How To Deal With Children’s Stomach Pain
Almost all children go through episodes of tummy ache at some point. Most of the time, it is not caused by a serious problem. So, in most cases, you can solve this problem at home.
Causes of Children’s Belly Pain
Severe abdominal pain can sometimes come from mild conditions such as gas, colic or epidemic viral gastroenteritis, according to the Spanish Society of Pediatrics.
As these episodes are relatively common, it is best to know the ways in which they can describe this type of pain.
For example, there is a type of pain that is widespread in more than half of the abdomen. In that case, it could be caused by a stomach virus, indigestion, or gas.
Cramp-like pain is usually not severe. And it’s more likely to occur due to gas and bloating. It is often followed by diarrhea.
Thus, the most worrying signs are: when pain occurs frequently, it lasts for a long time (more than 24 hours) or appears accompanied by fever.
Cramps, however, are a pain that comes in waves. They usually start and stop suddenly and are often intense.
However, babies and young children cannot describe the pain they feel. Therefore, some signs of a tummy ache could be:
- Increased irritability
- Raise your legs towards your belly
- deficient food
Many conditions can cause abdominal pain in a child. The key, therefore, is knowing when to seek medical attention.
In many cases, you can simply wait, use home remedies, and then seek medical attention if the symptoms don’t go away.
A harmless home remedy is oregano or chamomile tea for older children.
In babies, prolonged and unexplained crying can be caused by abdominal pain. This pain can disappear with the elimination of gas or stool.
Colic is often worse at night. In these cases, rocking the child on your lap can bring some relief.
Less Serious Causes of Stomach Pain in Children:
- Constipation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Allergies or food intolerance
- Stomach heartburn or acid reflux
- Epidemic viral gastroenteritis or food poisoning (salmonella, shigella)
- Streptococcal pharyngitis and mononumosclerosis.
Other possible causes are derived from:
- Appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix)
- Bowel occlusion or obstruction
- Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis)
- Intussusception caused by a part of the intestine entering itself
- Urinary Tract Infections
How to take care of a tummy ache at home
When the slightest pain starts, ask your child to lie down quietly to see if the pain goes away. Sometimes drinking plenty of water can help. You can also ask your child to try to defecate.
Avoid solid foods for the first few hours. Then try to feed him small amounts of soft foods like rice or apples.
Also, avoid as much as possible the consumption of caffeine, soft drinks, citrus, dairy products, fried foods or fatty foods.
Do not give aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen (Tylenol) or similar medications without first talking to your pediatrician.
Also, to avoid many types of abdominal pain:
- Avoid fatty foods
- Have your child drink plenty of water each day.
- Encourage her to eat smaller meals more often.
- Encourage her to exercise regularly.
- Cut down on foods that cause gas.
- Make sure your meals are well balanced and high in fiber.
- Encourage abundant consumption of fruits and vegetables.
long lasting pain
There is a condition called long-term abdominal pain. In children, it is a frequent reason for consultations in primary care and hospitals, accounting for 24% of pediatric consultations.
According to the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, between 13 and 17% of school-age children experience abdominal pain weekly. Therefore, this condition usually occurs between the ages of 5 and 12 years.
To diagnose it, it is necessary to establish the existence of an abnormal intestinal reactivity to different stimuli: physiological (food, bowel distension, hormonal changes), nociceptive (inflammatory) or psychological stressors (parent separation, and anxiety).
