Contents:
- Medical Video: Abdominal pain in children and infants
- Colic
- Intussusception
- Viral or bacterial infections of the intestine (gastroenteritis)
Medical Video: Abdominal pain in children and infants
Because you have not been able to speak and communicate his feelings, when a baby feels a stomach ache, he cannot tell you. You might be able to find out that he has a stomach ache, but what is the cause?
There are several possibilities.
Colic
Also called abdominal pain, usually occurs in infants between the ages of ten days to three months. Until now no one knows for sure what caused it, but colic seems to be the result of rapid and heavy contractions in the intestine that cause pain in babies. The pain in the baby is most severe in the late afternoon and early evening, and can be accompanied by crying, pulling the legs close to the chest, frequent flushing, and fussing. You can try various approaches to overcome colic, such as swinging your baby, walking while holding a baby, holding it in a blanket, or giving a pacifier.
Intussusception
This is a rare condition that can cause abdominal pain in babies. Intussusception is the most common stomach disease in children under two years of age. This problem occurs when one part of the intestine is tucked into another part of the intestine then trapped, the intestine is blocked and causes severe pain. Children will often cry and pull their feet towards their stomach. This will be followed by periods of calm without abdominal pain and often without experiencing any stress. Children may also vomit and have stools that are dark, slimy, and bleeding, often looking like blackberry jam. This pain is often severe, with periods of screaming followed by periods of calm or even lethargy. It is important to recognize the causes of stomach pain and talk to your pediatrician immediately.
The doctor will examine and may give an X-ray beam called an air enema or barium enema. Sometimes doing this test not only ensures the diagnosis but also releases the entangled intestine. If the enema does not release intestinal wounds, emergency surgery may be needed to overcome this problem.
Viral or bacterial infections of the intestine (gastroenteritis)
Usually associated with diarrhea or vomiting. Abdominal pain that comes and goes also often occurs. Most cases of the virus do not require treatment and will disappear on their own after a week or more. The pain itself generally lasts one or two days and then disappears unless the infection is caused by the parasite Giardia lamblia. This parasite can produce recurrent periodic pain and is not localized to any part of the abdomen. This type of abdominal pain can occur for several weeks or months, and can cause loss of appetite and weight loss. Treatment with the right medication can cure this infection as well as accompanying abdominal pain.
