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When Your Child Experiences Abdominal Pain
from: Maxx Family LifeStomach aches are a common complaint by children. There are many causes of tummy aches and it can be challenge for a parent or physician to discover the exact problem. Often the pain requires immediate attention and could be an emergency related to food, infections, poisoning, insect bites, etc.
With abdominal pain, bacteria and viruses are often responsible due to infections. Gastroenteritis and stomach flu are examples of infections that may be the cause of stomach aches since these are inflammation and irritation of the stomach and the gastrointestinal passage. Special care should always be taken when traveling, since the food and drinks may be contaminated at these locations and can lead to diarrhea or worse. Stomach pain due to viral infections heal realtively quickly, but bacterial infections may require antibiotics. In each case, some children recover very fast by vomiting and excreting. With diarrhea, excess drinking fluids should be given to avoid dehydration.
Food related stomach aches are most often caused by food poisoning, gas production, excess food ingestion and food allergies. Problems due to food poisoning are temporary and may result in bloating. Symptoms of food poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and nausea. These symptoms usually 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.
Over two hundred diseases are known to be transmitted via food. Food can be poisoned due to toxic agents or infective agents. Infective agents are parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Toxic agents include uncooked foods, exotic foods and poisonous mushrooms. Food can get contaminated from handling by unclean workers at the local restaurant. Parents should check out the cleanliness of any establishment they plan to regularly visit.
Specific foods can cause irritations, such as diary products which can cause lactose intolerance. In this case, a 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, allergic reactions are known as hypersensitivity reaction. If symptoms become life threatening, they're known as anaphylactic shock or anaphylaxis.
Poisoning can also be due to overdose of medicines and even due to eating non-food items. Insect bites, such as a black widow spider bite, can lead to pain in the abdomen, accompanied by muscle cramps, weakness, nausea, tremor, vomiting and in severe cases, dizziness, faintness, respiratory problems, and chest pain along with heart rate and blood pressure increases.
In rare cases, abdominal pain can be due to appendicitis. This is a result of blockage and inflammation of tissues. Young children 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 then slowly shifts to the right side of the lower abdomen within about twenty four hours. Clear symptoms are abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, fever and loss of appetite.
Diabetes can also cause abdominal pain. Small children usually curl up and cry in pain. Along with close monitoring of the symptoms, studying the location of pain, pain duration, nature of vomiting, and urinary problems will help. A pediatric should be consulted who can refer to a gastroenterologist.
Often, lying with face in downward direction can relieve pain due to gas. In case of vomiting and diarrhea, fluids should be given constantly. Solid food should only be given when the child is comfortable eating it.
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