Tummy aches are one of the most frequently complained
about problems in children. There are many causes
attributed with it, and it is a challenge for the parent
or the physician to find out the exact problem.
Sometimes the pain requires immediate attention and can
also be a case of emergency. The causes can be related
to food, infections, poisoning, insect bites, etc.
Bacteria and viruses are responsible in case of
abdominal pain due to infections. Gastroenteritis and
stomach flu are some of the examples of infections that
can cause stomach aches. Gastroenteritis is the
inflammation and irritation of stomach and the
gastrointestinal passage. Extra care must be taken by
travelers, as the food and drinks can be contaminated at
new locations and can lead to traveler’s getting
diarrhea. Stomach pain due to viral infections ward off
quickly, but bacterial infections demand the intake of
antibiotics. In both the cases, some children recover
very fast by vomiting and excreting. In case of
diarrhea, excess drinking fluids should be given to the
kid to avoid dehydration.
Food related stomach aches can be caused because of food
poisoning, gas production, excess food ingestion and
food allergies. Problems because of food poisoning are
temporary and can cause bloating. Symptoms of food
poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and
nausea. Usually these symptoms surface within two days
of consumption of contaminated food. Depending on the
severity chill, fever, bloody stools, or damage to the
nervous system can follow. In case of a group of people
who consumed the contaminated food, this situation is
known as an outbreak. Over two hundred diseases are
known to be transmitted via food. Food can be poisoned
because of toxic agents or infective agents. Infective
agents are parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Toxic
agents are uncooked food, exotic foods, and poisonous
mushrooms. Food can get contaminated because of handling
by unclean workers at the local restaurant, too. Parents
should check out the cleanliness and should visit a
trusted restaurant.
Particular foods can cause the irritation, such as
diary products can cause lactose intolerance. If this is
the case, the child is allergic to certain food or
drinks and swallowing even a small amount can cause
vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, cramping, and skin rash.
Since these items are harmless otherwise, such kind of
allergic reactions are known as hypersensitivity
reaction. Sometimes the symptoms can be life threatening
and are known as anaphylactic shock or anaphylaxis.
Poisoning can also be due to overdose of medicines and
even due to eating non-food stuffs. Insect bites such as
black widow spider bite can also lead to pain in the
abdomen. It can be accompanied with muscle cramps,
weakness, nausea, tremor, vomiting and in severe case it
can cause dizziness, faintness, respiratory problems,
and chest pain. Also, the heart rate and blood pressure
increases.
In very rare cases, abdominal pain can be due to
appendicitis. This is a result of blockage and
inflammation of tissues. Young kids have a higher rate
if complications are considered and should be
immediately rushed to the hospital. The pain starts
slowly in the abdomen, specifically near the belly
button. The pain shifts slowly to the right side of the
lower abdomen within a time period of over twenty four
hours. Clear symptoms are abdominal pain, vomiting,
nausea, fever and loss of appetite. Diabetes can also be
a reason of abdominal pain. Small children usually curl
up, cry and express pain through facial expression. Some
kids will be reluctant to talk, but the parent should
try to get clear explanation of the problem. Along with
close monitoring of the symptoms, studying the location
of pain, pain duration, nature of vomiting, and urinary
problems will help. After that a pediatric should be
consulted who can further refer to a gastroenterologist.
Until help is reached, the child should be made to
relax.
Often, lying with face in downward direction can relieve
pain due to gas. Incase of vomiting and diarrhea, fluids
should be given constantly. Solid food should only be
given when the child is comfortable about eating it.
More from the
University of Michigan Health System
Appendicitis in Kids
Many children have their appendix removed even before
turning the age of fourteen. And the risk starts to peak
as they age. Majority of children who get an abdominal
surgery is because of appendicitis. Appendicitis is
actually appendix inflammation and as a result, a
fingerlike tube grows on the lower right part of large
intestine. Appendix is located at the closed end of the
larger intestine, known as the cecum, and measures up to
many inches. Although, doctors say that the appendix
isn’t of much help to the body, but appendix’s inner
wall releases antibodies, which are produced by the
lymphatic tissues.
Appendicitis can be detected by the onset of pain in the
middle portion of the abdomen, the portion above the
belly button. After a few hours the area will swell and
there will be intense pain when touching the abdomen’s
right side. The patient will begin to vomit and will
have nausea. There will low fever and there will be
problems will gas and stool passage. Some people, after
the onset of these symptoms, will take laxatives or
enemas mistaking appendicitis for constipation. But this
is extremely dangerous, as these medicines will in turn
increase the risk of the appendix bursting. So it is
recommended to consult the doctor before going for any
kind of medication, even any pain relievers. Besides
increasing the risk, they even mask the symptoms and
makes diagnosis even more hard. If the child’s symptoms
are very much similar to that of the appendicitis’
symptoms, he should be immediately taken to the doctor
for further diagnosis. The doctor will first study the
child’s digestive illnesses’ history. He should also be
divulged information about the symptoms, timing, bowel
movements and its frequency. The stool should also be
checked for mucus or blood. Children, who can
communicate, can be asked to point out the location of
pain in the abdomen. Toddlers who haven’t started
talking or who hesitate to do talk will raise their
knees close to the chest, hips will be flexed and the
abdomen becomes tender.
Although, the actual cause of this abnormal growth of
the appendix is not known, but it can result because of
some kind of obstruction or infection in the intestines.
The obstruction can be created due to thick mucus
build-up inside the appendix. Some part of the stool can
also enter inside. There will be mucus formation and the
stool will harden within resulting in the swelling up of
the appendix. If it is an infection, it should be
treated immediately, as it can burst and there is a
danger of the infection spreading to other parts of the
body via bloodstream. That is the reason why even blood
test is done, so as to determine whether the infection
has spread or not. The urine test is done to check for
problems in the urinary tract. The problem is then
confirmed with the help of computed tomography or an
ultrasound. Sometimes children with pneumonia have the
similar symptoms, so to make matters clear even X-ray of
the chest is done. Medical attention must be sought
within forty eight hours of the start of the abdominal
pain. Sometimes, abdomen develops mild inflammation,
many weeks before the diagnosis is done.
After the diagnosis is done and appendicitis is
determined, appendectomy is performed on the patient.
The doctor will immediately order the intake of
antibiotics before the surgery is performed. In case of
confined appendicitis, it can be treated solely by
antibiotics and no surgery is required. This is because
the inflammation is very mild and the body itself fights
with the infection. But, still as a precautionary
measure, such kinds of patients must be kept in
observation until their condition becomes stabilized. If
the appendix ruptured then appendicle perforation is
done. In this procedure, a drain is inserted inside the
skin, through the abscess with the help of CT scan or
ultrasound which gives the exact location. Some people
develop complications later such as wound infection and
accumulation of puss inside the appendix.
