Contents:
- Medical Video: Abdominal pain in children: Dr. Miranda explains what parents need to know
- 1. Stomach flu "is not a flu in the true sense
- 2. Children can also experience a burning sensation in the gut
- 3. Constipation is a frequent cause
- 4. Drinking eight glasses a day is important
- 5. Your child's condition may be more than just a stomach ache
Medical Video: Abdominal pain in children: Dr. Miranda explains what parents need to know
Photo source: indiatoday
Abdominal pain may be one of the most frequent complaints from your child's mouth. Often these complaints can disappear on their own without requiring specific treatment, but in some cases, abdominal pain can be a symptom of other more serious diseases. How do you find out?
Dr. Deborah Goldman, a gastroenterologist from the Cleveland Clinic provides five things about abdominal pain in children, along with the initial treatment and when to take your child to the doctor.
1. Stomach flu "is not a flu in the true sense
"Stomach flu" is a term often used to describe medical terms gastroenteritis. This condition is most often caused by a virus. Usually the child will show symptoms of abdominal pain accompanied by diarrhea with or without vomiting. Children can also experience a fever that is not too high. Symptoms can last for a quite varied period, which is around 3-10 days. Treatment of stomach flu usually does not require antibiotics because it is most often caused by a virus. The most important thing is to prevent dehydration by giving the child plenty of fluids.
Contact your doctor immediately if there are symptoms such as vomiting or bloody bowel movements, symptoms that persist (not diminished) more than five days, high fever, or there are signs of dehydration (dry lips, reduced frequency or amount of BAK, pale skin, or child looks less active).
2. Children can also experience a burning sensation in the gut
Abdominal pain which is often accompanied by heat in the pit of the stomach can be one of the symptoms Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) aka gastric acid reflux. Other symptoms that can accompany this disease in children include acidity in the throat, discomfort or pain when swallowing, recurrent nausea and vomiting, and frequent belching.
The doctor may give medication to reduce stomach acid production such as antacids, and if necessary H2 histamine blocker like ranitidine or proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole. In addition, it's also a good idea to help change your child's lifestyle, such as:
- Eat smaller portions but more often (avoid eating 2-3 hours before going to bed)
- Lose weight if necessary
- Avoid foods that are spicy, high in fat, and sour
- Avoid carbonated and alcoholic drinks
- Avoid eating large portions before doing strenuous activities such as exercise
- Position the head slightly higher than the body during sleep
3. Constipation is a frequent cause
Abdominal pain in children is often caused by constipation or difficult bowel movements. Adding fiber to food, plus apple juice can help. Beware if there is a bloody bowel movement, this can be a sign of a more serious illness. Prolonged constipation can also be a symptom of other diseases such as celiac disease, hypothyroidism, or other medical conditions that require special attention.
4. Drinking eight glasses a day is important
Fluid is important to keep your body hydrated. Not only as an effort to prevent fluid shortages during an infection, drinking lots of water can also help maintain normal bowel function. At least half of the liquid the child drinks must be water. Avoid soft drinks and drinks that contain sweeteners.
5. Your child's condition may be more than just a stomach ache
In most cases, abdominal pain may not require special caution. However, as a parent, you should pay attention to how long your child has abdominal pain and other accompanying symptoms. For example, pain in the lower right abdomen may be a symptom of appendicitis (appendicitis); symptoms gastroenteritis repeat may be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); and long and recurrent abdominal pain can be caused by food allergies, celiac disease, parasitic infections, or lactose intolerance.
So, when you begin to suspect that your child's stomach pain may be a symptom of a more serious illness, don't hesitate to come and consult a doctor.
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