Abdominal pain in a child, causes and treatment. Effective and safe remedies for abdominal pain in children. What to do if your child has a stomach ache
Every parent has encountered a problem when their child began to have a stomach ache, after which the baby became restless and nervous. In such cases, some people cope with home first aid kit, but most still prefer not to risk it and call a doctor at home.
If your baby complains of severe abdominal pain that does not go away within several hours, what measures should be taken and what symptoms should you pay attention to first?
Causes of abdominal pain
All children at different ages can experience stomach pain. The nature of pain can be completely different, ranging from dull cutting pains and ending with colic. Abdominal pain may also be accompanied by additional symptoms such as vomiting, fever and dizziness. With acute pain, children clutch their stomachs, lie in one position, and cannot move normally.
Thus, newborn babies and infants often suffer from infant colic, which are typical for this age. A loudly screaming and crying child who sleeps restlessly and refuses to eat is trying to notify his parents that he is not feeling well. In such cases use special drugs against colic or use soothing decoctions of medicinal herbs.
As for older children, everything is much more complicated here, since the cause of acute pain can be poisoning or an infectious disease. Therefore, it will be difficult to diagnose the cause on your own if parents encounter such a problem for the first time.
There are incredibly many reasons why children have stomach pain and they all have different origins. By carefully observing your own child, you can understand how serious the problem is.
Appendicitis
Pain during appendicitis indicates the presence of an inflammatory process in the appendix of the cecum. This problem common in more than 50% of children aged 6-12 years.
The main symptom indicating the presence of appendicitis is acute pain near the navel, which eventually moves to right side. Vomiting, as well as periodic nausea, are possible but optional symptoms that may accompany the inflammatory process.
Constipation
Constipation is the most common cause of abdominal pain in children. The factors that provoke this disease are quite different.
In most cases, constipation is caused by:
- unhealthy diet;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- a change of scenery.
With this problem, children complain of terrible heaviness in the stomach, aching pain, which periodically responds throughout the gastrointestinal tract.
Poisoning
Poisoning with stale food or pills can cause severe attacks stomach pain, which are almost always accompanied by intestinal upset, vomiting, severe nausea and weakness. Within a short time, the child becomes pale and the body temperature may rise significantly.
While taking antibiotics, the child's stomach hurts for a short time. To prevent this from happening again, you need to take a course of drugs that restore intestinal flora.
Intussusception
Intussusception is a process in which one part of the intestine invades another. This is caused by impaired intestinal motility. With this disease, a child, despite feeling completely normal, may feel a sharp pain in the abdominal area.
- Periodic attacks may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and a sharp increase in body temperature.
- Intussusception is characterized by a certain frequency of onset of pain.
- After an attack, the baby can become playful again, develop an appetite, and improve his mood.
After some certain time, the child’s stomach hurts again, but this time it is more pronounced. The longer the disease is ignored, the more severe the attacks become.
Coprostasis
With this disease, the child feels within normal limits. Painful sensations appear on palpation and are often concentrated in the left side of the abdomen.
When pressed, the baby's abdomen is hard. The pain goes away after the enema. The child has abundant stool and rapid relief, the abdomen becomes soft.
Volvulus of the intestines and stomach
Volvulus most often occurs in children under six months of age. With this disease, part of the intestine turns and causes unpleasant symptoms. The baby suddenly becomes restless, screams and feels severe pain.
Children experience stool and gas retention. The baby's abdominal cavity becomes asymmetrical and he often experiences nausea and vomiting.
Gastric volvulus is different from intestinal volvulus. The disease develops due to paresis of the diaphragm. The baby feels sharp pains paroxysmal in nature.
The disease is also characterized by vomiting blood and severe distension of the stomach. In this case, hospitalization is a necessary, emergency measure that can save the baby’s life.
Inguinal hernia
Inguinal hernia develops mainly in infants and children under 2 years of age. The baby becomes unmotivatedly restless and sweaty. The skin becomes pale, there is frequent vomiting. In especially advanced cases, children may be diagnosed with signs of intestinal obstruction.
Among them:
- severe bloating, which also manifests itself visually;
- frequent vomiting;
- pain;
- stool retention;
- non-passage of gases.
When this disease is found in children, the main measure is emergency hospitalization and surgical intervention to eliminate threats to the child's life.
Dysentery
The disease begins abruptly and is accompanied by aggressive symptoms. The child has vomiting, fever, constant nausea, mild pain, frequent loose stool with mucus or blood clots. On palpation, the intestines become hard and dense.
Diagnosis of this disease is very simple; out of 100 cases, dysentery is detected in 98. Dysentery often develops into acute form appendicitis. It is characteristic that with this disease, pain syndrome in children it is weak, the abdominal muscles do not tense.
Gastritis
This disease occurs in almost any child age category, teenagers and schoolchildren are most susceptible to it.
The most common causes of the disease are:
- poor nutrition;
- lack of daily routine;
- bacteria;
- taking medications;
- food intolerance of one type or another.
With acute gastritis, the baby may feel pain in the solar plexus and nausea. Frequent symptoms are vomiting, heartburn, indigestion, dry mouth, weakness, decreased performance and physical inactivity. In rare cases, fever may occur.
During examination, doctors detect ulcers in the mouth and tongue, cold sticky sweat, pallor, and fever. The child has epigastric pain, bloating, heaviness, pain after eating and hungry stomach cramps. Most often, anamnesis and clinical picture are sufficient to make a diagnosis. For accuracy, doctors can use the gastroscopy method.
Enterocolitis
Frequent, mucous, mushy stools are characteristic of this disease in children. In addition, the disease is accompanied by painful sensations.
Most common reason acute enterocolitis in children - E. coli.
With enterocolitis caused by staphylococcus, bloating, signs of intoxication, fever and severe general state. The baby may also experience pain in the navel or lower abdomen.
How do you know when to worry?
As you already understand, acute and prolonged pain in a child may indicate the presence of serious diseases that can pose a threat to health and life.
If the pain is localized in the navel area, then it makes sense to assume that this is a slight spasm and will soon go away on its own. But the further from the center of the abdomen the pain that the child indicates is located, the more serious the suspected cause may be.
Urgent medical care is required in the following cases:
- pain does not go away within 24 hours;
- the skin turns pale;
- temperature drops or rises;
- cold sweat appears;
- loss of appetite and refusal to drink occurs;
- vomit;
- nausea;
- lethargy appears, the child becomes sleepy;
- there may be blood in the vomit;
- diarrhea that does not go away for more than two days;
- rash;
- urination becomes painful, urine is cloudy.
If your baby is vomiting, you should not give him any antiemetics on your own, as the drugs can worsen the condition and provoke internal bleeding and pain, the temperature may rise.
First aid
If abdominal pain is localized in the navel area, then parents can try to help themselves as follows:
- put your child on a diet, eliminating foods that you suspect could cause the problem;
- Give your child plenty of non-carbonated water or special oral rehydration products;
- If your baby has excessive gas formation, you can help him by giving him the drug simethicone.
At first, provide your baby with rest and quiet, and dietary food, which will restore strength and normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Make sure that vomiting does not recur.
Does your child often complain of abdominal pain? We must take action! Let's look at the causes of such pain and determine what examinations the baby needs to undergo.
Abdominal pain can bother a child at any age. In infants, this is due to imperfect enzymatic systems, gases and intestinal dysbiosis.
In older children, abdominal pain causes concern for parents. One of the most common causes of abdominal pain in preschool age is helminthic infestation and associated intestinal dysfunction.
But if the baby is bothered periodic pain in the stomach, measures must be taken. If you experience such pain, you should consult a doctor and be prepared to answer the following questions:
- whether the pain is associated with food (i.e., does it always occur before or always after eating, or only after a specific meal);
- how often the pain occurs, how severe it is;
- whether the pain is associated with physiological functions, and in older girls with menstruation;
- where does it usually hurt, is there any specific localization of pain, what area of the abdomen does the pain usually spread to;
- it is advisable to describe the nature of the pain if the child can already do this (“pulling”, “burning”, “stabbing”, “cutting”, etc.);
- what activities usually help with pain (medicines, enema or vent pipe, massage, rest, cold, warmth, etc.).
What examinations should you undergo if you have frequent abdominal pain in children?
1. Analysis of stool for scatology, stool for worm eggs and scraping for enterobiasis.
The first analysis provides information about how food is digested, at what stage gastrointestinal tract“fails” and in what state the intestinal microflora is.
2. Ultrasound of the digestive organs
Performed on an empty stomach. During ultrasound examination, gastritis can be detected by indirect signs: for example, the walls of the stomach are thickened to 5-7 mm, contents remain in the stomach that have not been digested since dinner, which indicates slow digestion of food. With the help of special tests, where the child is asked to drink water and his stomach is examined, doctors can evaluate the functioning of his sphincters. It is very important to do an ultrasound of the following organs for your child: gallbladder, liver, pancreas, since these digestive organs directly affect the functioning of the stomach.
3. Fecal analysis for Giardia, worm eggs, enzyme immunoassay for antibodies to helminth antigens
4. Gastroscopy (stomach endoscopy)
The examination is carried out strictly according to the doctor's indications. It is usually prescribed if, according to the results of treatment, the child’s condition does not improve.
In addition, gastroscopy is recommended if a child has abdominal pain on an empty stomach that goes away after eating, as this is a symptom of a stomach and duodenal ulcer. A child should undergo gastroscopy at a children's center, since a children's endoscope has a smaller diameter.
Gastroscopy is unpleasant in its essence: a thin device - an endoscope - is inserted into the stomach through the mouth and esophagus, a small amount of air is pumped into the stomach for better viewing, after which the image is recorded on a computer. It is clear that such actions often cause discomfort and anxiety in children, so gastroscopy is done only in serious cases. True, this examination is quite tolerable with an experienced doctor. Sometimes painkillers are used during the examination, but not all doctors like to resort to anesthesia, since it disrupts the child’s swallowing function and complicates the process of gastroscopy.
The main causes of abdominal pain in children
Abdominal pain in children can be the first sign of many diseases: mumps, measles, scarlet fever, meningitis, hemorrhagic vasculitis, lymphogranulomatosis, acute leukemia, rheumatism, periarteritis nodosa.
1. Abdominal pain due to diseases of the abdominal organs in children.
A) Appendicitis
Common disease childhood, the clinical course of which is more severe than in adults, and diagnosis is much more difficult. In infants, the disease is rare, then its frequency increases and becomes greatest at the age of 9-12 years. Acute appendicitis in children is characterized by low specificity of the clinical picture, rapid development of destruction of the appendix, and early onset of complications (usually diffuse peritonitis).
Symptoms: clinical manifestations acute appendicitis in older children, in contrast to patients 3-4 years of age, are similar to those in adults. In young children, appendicitis begins with general phenomena: children become restless, capricious, and sleep is disturbed. Usually the child indicates that the pain is localized in the area around the navel. Soon after the onset of pain, nausea and vomiting appear (this happens many times). More than 10% of patients have loose stools, sometimes with mucus. The temperature usually rises. The symptom of discrepancy between pulse rate and temperature in children is rare and, as a rule, is observed in severe purulent peritonitis. A child with acute appendicitis is inactive, often takes a position in bed on the right side with his legs brought to the stomach. Upon examination, a characteristic place of greatest pain is revealed, passive muscle tension in the lower abdomen on the right, positive symptom Shchetkin-Blumberg. In severe intoxication, especially with gangrenous appendicitis, abdominal muscle tension may be absent. Determining the number of leukocytes has the same diagnostic value as in adults: more often it is in the range of 1210 / l-1510 / l. Gangrenous appendicitis can also occur with leukopenia.
B) Pneumococcal peritonitis
It is observed mainly in older children preschool age, more often in girls. There is an opinion that the infection penetrates into the abdominal cavity from the vagina, but in boys the routes of entry of pneumococcus into the abdominal cavity are hematogenous, lymphogenous and enterogenous. There are three classic shapes pneumococcal peritonitis: septicopyemic, toxic and limited.
Symptoms: The “symptom of the first hours” is characteristic - an acute and violent onset. There is severe abdominal pain, usually in lower sections its or non-localized, temperature increase up to 39-40% C. Vomiting can be repeated. Loose, frequent stools (yellow-green, foul-smelling) often appear. There is a significant severity of the general condition, despite the short duration of the disease. The child suffers, is restless, moans. In severe cases, on the contrary, lethargy, apathy, and sometimes loss of consciousness and delirium are observed. The skin is pale, the eyes are shiny. The tongue is dry, covered with a white coating. Herpes often appears on the lips. The pulse is accelerated. The abdomen is sharply painful in all parts, but especially below and longer on the right. There is diffuse, moderately pronounced muscle rigidity, somewhat more below the navel and on the right. The Shchetkin-Blumberg symptom is positive. Sometimes you can detect some swelling of the anterior abdominal wall in the lower abdomen and right iliac region. The presence of exudate is rarely detected.
B) Coprostasis
The general condition remains satisfactory. The temperature rarely rises. On palpation, abdominal pain is most often detected in the left iliac region. After the enema, abundant stool is observed and the pain disappears, the abdomen becomes soft and painless.
D) Tuberculous mesadenitis
The onset of the disease is not as acute as with appendicitis. Pain appears, often cramping, and diarrhea. The temperature is subfebrile. There is no tension in the abdominal muscles. Sometimes it is possible to palpate enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. Rarely, rupture of a lymph node with caseous decay can lead to the development of acute peritonitis with a sudden onset. Suspicion of uncomplicated tuberculous mesadenitis is an indication for hospitalization of the child.
D) Intussusception
The penetration of one part of the intestine into the lumen of another occurs mainly in infants (90%) and is especially common at the age of 4 to 9 months. Boys get sick 2 times more often than girls. In children older than one year, intussusception is rarely observed. The most common occurrence is ileocecal intussusception and much less often the penetration of the small intestine into the small intestine and the large intestine into the large intestine.
Symptoms: intussusception in most cases begins suddenly. The child becomes restless, screams, cries, turns pale, and refuses to eat. The attack of anxiety ends as suddenly as it begins, but after a while it repeats. During the light interval, the child calms down (the calm period lasts 3-10 minutes). Vomiting soon appears, first with food remains, then with an admixture of bile and, finally, intestinal contents with a fecal odor. The temperature is often normal. In the first hours of the disease, stool may be normal, after some time from the rectum instead feces blood mixed with mucus comes out. In some cases, bleeding may be absent throughout the entire period of the disease (more often in the cecum-colic form).
E) Volvulus
A form of strangulation obstruction, caused by rotation of a section of the small or large intestine together with the mesentery around the longitudinal axis, is more often observed in children in the first 6 months. life.
Symptoms: Abdominal pain suddenly appears, the child screams, cries, is restless, there is gas and stool retention, abdominal asymmetry, a noticeable decrease in intestinal motility, vomiting may occur, and blood pressure is reduced. On X-ray examination, the loops of the small intestine are distended with fluid levels, the distal parts are free of air. With volvulus of the colon, the sigmoid region is sharply expanded.
G) Gastric volvulus
Develops in children with paresis of the diaphragm and the creation of conditions for the formation of a diaphragmatic hernia. The child develops sharp colicky pain in the abdomen, accompanied by general anxiety, vomiting mixed with blood, severe distension and bloating of the stomach, and a drop in blood pressure. The child's condition is rapidly deteriorating. X-ray reveals a high position of the diaphragm, but it is not possible to obtain an image of the stomach.
Hospitalization is urgent; emergency surgery is required.
H) Strangulated inguinal hernia
Develops mainly in infancy and up to the 2nd year of life. General anxiety, “unmotivated” screaming, pallor, sweating, and vomiting are noted. When examining the child, the presence of a hernia is determined; the contents of the hernial sac become dense, sensitive to palpation, and cannot be reduced. In advanced cases, signs of intestinal obstruction appear: bloating, repeated vomiting, retention of stool and gas. Gangrene of the intestinal wall is a rare phenomenon; venous stasis of strangulated organs often occurs.
Hospitalization in all cases of strangulated hernia is urgent in the surgical department.
I) Acute diverticulitis
Inflammation of the preserved vitelline duct of the caecum, extending from ileum(Meckel's diverticulum). Gives a clinical picture of appendicitis: the patient vomits, the temperature rises, stool retention, and general anxiety are noted. When palpating the abdomen, the pain is localized mainly closer to the navel or in the suprapubic region.
Hospitalization in all cases of suspected diverticulitis is urgent in the surgical department.
K) Coprostasis
The accumulation of feces (usually in the terminal areas of the small or large intestine) is accompanied by colic-like or sharp cramping pain in the abdomen. General health often suffers: weakness, nausea, vomiting, pallor appears, and the temperature rises. Palpation reveals a dense formation or fecal conglomerates along the intestine.
Urgent Care. Siphon enemas, antispasmodics: no-shpa, papaverine.
L) Mesenteric lymphadenitis
A constant symptom is pain in the lower abdomen or around the navel, sometimes accompanied by tension in the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall. Body temperature may be normal or slightly elevated, leukocytosis is determined (15-30.10 / l). The diagnosis is made by excluding acute appendicitis, tuberculous mesadenitis, intestinal infection.
Hospitalization to the surgical department if there is a suspicion of acute appendicitis, to the infectious diseases department if there is a suspicion of an intestinal infection.
M) Crohn's disease
Granulomatous lesions of the gastrointestinal tract are most often localized in one or several segments of the small or large intestine, less often in the esophagus and stomach. Occurs in children of any age. Signs of the disease depend on the prevalence of malabsorption syndromes, intestinal obstruction, intestinal ulceration, loss of blood and protein. The child is bothered by abdominal pain and frequent loose stools. Weight loss, growth retardation, periodic increases in body temperature, and anemia are noted. The pain is recurrent in nature, most often observed in the right half of the abdomen.
Hospitalization in all cases. If intestinal perforation is suspected, the patient is hospitalized in the surgical department and undergoes surgical treatment.
They occur in sensitive and vegetatively labile children of preschool and school age. Characterized by periodic colic-like pain around the navel, often during meals or after nervous stress. Pallor of the skin, red dermographism, and increased skin moisture are noted.
Hospitalization is not necessary.
O) Anomalies in the development of the gallbladder and bile ducts
Bile duct atresia, double gallbladder, absence of a gallbladder, variants of atypical confluence of bile ducts in children can cause abdominal pain. Attacks of abdominal pain are repeated and sometimes serve as a reason for hospitalization of children in the surgical department with suspected appendicitis. Usually the pain is of moderate intensity, localized in the upper right half of the abdomen, often radiating to the shoulder, neck, shoulder blade, and may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
P) Dyskinesia of the gallbladder and biliary tract
Violation of the evacuation function is the most common pathology in children with diseases of the biliary system. Hypertensive dyskinesia is characterized by paroxysmal pain (cramping, stabbing, cutting), usually short-term. The pain with hypotonic dyskinesias is constant (aching, pressing, vague), the pain periodically intensifies, is accompanied by a feeling of fullness in the right hypochondrium, and intensifies with palpation. Worries include nausea, bitterness in the mouth, loss of appetite, and sometimes vomiting. The diagnosis is confirmed by contrast cholecystography.
Hospitalization is indicated in the gastroenterology department.
P) Acute cholecystitis, acute angiocholitis
Characterized by sudden onset high temperature(up to 38-40 °C), acute abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant, sometimes radiating to the right arm, the right side of the lower back. Nausea and vomiting with an admixture of bile appear, the tongue is dry, coated with a grayish-white coating, the abdomen is moderately swollen, and tension in the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall is detected. The participation of the abdomen, especially the right half, in breathing is limited, symptoms of peritoneal irritation appear, and deep palpation is impossible. Leukocytosis with a shift to the left is noted. Children are restless and often change position. In children of the first years of life, general manifestations of the disease predominate: chills, refusal to eat, constipation or loose stools in combination with pain on palpation of the abdomen in the right hypochondrium.
Hospitalization in the surgical department.
2. Acute gastrointestinal diseases (gastroenteritis, dysentery).
Infants experience frequent mushy, mucous, watery stools, which is accompanied by abdominal pain. The most common reason diarrhea in infants - intestinal infection. With staphylococcal enteritis, a severe general condition, bloating, high temperature, vomiting, and signs of exicosis with intoxication are noted. With viral enteritis, against the background of fever, catarrhal symptoms in the nasopharynx, pain appears in the navel or lower abdomen.
Hospitalization in all cases of enterocolitis in infants to the infectious diseases department.
B) Acute gastritis
It occurs in children of any age, but more often of school age. Predisposing factors: nutritional errors (violation of diet and diet, overeating, poor quality food), toxic infections, taking certain medicines(bromides, iodine preparations), intolerance to certain products.
Symptoms: the child experiences vomiting, sometimes repeated, cramping pain in the epigastric region, a feeling of heaviness, fullness, abdominal distension, nausea, general weakness, dry mouth. During the examination, a coated tongue, pale skin with cold sticky sweat, sometimes loose stools, and a rise in temperature are noted. The abdomen is distended, there is pain in the epigastrium, there are no symptoms of peritoneal irritation. The diagnosis is based on the history and clinical picture.
B) Dysentery
An acute onset of the disease is characteristic. Fever, vomiting, frequent loose stools mixed with blood and mucus. On palpation, pain and rumbling along the large intestine are noted, the sigmoid colon is dense and painful. Abdominal pain is moderate, not accompanied by muscle tension in the anterior abdominal wall. Difficulties in diagnosis arise rarely (about 2% of cases), mainly with Sonne's dysentery, when the cecum and ascending segment of the colon are affected with signs of peritoneal irritation simulating acute appendicitis. The diagnosis is confirmed by bacteriological examination.
D) Helminthic infestation
The accumulation of helminths (especially roundworms) in the intestinal lumen can manifest itself as abdominal syndrome (paroxysmal intense pain in the navel, vomiting, signs of intestinal obstruction). The child is worried about drooling, nausea, and loss of appetite. Coated tongue and loose stools are noted. In case of intestinal obstruction, appendicitis and peritonitis - emergency hospitalization in the surgical department.
D) Typhoid fever
Abdominal pain when typhoid fever is the leading symptom. More often the pain is diffuse or localized in the area of the cecum. As a rule, there are no symptoms of peritoneal irritation; upon palpation in the right iliac region, rumbling and dullness of percussion sound are noted. The diagnosis is made on the basis of epidemiological history, signs of intoxication, changes of cardio-vascular system(bradycardia, hypotension), the nature of the stool (retention of stool is replaced by frequent loose green stools), lethargy (typhoid status).
Hospitalization in the infectious diseases department. If signs of intestinal perforation appear, emergency surgery is indicated.
3. Urological pathology
Unlike acute appendicitis, the pain in these cases is cramping, the child is restless and changes body position. The pain often radiates to the lumbar region or inner surface hips and groin area. Urination is frequent and painful. Chills often occur. Tension of the abdominal muscles on the right is more diffuse than with appendicitis and disappears in the “light interval”. The area of pain is projected along the ureter. Pasternatsky's symptom is positive. In doubtful cases, urgent nephrurological examination is necessary.
A) Acute pyelonephritis
The disease most often develops in children with congenital pathology urinary tract. Pain in the abdomen and lumbar region is combined with dysuric symptoms, high fever, and signs of intoxication; In young children, gastrointestinal tract dysfunction may occur. As a rule, there are no symptoms of peritoneal irritation. The diagnosis is confirmed by the presence of pyuria, bacteriuria and x-ray data.
Hospitalization is required in a therapeutic hospital.
B) Nephropatosis
Positional anomalies of the kidneys in children are rare, in asthenic, rapidly growing children. Renal colic develops due to a significant downward displacement of the kidney when vertical position sick and sharp bend of the ureter, disrupting the outflow of urine. Abdominal pain is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, there may be a rise in blood pressure, a positive Pasternatsky sign is determined. The diagnosis is established according to X-ray urological examination, urine tests (proteinuria, leukocyturia, erythrocyturia), palpation examination in a vertical position.
Hospitalization to the urology department for recurrent and severe abdominal pain.
B) Kidney stones
Urolithiasis can occur in children renal colic any age. In children early age General symptoms are more pronounced, patients are restless and try to sit crouched in bed. The abdomen is swollen, tense, and signs of peritoneal irritation may be detected. Older children complain of pain along the ureter and are bothered by frequent and painful urination. The diagnosis is confirmed by the data x-ray examination and urine tests (erythrocyturia, leukocyturia, proteinuria).
Emergency hospitalization in a urological or surgical hospital.
4. Abdominal pain due to diseases of organs located outside the abdominal cavity
Children's infectious diseases (measles, scarlet fever, chicken pox, rubella), infectious hepatitis, and in young children - otitis media are often accompanied by abdominal pain. It is always important to remember this and carefully examine the skin. In childhood infectious diseases, the abdomen is painful on palpation closer to the navel; true muscle defence, as a rule, does not occur. Acute appendicitis can occur immediately after measles. This type of “measles appendicitis” is extremely difficult.
A) Sore throat
The course of tonsillitis, especially in young children, is often complicated by colicky abdominal pain. Abdominal pain is explained by a friendly reaction of the lymphoid apparatus of the abdominal cavity, especially the appendix. A combination of sore throat and acute appendicitis is possible.
B) Measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, influenza, epidemic myalgia
These diseases in children in the initial period may be accompanied by abdominal pain, often on the right side, simulating appendicitis. The most intense pain is observed in epidemic myalgia (Bornholm disease) due to damage to the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall.
Hospitalization in the infectious diseases department for severe course.
B) Whooping cough, acute tracheobronchitis
Abdominal pain with whooping cough and tracheobronchitis is caused by excessive tension and fatigue of the abdominal muscles, which develops during a coughing attack. Upon examination, no symptoms of peritoneal irritation are detected.
D) Acute respiratory viral infections
Abdominal pain is associated with a concomitant reaction of the lymphatic system of the abdominal cavity or damage to the autonomic ganglia; as a rule, pain of a cramping nature, of uncertain localization, with signs of irritation of the peritoneum. The need for hospitalization in the infectious diseases department is determined by the severity of the disease.
D) Acute pancreatitis
Pancreatitis- a frequent complication of a number of diseases, such as parotitis, measles, chickenpox, as well as abdominal injuries, biliary tract diseases, the result of intolerance to certain medications and the manifestation of allergic conditions. Abdominal pain occurs acutely, at first it is diffuse in nature, then localized in the epigastric region or becomes encircling in nature, often radiating to the back, shoulders, and is often accompanied by vomiting, nausea, profuse drooling. The child takes a forced position, often lying on his left side. The duration of pain ranges from a few minutes, such as colic, to several days. The temperature is normal or low-grade. The abdomen is soft and painless. When necrosis of the pancreas occurs, the child’s condition becomes critical, exicosis, intoxication, and intestinal paresis develop. It is necessary to differentiate from acute appendicitis and food toxic infection.
Hospitalization only in the surgical department.
If signs of purulent pancreatitis or peritonitis appear, surgical treatment is indicated.
E) Pneumonia
Acute abdominal pain, especially in young children, often complicates the course of pneumonia. A distinctive feature of the pain is that it intensifies with breathing. The most intense abdominal pain is observed with lobar pneumonia, simulating acute appendicitis in cases of right-sided localization. Recognition of pneumonia is helped by identifying other signs, such as shortness of breath, auscultatory changes in the lungs, cough, as well as x-ray examination.
Hospitalization is necessary in severe cases of the disease.
G) Abdominal syndrome with rheumatism
Abdominal syndrome is the result of serous inflammation of the peritoneum during rheumatism. In the acute stage of rheumatism, children over 4-5 years of age may experience abdominal pain of uncertain nature and localization. Characterized by paroxysmal abdominal pain and signs of abdominal irritation. The presence of other manifestations of rheumatism - damage to the joints and heart - helps to recognize the fever.
Hospitalization in all cases to the cardio-rheumatology department.
H) Heart disease
Abdominal pain due to heart disease (carditis, heart defects) is explained by the development of right ventricular circulatory failure, congestion in the liver and the development of thromboembolic syndrome. Sometimes abdominal pain is accompanied by vomiting. Recognition is helped by identifying other signs of heart disease, such as changes in heart configuration, heart rhythm disturbances, and heart murmurs.
Hospitalization in pediatric cardiology or therapeutic department.
Paroxysmal abdominal pain may be the leading and only sign of the disease; frequent and loose stools, vomiting, signs of peritoneal irritation and dynamic intestinal obstruction appear. Abdominal pain due to injury small arteries gastrointestinal tract, mesentery. In the presence of skin rashes with a hemorrhagic component, articular syndrome, positive test for occult blood in the stool or signs of gastrointestinal bleeding, as well as hematuria, the diagnosis is beyond doubt.
One should remember about the possibility of developing intussusception and intestinal gangrene with hemorrhagic vasculitis. In such cases, emergency hospitalization in the surgical department is necessary.
K) Diabetes mellitus
Decompensation of diabetes mellitus is accompanied by abdominal syndrome. The abdomen is tense, painful on palpation, symptoms of peritoneal irritation are possible, and repeated vomiting (sometimes mixed with blood) is noted, which simulates acute surgical pathology. The smell of acetone from the mouth, glucosuria, ketonuria, hyperglycemia contributes to correct diagnosis.
Sometimes abdominal pain is observed during hypoglycemic conditions.
Hospitalization in the endocrinology or therapeutic department.
K) Acute hemolytic anemia
Crises during hemolytic anemia(hereditary and acquired) are accompanied by abdominal pain due to rapidly developing splenomegaly. An enlarged and painful spleen is palpated. Acute abdominal pain occurs with the development of splenic infarction.
The diagnosis is confirmed by the data laboratory research: anemia, increased indirect bilirubin content, serum iron, reticulocytosis, polychromatophilia, urobilinuria, hemoglobinuria, as well as the presence of jaundice.
M) Periarteritis nodosa
Children of school age get sick more often. Abdominal syndrome (paroxysmal abdominal pain, sometimes symptoms of enterocolitis) may be the first and leading manifestation of the disease. Abdominal pain has no clear localization and is accompanied by vomiting and nausea. As a rule, the small intestine is involved in the process, intestinal necrosis, ulcers, and aseptic peritonitis develop. Helps in diagnosis by identifying other syndromes - thrombangic, cutaneous, articular, renal, etc. arterial hypertension, pulmonary.
Hospitalization in the therapeutic department, if complications develop, transfer to the intensive care unit.
H) Periodic illness
The disease is characterized by attacks that occur with a certain frequency, in the form of abdominal pain, fever with chills. Abdominal pain is cramping and lasts from several hours to several days. The abdominal wall is tense, palpation of the abdomen is painful. At the height of the attack, signs of partial intestinal obstruction and peritonitis develop, which simulates acute surgical pathology. A distinctive feature of the disease is the spontaneous disappearance of abdominal pain.
When collecting anamnesis, a similar disease is often found in relatives: belonging to a certain ethnic group (Armenians, Jews, Arabs) is characteristic.
Hospitalization in the therapeutic department.
O) Abdominal wall injury
Stomach ache - persistent symptom injuries of the anterior abdominal wall. The pain can be local or diffuse, caused by the formation of a hematoma or damage to parenchymal organs. If the pain is severe, fainting may occur. The main complications of injury are shock, bleeding, and peritonitis.
Urgent hospitalization in a surgical hospital.
P) Abdominal migraine (Moore's syndrome)
This disease is characterized by diffuse paroxysmal abdominal pain, combined with clonic spasms of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall. Vegetative crises may occur (pallor of the skin, sweating, nausea, vomiting, increased peristalsis). The diagnosis is confirmed by the detection of EEG changes characteristic of temporal lobe epilepsy.
Hospitalization in the neurological department.
P) Psychogenic abdominal pain in children
Sometimes a child who felt great over the weekend complains of stomach pain on Monday morning. The reason for this may be his reluctance to go to school. It happens that complaints of pain are used as a means to attract the attention of others. The child is pleased that his parents and everyone at home try to please him and ease his suffering. Children whose parents often talk about their illnesses, out of a sense of solidarity, or in imitation, also begin to complain of pain.
Some children experience attacks of abdominal colic, nausea, vomiting, migraine-like headache, diarrhea or constipation, pallor or, conversely, redness of the face; febrile state or complete prostration. Any combination of these symptoms is possible. This may be accompanied by signs of visual impairment, auditory hallucinations, and strange behavior. It is noteworthy, however, that the child feels well between attacks. As a rule, such children are highly emotional. They are characterized by obsession, a desire for primacy. Their parents place too many demands on them and expect too much from them. A family quarrel or failure in an exam can trigger an attack.
Children of all ages can suffer from abdominal pain. There can be many reasons causing this symptom. How can I help a child in such a situation and what means are best suited?
The action and effectiveness of remedies for abdominal pain in a child
What remedy should be given to a child for abdominal pain should be decided only by the pediatrician. To do this, the cause of pain and its localization are determined. The doctor usually asks the parents what food the child ate and how long ago he went to the toilet.
Effect of drugs
Depending on the cause of the pain and the symptoms that accompany it, drugs with different effects may be prescribed:
- Helps in digesting food when overeating. Such products contain enzymes.
- Stops diarrhea, vomiting and nausea.
- Get rid of. These drugs include antacids.
- They relieve spastic pain, relax muscles and improve blood supply to internal organs.
- They help collect and remove all toxic substances from the body in case of poisoning.
- Fights the accumulation of gases in the intestines. These are products based on simethicone or dill and fennel oils.
- Restore microflora after a course of antibiotic therapy.
- They improve intestinal motility, soften stool and help with bowel movements. Such preparations for children contain lactulose.
Possible causes of painful symptoms
When a child under one year old has a stomach ache, it is often associated with infant colic. Then the baby becomes restless, cries, and tightens his legs. In these situations, the doctor advises parents to take medications based on dill and fennel oils that help relieve gas.
In children over 1 year of age, the main cause may be infections, poisoning and infection with worms. These are serious conditions and require immediate medical attention.
Children 5 years old can already show the location of pain well. If it is localized near the navel, the cause may be constipation and.
If the child points to the right side of the abdomen, appendicitis may be suspected. In this case, you need to call ambulance.
Acute pain in the abdomen on the right or in the navel area may indicate an attack of appendicitis
Girdle pain in the stomach area may indicate problems with the pancreas. After consulting with a doctor, you should adjust the child’s diet and give enzymes that will help digest food.
There are symptoms that require immediate medical attention. Help is required immediately when abdominal pain is accompanied by a rash, complete refusal of food and water, dark brown vomit, blood in the stool, and difficulty urinating.
In any case, if a child complains of pain or discomfort in the abdomen, this should be the reason for contacting a doctor. Self-medication can lead to the most undesirable consequences.
Forms of release of funds
Remedies for stomach pain are produced in various forms. Children up to three years Candles, syrups, drops, suspensions are more suitable. An older child can take tablets and capsules.
When choosing the form of release of the medicine, you need to take into account that syrup, suspension, or powder will act faster than a capsule or tablet. It is better to put candles at night; their effect begins later, but the effect lasts longer.
Video: Doctor Komarovsky about abdominal pain in children
When can a doctor prescribe medications?
When the cause of the pain is determined, the doctor prescribes treatment. If nothing serious is found in the baby, the doctor advises parents to adjust the child’s diet.
Medicines are prescribed in the following cases:
- when the diet is not effective and the gastrointestinal tract cannot cope with the digestion of food on its own;
- when abdominal pain is spasmodic in nature;
- if necessary, help the child empty his intestines and relieve excess gas formation;
- if poisoning is suspected;
- for diarrhea, vomiting and nausea;
- after taking antibiotics, with an imbalance in the intestinal microflora.
For abdominal pain, a child may be prescribed a homeopathic remedy. Before using it, a thorough diagnosis of the body is also necessary.
Homeopathic remedies are selected based on the symptoms that appear From homeopathic medicines in pediatrics can be used:
- Hamomilla - for pain in the navel with pronounced rumbling in the abdomen and belching;
- Etuza - with frequent regurgitation in newborns;
- Belladonna - for pain arising from experiences and shocks.
Application homeopathic remedies unsafe without specialist advice.
Video: what should parents do if their child has a stomach ache?
Contraindications and possible side effects of medications
Contraindications for medications for abdominal pain may include:
- allergic reactions to components;
- intestinal obstruction;
- acute appendicitis.
If you use the drugs incorrectly and increase the dosage yourself, side effects may occur:
- diarrhea;
- vomiting;
- rash;
- flatulence.
How to take medications for abdominal pain correctly
It is necessary to remember: under no circumstances should you give your child painkillers before the doctor arrives. After the medicine begins to act, the symptoms will not be so obvious, and it will be difficult for a specialist to make a correct diagnosis.
All medications prescribed for a child must be used without exceeding the dosage.
Table: what can you give your child if his stomach hurts?
| Name | Release form | Active substance | Indications | Contraindications | The age at which a child is assigned | Price |
| Almagel |
| aluminum magnesium hydroxide gel |
|
| from 10 years old | RUR 83–124 |
| De-Nol | pills | bismuth tripotassium dicitrate |
|
| from 4 years old | 504 rub. |
| Nurofen |
| ibuprofen |
|
| from 3 months | 128 rub. |
| Linux | capsules | lebenin | dysbacteriosis | allergic reaction | from birth (by pouring out the contents of the capsule) | 269 rub. |
| Mezim | pills | pancreatin |
| acute pancreatitis | from 12 years old | 85 rub. |
| Motilium | pills | domperidone |
|
| more than 35 kg weight | 582 rub. |
| No-Shpa | pills | drotaverine | for spasms of smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract |
| from 6 years old | 196 rub. |
| Papaverine | pills | papaverine | spasms of smooth muscles of the abdominal organs |
| from 6 months | 58 rub. |
| Smecta | powder | smectite dioctahedral |
| intestinal obstruction | from 6 months | 153 rub. |
| Hyoscine butyl bromide | pills | hyoscine butyl bromide | spastic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract |
| from 6 years old | 296 rub. |
| Phosphalugel | gel | aluminum phosphate gel 20% |
| renal dysfunction | from 3 months | 179 rub. |
| Enterofuril |
| nifuroxazide |
|
| from 1 month | 294 rub. |
Folk remedies
It is necessary to use traditional medicine for children carefully, after consulting a doctor before doing so.
Abdominal pain can be caused by:
Abdominal pain is the most common species complaints. The reasons can be very diverse, ranging from diseases of the digestive tract, worms, appendicitis to inflammation of the lungs, kidneys and bladder, sore throat and acute respiratory infections. Complaints of abdominal pain may occur during “school neurosis,” when a child does not want to go to school due to a conflict with a teacher or classmates.
First of all, it is necessary to find out the intensity of the pain and, if possible, its localization. In case of severe pain, the child prefers to lie down, sometimes in an uncomfortable, forced position. Turns with effort, carefully. The pain can be piercing (dagger-like), in the form of colic, or a dull aching. According to localization, it can be diffuse or predominantly concentrated around the navel, or “in the pit of the stomach.” It is important to establish the relationship between the occurrence of pain and food intake.
Daggering pain in the abdomen is a dangerous sign. It may be a manifestation of a catastrophe in the abdominal cavity - acute appendicitis or peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum). If you have severe pain, you must immediately call an ambulance! Before she arrives, do not give your child any medications. You can place a plastic ice pack over your stomach through a cloth.
ACUTE SUDDEN ABDOMINAL PAIN
Signs such as persistent abdominal pain that does not subside within 2 hours, abdominal pain when touched, the addition of vomiting, diarrhea, and elevated body temperature should seriously alert parents. The following diseases require urgent medical care.
Acute appendicitis
Acute pancreatitis
(inflammation of the pancreas): symptoms resemble acute appendicitis, but the pain can be severe. Typically, the child complains about constant pain in the epigastric region, which, unlike acute appendicitis, extends to the shoulders, shoulder blades and has a encircling character. The pain is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The child usually lies motionless on his side. The abdomen is swollen and tense. Possible jaundice. In severe cases there may be shock. Acute pancreatitis often develops as a complication of mumps (see section " Infectious diseases"). In this case, the disease occurs on the third or fourth day after swelling of the parotid salivary glands.
urgently call "emergency help".
Acute gastritis
(inflammation of the stomach): this disease is characterized by pain and a feeling of heaviness in the epigastric region of the abdomen ("in the pit of the stomach") after eating. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and belching.
if these symptoms suddenly develop, you should call a doctor at home.
Acute infectious-allergic inflammation of the kidneys
(acute nephritis): with this disease, in addition to abdominal pain, the child experiences pain when lightly patting the sides of the body from the back in the lumbar region, swelling around the eyes, rare urination and dark-colored urine, and a slight increase in temperature. More details about nephritis are discussed in the section “Blood in the urine”.
Sudden abdominal pain can also occur with acute inflammation of the peripharyngeal lymph nodes(tonsils) and other infections respiratory tract, as well as in many types of poisoning with drugs (antibiotics, hormonal and sedatives), iodine, iron, lead (see section “Vomiting”).
RECURRENT ABDOMINAL PAIN
Diseases of the stomach and duodenum:
inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and the duodenum directly extending from it is called gastroduodenitis. This disease is long-term. It either intensifies or subsides. It is characterized by periodic pain, varying in strength and duration, which is localized “in the pit of the stomach” and around the navel. They usually occur after eating. They are accompanied by a feeling of fullness and heaviness in the upper abdomen. Belching sour, less often rotten.
With a peptic ulcer, pain occurs on an empty stomach and subsides after eating. They also happen at night. In addition, the child may complain of heartburn, belching, and a bitter taste in the mouth. I often feel nauseous, especially in the morning. After eating, there may be vomiting, which brings relief. There is an unpleasant odor from the mouth, the tongue is covered with a white coating. There is a tendency to constipation and the formation of gas in the abdomen, which is why the child complains of a feeling of fullness.
Help: if there is no vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, calling a doctor at home is not required. The child can be consulted at the clinic. In case of exacerbation of the disease, treatment in hospital is recommended. Diet therapy is of primary importance. You need to eat 5-6 times a day in small portions. Fried and rough foods are excluded plant food, any hot seasonings, fatty creams, cakes, canned food, smoked foods, sour berries (currants, gooseberries) and fruits. In the first 1-2 weeks, mucous soups, dairy products, pureed porridges, jelly, and soft-boiled eggs are given. Severely limit the salt content in food. Gradually the diet expands. At increased acidity gastric juice through boiled meat, fish, pureed raw vegetables and fruits, white stale bread, cookies, cottage cheese, porridge with butter, vegetable and fruit juices, jam. You can give non-acidic fruits: apples, pears, plums, etc. This diet is followed for 2-3 months, then they switch to normal food with the exception of spicy dishes. Brown bread, pickled cucumbers, sauerkraut, sour berries, oranges, carbonated drinks, fatty cakes. In case of exacerbation, you can give the child 1/2-1 glass on an empty stomach 2-3 times a day warm tea from chamomile or bearberry (the preparation of such teas is described in the section “Pain when urinating”). With reduced acidity of gastric juice, children from the second week from the onset of exacerbation of chronic gastritis can be given meat and vegetable soups, coffee, tea, kefir, pureed vegetables, meat and fish cutlets, sauces, herring, low-fat ham, mild cheese, eggs, butter, cottage cheese . Exclude fresh bread, butter dough, rough vegetable fiber, fat meat.
Inflammation of the gallbladder and bile ducts:
inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) or biliary tract(angiocholitis), as well as disruption of their function (dyskinesia) often cause pain in the abdomen, more in the area of the right hypochondrium. The disease usually develops gradually. The child becomes pale, complains of a headache, discomfort, and later of heaviness and dull pain in the liver area (right hypochondrium). In children predisposed to this ailment, aggravation is caused by poor nutrition, irregularities, and negative emotions. Pain occurs when eating fatty, heavily overcooked foods, fatty sweets - halva, chocolate, ice cream, etc. Children suffer from belching, a feeling of dryness and bitterness in the mouth, and nausea. There may be vomiting at times. Appetite is usually reduced. The pain recurs periodically, can be severe and radiate to the right shoulder. They are most often caused by convulsive contractions of the gallbladder and bile ducts. There is diarrhea, or constipation. In this case, the stool has a characteristic light clay color. Sometimes abdominal pain is associated with sluggish contraction of the bile ducts. Then a dull pain on the right in the upper abdomen, in the navel area, predominates. The child complains of a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, nausea, and lack of appetite.
If the child’s condition does not cause serious concern (no vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, fever), there is no need to call a doctor at home. The child should be shown to the district pediatrician. With this disease, diet is of great importance. The main goal of treatment is to achieve increased bile secretion. In case of serious exacerbation, it may be prescribed bed rest within 1 week. In the first days, the diet should be dairy and vegetable: pureed soups, vegetable purees, milk porridges, jelly. Next, the diet can be made more varied. Salty snacks, smoked meats, spices, hot seasonings, mushrooms, fried foods, chocolate, cakes, cream pies, ice cream, sorrel, and natural coffee should be completely excluded. Raw fruits and berries, lean meat (preferably poultry breast), lean fish, cottage cheese, kefir, carrots, and pumpkin are healthy. You can give a warm decoction of rose hips to drink before meals 2 times a day, 2 tablespoons for preschoolers or 1/4 cup for schoolchildren. To prepare the decoction, pour 1 tablespoon of mashed dry fruits into a glass of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes in an enamel bowl, leave for 24 hours, then filter through gauze. Mineral waters help well: Slavyanovskaya, Borjomi, Essentuki N 17 and N 4, Truskavets. They can be drunk, heated to 40 C, daily, 3 times a day 40 minutes before meals, one glass for 3-4 weeks. It is also recommended to give herbal infusions with choleretic effect. One of these herbs is sandy immortelle (tsmin). It is sold in the form of a dry extract or granules, and is also part of the Collection of choleretic N2 and the choleretic drug "Flamin". They are taken for 3-4 weeks in the first course, and then 2 weeks every 2 months. Choleretic fees You can ask at the pharmacy.
Worms are a common cause of recurrent pain in young children. They are accompanied by nausea, bad or, conversely, increased appetite, changes in bowel regularity, weight loss. The child sleeps restlessly, cries out in his sleep, and grinds his teeth. Worms can sometimes be found in stool.
Eggs mature in 2 weeks. Further, with dirty hands or unwashed vegetables and fruits, roundworm eggs again enter the intestines, turn into larvae and begin the maturation period. The larva pierces the intestinal wall, penetrates the blood circulation system and is transported to the lungs. From there, it enters the mouth with sputum, is swallowed, and ends up back in the intestines. The larva can make such journeys through the host’s body several times. Finally, with the help of hooks on the head, it is fixed in the small intestine and grows into an adult. A child infected with roundworms experiences weakness, nausea, periodic abdominal pain, decreased appetite, and increased fatigue. During the release of larvae from the lungs with sputum, a cough may appear.
If you suspect a worm infection, you should do a stool test at the clinic and consult a doctor. Traditional medicine offers the following recipe for getting rid of roundworms: mix 1 teaspoon of “tsitvarny seed” (flower buds of wormwood tsitvarna) with honey and eat on an empty stomach. After 2 hours, eat the same portion of the medicine, but do not eat anything in between. Then give the child a laxative (for example, Glauber's salt at the rate of 1 g per 1 year of the child's life or bitter salt, 1 g per 1 year of life).
Tapeworms:
The most dangerous are pork and bovine tapeworms, which reach a length of 1.5-2 m and 4-10 m, respectively. Tapeis have an intermediate host, a pig or a cow, in whose muscle tissue the larvae - Finns - mature. Humans become infected by consuming meat from infected animals. The larva is swallowed and begins to develop into adult form V small intestine person. In this case, the child experiences general symptoms of poisoning: weakness, abdominal pain, indigestion, exhaustion, increased nervous excitability. Tapeworm infection can be recognized by the appearance of segments in the stool - segments of its body that look like yellowish-white rectangles measuring 10-12 x 5-6 mm in the case of pork and 20-30 x 12 mm in the case of bovine tapeworm. The segments of the bovine tapeworm are capable of crawling out of anus outside the act of defecation.
You should consult your child with a doctor to prescribe medication. Traditional medicine offers the following recipes:
Eat about 100 g of dry, peeled pumpkin seeds on an empty stomach. After 1 hour, drink in small sips a glass of milk in which the head of garlic has been boiled. Then, after 30 minutes, drink a strong laxative (Glauber’s salt or bitter salt, 1 g per 1 year of the child’s life), and after 1.5-2 hours give an enema of warm water in which the head of garlic was boiled;
Take about 60 g of dry crushed peeled pumpkin seeds, the same amount of cocoa powder, a little sugar. Mix and add a few drops boiled water. Grind all the ingredients until a dough is formed, from which you can make 20 cakes. You can sprinkle them with sugar on top. On the first day of treatment, you should fast and try not to drink anything. On the second day in the morning, give 1.5-2 tablespoons of castor oil to drink and start eating cakes, one every 10 minutes. After the tapeworm appears in the stool, you need to make sure that its head comes out. If it does not come out, then the treatment should be repeated after 2-3 months.
Psychogenic abdominal pain:
Sometimes a child who felt great during the weekend complains of stomach pain on Monday morning. The reason for this may be his reluctance to go to school. It happens that complaints of pain are used as a means to attract the attention of others. The child is pleased that his parents and everyone at home try to please him and ease his suffering. Children whose parents often talk about their illnesses, out of a sense of solidarity, or in imitation, also begin to complain of pain.
Some children experience attacks of abdominal colic, nausea, vomiting, migraine-like headaches, diarrhea or constipation, pallor or, conversely, redness of the face; feverish state or complete prostration. Any combination of these symptoms is possible. This may be accompanied by signs of visual impairment, auditory hallucinations, and strange behavior. It is noteworthy, however, that the child feels well between attacks. As a rule, such children are highly emotional. They are characterized by obsession, a desire for primacy. Their parents place too many demands on them and expect too much from them. A family quarrel or failure in an exam can trigger an attack.
in the first case, it is necessary to find out what kind of relationship the child has with teachers and school friends. Does he have reasons for not wanting to go to school? If your child is imitating pain, it can be helpful to be strict. In the last described case of ailments, the demands should, on the contrary, be reduced and the child should be allowed to relax a little. If your child's behavior worries you, you should consult a child psychiatrist.
Pain due to epilepsy:
During an attack of epilepsy, abdominal pain appears, which lasts several minutes, after which sleep sets in. Epilepsy is described in detail in the “Seizures” section.
Food allergies and lactose intolerance:
Some children have hereditary intolerances milk sugar(lactose), which is part of milk. An allergy to milk can manifest itself as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.
exclude dairy products from the diet, which cause an allergic reaction.
Ulcerative colitis:
This is a chronic peptic ulcer that manifests itself on the mucous membrane of the colon and cecum. The reasons for this are not entirely clear. Abdominal pain with this ailment has the nature of spasmodic attacks associated with bowel movements. In addition, there is weight loss, loss of appetite, loose stools mixed with blood, anemia, and joint pain.
Ulcerative colitis does not require urgent medical attention, but if a child has loose stool mixed with blood, you should call a doctor at home.
Reading time: 6 minutes. Views 607 Published 11/16/2018
Do you know what children most often complain about? There are many reasons why a child has a stomach ache, but how can you determine when the situation is extremely dangerous?
Abdominal pain depending on age
Very young children announce a stomach problem by crying loudly. Kids press their legs towards him, their faces may turn red. All these are symptoms of gas, the main cause of abdominal pain in the first three months of life.
They are usually associated with immaturity digestive system or errors in the mother’s diet. The reason could be.
Will help relieve an attack:
- massage;
- a warm heating pad or a heated diaper applied to the stomach;
- special drugs;
- gas outlet tube.
Pain at any age can occur due to constipation, intestinal infections, and poor nutrition. Let's look at the reasons why children often have stomach pain.
Constipation
This is one of the most common causes of abdominal pain. Both infants and teenagers suffer from constipation.
Usually the problem is caused by power supply errors. In very young children, the gastrointestinal tract cannot cope with the introduced complementary foods, which leads to constipation.
Either special medications prescribed by the pediatrician containing enzymes or changing the complementary feeding regimen can help.
In older age, insufficient consumption of fiber-rich foods - vegetables, fruits, whole grain bread– leads to difficulties with bowel movements.
To solve the problem, the child’s diet needs to be diversified with apples, prunes or dried apricots, and fermented milk products. It is important to regularly include hot dishes in the child’s menu.
Binge eating
If a child has a stomach ache, this may be due to overeating. Children under 6-7 years old have poor control over the process of satiation. It is important for adults not to be moved by the fact that their son or daughter eats well and eats the third cutlet. It is better to explain to your child that overeating is harmful.
Anxious parents and grandmothers should remember that children will not go hungry. If the baby wants to eat, he will ask. But you shouldn’t stuff it by force, it will not only lead to stomach problems, but also to an eating disorder and compulsive overeating.
If the cause of abdominal pain is gluttony, it is necessary to give the child drugs like Creon.
Allergy
In young children who are given cow's milk, you may be allergic to its protein. It is often accompanied by abdominal pain, rash, and changes in stool.
If your baby has no other reasons to worry, exclude the product. It is better to replace it with hypoallergenic goat milk.
Appendicitis
Much more serious and dangerous reason. Inflammation of the vermiform appendix of the cecum is manifested by pain in the navel area, which radiates under the ribs or to the right side. The child is lethargic, any movement causes pain. Most often, babies lie on their sides with their knees pulled up to their chest.
Painful sensations intensify with any touch to the abdomen. An attack of acute appendicitis may be accompanied by vomiting and stool upset. Sometimes children's temperature rises to 37.5, in rare cases to 38.5-39.
In such a situation, it is necessary to call an ambulance; there is no need to give the child antispasmodics or painkillers, they will make it difficult to make an accurate diagnosis.
Infections of the genitourinary system
The main symptom will be pain when urinating. But in some cases there are nagging pain lower abdomen. Most often in the area of the bladder or extending to the side. In boys painful sensations may also be in the scrotum area.
If you experience such symptoms, you should consult a doctor immediately to make an accurate diagnosis.
Intestinal infection
Intestinal infections of unknown origin are one of the common diagnoses given to young children in an infectious diseases hospital. They refer to both bacterial and viral diseases.
The main symptoms will be vomiting and abdominal pain and fever. The child is weak, lethargic, refuses food.
As a rule, the disease manifests itself suddenly, and the symptoms increase progressively. Any drink or food provokes new attacks of fountain-like vomiting or loose stools.
If you completely rule out poisoning. Then, before the doctor arrives, the child can be given sorbents (Smecta, Enterosgel) and antiviral drugs. Drugs like Enterofuril can help. They fight bacteria wide range actions.
You need to give your baby food in small portions (a teaspoon), but often (every 10-15 minutes). It is necessary to call a local pediatrician or an ambulance to determine the exact cause of the disease.
Food poisoning
Its symptoms are similar to those of an intestinal infection. The difference is that the child quickly weakens and fainting is possible. Urgent medical attention is required.
A common cause of poisoning is expired food. These can be kefirs, yoghurts, curds. Stale or improperly stored cream pies, cakes, and sausages.
The most severe mushroom poisonings. To upset stool, vomiting, are added neurotic symptoms– convulsions or hallucinations, inhibited state of consciousness.
Stress and emotional stress
This is one of the hidden causes of abdominal cramps in a child. Frequent quarrels at home, adaptation to kindergarten, difficulties at school - there is no less stress in a child’s life than in an adult.
Accumulated nervous tension may manifest as psychosomatic symptoms. It can vary from pain in the stomach and throat, to fever and frequent bronchitis.
If you notice that your child's behavior has changed. He became sad, thoughtful, and periodically complains of pain in his throat or stomach. Ask what worries him, try to calm him down and dispel his worries.
When to call an ambulance
Discomfort in the abdomen can be a manifestation of colic, constipation or dietary errors. But in some cases he talks about life-threatening conditions for the child.
What symptoms require immediate hospitalization??
- The pain is localized not only in the navel area.
- It lasts more than a day and has an increasing character.
- Accompanied by any type of bowel disorder that lasts more than three days.
- Regularly recurring vomiting, especially yellow or dark green in color.
- The child's stool contains blood and mucus.
- High temperature, weakness, fainting.
If at least one of the listed signs is present, you need to call an ambulance.
What diseases does abdominal pain indicate?
Regular complaints of abdominal cramps or pain in the navel area, accompanied by constipation, may indicate diseases of the liver, pancreas or thyroid gland.
Often they hide gastroenterological problems - gastritis, gastroduodenitis and others.
You should be especially wary if there are no errors in the child’s diet. In such a situation, you need to contact your pediatrician for a referral for a full examination (tests, ultrasound).
How to help your child
If the pain is not caused by serious illnesses, parents can relieve the attack themselves. Before treatment, it is worth finding out the cause.
Check with your child when his last bowel movement was to rule out constipation. Find out what he ate during the day.
- Adjust your diet, introduce more fiber.
- Give more drink, increase the volume of water consumed to 1-2 liters, depending on age.
- If necessary, give laxatives or enzyme-containing drugs to speed up digestion.
A warm heating pad can be placed on the stomach if the inflammatory processes. Since it can worsen the child’s condition.
It is important that if the pain recurs regularly, there is no need to self-medicate, as this will only harm the baby. It is better to seek advice from a pediatrician, and then from specialists.
Conclusion
There are many reasons for abdominal pain in children. It is important for parents not to panic, but to carefully assess the child’s condition. If necessary, call an ambulance or consult a local doctor.
How often does your baby complain of abdominal pain? What are you doing?
Write, the Its Kids team is waiting for your comments.