Abdominal pain in children
Children can suffer from abdominal pain for various reasons. Children in particular may eat food that is not suitable for their stomachs. Eating spoiled food, for example, can lead to severe abdominal pain in children, usually coupled with diarrhoea.
Eating too greasy food or eating too many sweets can also quickly lead to severe stomach ache, as the gastrointestinal tract is overstrained. However, emotional aspects, such as fear of school or excessive demands can also be the triggering cause of abdominal pain in children. Abdominal pain in children without an organic cause is called navel colic in children.
If the abdominal pain is persistent and/or colicky and projects mainly into the right lower abdomen, appendicitis can be the cause. If the child vomits additionally and the abdominal pain persists for a longer period of time, a gastrointestinal infection or a worm disease may be the cause of the abdominal pain in children. But harmless causes such as flatulence or constipation can also be the cause of increased abdominal pain.
However, the abdominal pain does not necessarily have to originate from the gastrointestinal organs. Especially small children project most of their pain into the abdominal area. Kidney disease or pneumonia can also be interpreted by a child as abdominal pain.
In the case of recurrent abdominal pain after milk consumption, lactose intolerance can be assumed. If the abdominal pain is paired with fever and sweating, an allergic reaction can be the reason in addition to an infection. Although stomach ulcers are rare in children, they can occur. It is therefore advisable to consult a paediatrician if stomach pain recurs.
Stomach ache after eating
Abdominal pain is a very common symptom, which can have a variety of causes and diseases, as well as intolerances. In the following section we will discuss the occurrence of abdominal pain after eating. A possible cause for abdominal pain after eating can be certain foods.
For example, dairy products can cause flatulence and thus lead to abdominal pain. Since a slight lactose intolerance is very common, this is also a very common cause of stomach ache. It is best to check whether your stomach aches occur after eating certain foods.
This indicates an intolerance. Caffeine and alcohol can also irritate the stomach and thus lead to mild stomach ache. Other foods such as cabbage or onions have a similar effect and can also cause stomach ache.
However, abdominal pain after eating can also occur as a symptom of an illness. For example, inflammation of the stomach lining causes pain when eating or immediately after eating. Ulcers in the stomach or duodenum can also cause discomfort after eating.
Typically, ulcers in the stomach (ulcus ventriculi) prefer to cause pain immediately after eating. An ulcer of the duodenum is usually relieved by the ingestion of food, but pain after eating can also occur. Gall bladder stones (cholecystolithiasis) only lead to symptoms in about 25% of those affected.
One possible symptom is abdominal pain, which occurs particularly after high-fat meals. Typically it is a stabbing, cramp-like abdominal pain in the right upper abdomen. A chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) causes belt-shaped upper abdominal pain, which gets worse after eating.
Alcohol can also promote this pain. Typically, the pain radiates to the sides and back. The therapy of abdominal pain also depends on the disease causing the abdominal pain.
Abdominal pain caused by infections either do not need to be treated or, if it persists for a certain period of time, it can be treated with antibiotics. Food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, can only be treated by avoiding the corresponding food. Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, can be treated with the help of cortisone and newer groups of drugs (so-called biologicals).
The treatment depends on the type of chronic inflammatory bowel disease, its progression and stage. In some cases it may be necessary to treat chronic inflammatory bowel disease surgically. Gallstones and kidney stones that can cause abdominal pain can be treated by surgical removal of the gallbladder or the fragmentation of kidney stones.
Diverticulitis can be treated surgically with antibiotics on the one hand and with antibiotics on the other. If the inflammation of the diverticula occurs regularly, surgery should always be performed sooner or later. An appendicitis usually has to be treated surgically.
In the past, it was always necessary to cut open the abdomen and operate on the open abdomen. Today, laparoscopic appendectomy is used. In this procedure, instruments can be inserted into the abdomen through small skin incisions and the inflamed appendix can be removed.
Inflammations of the stomach usually do not need to be treated if they develop acutely. In case of chronic inflammation of the stomach, a light diet should be eaten. In addition, the production of gastric acid should be inhibited by medication and a possible stressful life situation should be changed.
Ulcers of the stomach and duodenum should be surgically removed sooner or later, as failure to treat them could result in malignant degeneration. Intestinal obstructions should first be treated with laxative measures. If this is not possible, surgery should be considered.
Diseases causing abdominal pain, which are associated with a board-hard abdomen and immune system tension, must be examined surgically and treated if necessary. Here too, a so-called laparoscopy is usually used, which only requires small skin incisions. In many cases, however, due to the severity of the disease leading to an acute abdomen, a laparoscopy must be converted into a regular laparotomy (cutting open the abdomen).
However, before the acute abdomen is treated surgically, a blood sugar level should be determined. Blood sugar derailments can lead to a clinical picture similar to the acute abdomen. The treatment of psychogenic abdominal pain, like the corresponding diagnosis, is a difficult undertaking.
In most cases, patients with the corresponding symptoms are simply tried to calm down. If they do not respond, a specialist in psychiatry should be consulted. In children with school phobia, the situation should be discussed with the child accordingly.
Teachers could also be involved in the problem. The support of a child and adolescent psychiatrist should never be given in the first instance. If parental attempts remain unsuccessful, a visit to the child and adolescent psychiatrist can still be made.
In most cases, even simple home remedies can help to relieve abdominal pain that has no serious organic cause. The advantage of home remedies is that they often have no or very few side effects, but can still be effective for mild abdominal pain. Even the use of a hot-water bottle or a hot cherry pit or flaxseed pillow can relieve stomach ache.
You can also drink tea at the same time, which calms the digestive tract and warms it from the inside. Particularly recommended teas are varieties such as chamomile, fennel or peppermint, which are particularly gentle on the digestive tract and can also alleviate pain. It is also important that you start yourself in a relaxed position, usually lying on your side on a couch or bed.
In order not to put additional strain on the abdominal muscles and thereby soothe the digestive tract, it is recommended to bend the legs additionally. Household remedies generally work well for mild stomach upset or abdominal pain, for example if you have eaten something wrong. However, if the symptoms persist for longer than 24 hours and do not improve, the abdominal pain should definitely be clarified by a doctor.
Abdominal pain is one of the most common reasons for consulting a doctor. In many cases it is a harmless condition that causes abdominal pain. These include food intolerances or food poisoning or infections.
If the abdominal pain occurs immediately after eating, it could be a stomach ulcer. If the pain disappears after eating, it could be caused by an ulcer of the duodenum. Inflammation of the stomach is usually manifested by stomach pressure.
Colicky, undulating stomach pain is usually caused by gallstones or kidney stones. Dangerous diseases include all those that can cause a so-called acute abdomen. This symptom is understood to be a board-like abdomen with defensive tension and very severe pain.
The cause could be a perforated organ or an advanced stage intestinal obstruction. In any case, surgical diagnostics must be performed. Right-sided lower abdominal pain could indicate an inflammation of the appendix (appendicitis), while left-sided abdominal pain (see abdominal pain on the left) indicates diverticulitis. In any case, it is important to examine abdominal pain very thoroughly, as it can always be life-threatening.
