Causes

Abdominal pain in babies can have various causes, which may not always be directly related to the abdominal organs. A deep-seated pneumonia or a cold can also cause abdominal pain in the baby. In addition, a urinary tract infection in the baby or a kidney problem can also be a possible cause.

In most cases, however, the stomach and intestines are diseased or their function is impaired. A fairly common cause of abdominal pain can be flatulence, which is caused by certain food components that the mother has ingested and passed on to her baby through breast milk, such as cabbage or pulses. In addition, if the baby drinks too hastily and may swallow too much air, this can cause abdominal pain.

Bacterial or viral infections that cause gastro-enteritis can also be a cause of abdominal pain, especially if close contacts are also ill. Another common cause is the so-called three-month colic. They usually occur in the second week of life and last for about three months. The reason for this is probably that the gastro-intestinal tract, which consists of nerves and muscles that are only involuntarily set in motion, must train the intake of food and its utilization in the first weeks of life.

The affected structures can become irritated and then react inadequately, as they have yet to mature in the tasks they are to perform. In addition to abdominal pain, flatulence, for example, can also occur. In some cases, especially in the phase of life when babies start to crawl, the irritable bowel can develop, which occurs mainly after gastroenteritis and also causes abdominal pain.

In addition, a baby may also have irritable bowel syndrome, which is characterised by regular abdominal pain that improves with bowel movement and, in this context, the consistency or frequency of bowel movements may also change. Anatomical malformations of the stomach or intestine or other abdominal organs cause abdominal pain and symptoms in a baby at a very early age and can usually be treated well. In addition, Hirschsprung’s disease, in which the rectum hinders the passage of stool, and cystic fibrosis, which may well cause digestive disorders, should also be kept in mind.

An emergency in a baby that causes abdominal pain is any form of intestinal obstruction, as there is a passage disorder that can irreversibly damage the intestine, as it can lead to blood poisoning or simply to the undersupply of the child. Examples of this are a gastro-intestinal tract spasm, an invagination of the intestine into a preceding intestinal section or a ligature of the intestine by itself or other connective tissue strands in the intestine. These are all emergencies that require immediate therapy, but in contrast to the harmless causes of abdominal pain, they are also rather rare.

Finally, functional constipation is also a cause of abdominal pain. Often no organic cause can be found here. Rather, babies refuse to defecate for various reasons and thus provoke constipation and abdominal pain.

Mostly a psychosocial problem or a behavioural disorder is behind it. Other important illnesses in childhood that require treatment and cause abdominal pain:

Invagination
Volvulus

Another cause of abdominal pain can be an intolerance reaction to certain food contents, such as lactose or fructose. A metabolic disorder, in which important enzymes for adequate digestion and utilisation are missing, also triggers abdominal pain because toxic substances are produced and the end products actually required are missing from the metabolism.