide to Physical Examination. 10th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2023:chap 18.Srinath A, Rudolph JA. Nutrition and gastroenterology. In: Zitelli, BJ, McIntire SC, Nowalk AJ, Garrison J, eds. Zitelli and Davis' Atlas of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 11.