Causes mainly in infants and newborns
3-month colic: crying approx. 1 1⁄2 hours after ingestion Necrotizing enterocolitis especially in premature infants: bloated abdomen, bilious vomiting and intestinal obstruction, bloody stools, taut, livid abdominal skin with visible intestinal loops Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: torrential non-bailious vomiting directly after ingestion, usually in the 4th to 8th week of life, but can also be asymptomatic until the 6th month of life. Duodenal stenosis,- atresia (obstruction of the duodenum): bilious or non-bailious vomiting, much amniotic fluid in prenatal ultrasound (polyhydramnion) Thin and large intestine atresia: bilious or non-bailious vomiting, much amniotic fluid in prenatal ultrasound (polyhydramnion) Anal atresia (congenital lack of development of the anus): Possibly atrial pyloric stenosis: bilious or non-bailious vomiting, much amniotic fluid in prenatal ultrasound (polyhydramnion) Occurrence of a fistula volvolus (rotation of a section of the digestive tract): severe abdominal pain, bilious vomiting, shock Hirschsprung’s disease: vomiting, chronic constipation, failure to thrive Meconium ileus (intestinal obstruction by meconium): distended abdomen, vomiting, no meconium discharge after birth, dilated air-filled intestinal loops
Causes of abdominal pain at any age
Acute constipation (constipation): atyp. Pain, ampoule stool-filled, no bowel movement Invagination (intestinal invagination): sudden crying, then a quiet child, later bloody stool Incarcerated inguinal hernia (incarcerated hernia usually with intestinal loops): crying, vomiting, groin swelling Acute gastroenteritis (“gastro- intestinal flu“): Abdominal pain in the entire abdominal cavity, often diarrhoea and vomiting Appendicitis (appendicitis): Severe pain first in the middle of the abdomen, then migrating to the left lower abdomen, often with slight fever, vomiting, nausea and constipation. Peritonitis (“inflammation of the peritoneum“): Strongly painful, board-like abdomen with nausea, vomiting, intestinal obstruction (ileus) and a strong feeling of illness.
Hepatitis (“inflammation of the liver“): abdominal pain caused by a pain in the liver capsule tension, possibly with itching, yellowing of the skin (icterus) and poor general condition. Urolithiasis (urinary stones): Colicky (undulating) strong pain Acute urinary retention (inability to urinate): Strong pain in the middle lower abdomen and no urine flow with a clear urge to urinate and a bladder with painful pressure. Testicular torsion (torsion of the testicles and epididymis): mainly affects male adolescents.
Sudden, severe pain and swelling of the testicles. Colonoscopy: Not only diseases can cause abdominal pain. Some examination methods such as colonoscopy can also cause abdominal pain.
