Topic Overview
Abdominal pain
in children is a common problem. About one out of three children is seen by a
doctor for abdominal pain by the time they are 15, but only a small number of
these children have a serious problem.
Complaints of abdominal pain
are more common in children younger than 11 years old and are often caused by
changes in eating and bowel habits. Most cases of abdominal pain are not
serious, and home treatment is often all that is needed to help relieve the
discomfort.
Abdominal pain in children is often frightening and
frustrating for parents. Many times it is hard to find the exact cause of a
child's abdominal pain. Pain without other symptoms that goes away completely
in less than 3 hours is usually not serious.
In children, abdominal
pain may be related to
or
, such as
, an
, a
, or
. Constipation is a common cause of
abdominal pain in children. Some more serious causes of abdominal pain in
children include
,
, or problems with the intestines, such
as
or
. Girls who start having menstrual periods
may have abdominal pain each month, and the pain may be more severe in some
months than others.
Generalized pain occurs in half of the abdomen or more. Localized pain is located in . often react
differently to pain than older children who can talk about their pain. A baby
may become fussy, draw his or her legs up toward the belly, or eat poorly.
may be able to point to the area of the
pain and describe how severe it is.
Abdominal pain can occur one
time, or it can occur repeatedly over several months.
Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is a condition that
affects children ages 4 to 11.
Check your child's symptoms to decide if and when your child should see a doctor.