Duration
The occurrence of abdominal pain together with fever can vary greatly in intensity and duration. In the case of relatively harmless infections (e.g. gastroenteritis), a relatively rapid improvement is achieved by drug therapy. However, if this combination of symptoms is caused by a more serious illness (e.g. CED), the symptoms can last for a long time or recur at certain intervals.
Special features for children
Children very often suffer from stomach aches or general complaints of the gastrointestinal tract. Fever is also more common in children than in adults. The reason for this is the development of the immune system‘s function against invading pathogens.
Therefore a detailed diagnosis is very important, especially for children. Appendicitis or a urinary tract infection are not uncommon diseases in children or adolescents and can both lead to both abdominal pain and fever. They should be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible, as there is a risk of the pathogens spreading.
By staying in certain places (e.g. kindergarten or nature) children are also particularly at risk for parasitic worm diseases. These can also lead to abdominal pain and fever after a certain latency period. Especially in infants, abdominal pain often occurs in combination with other symptoms of the disease.
Not infrequently also in connection with a cold. Due to the general feeling of discomfort, the child usually projects the pain into the middle of the body. Abdominal pain and fever are therefore not uncommon in infants, but a paediatrician should always be consulted in case of fever to rule out possible inflammation.
As a rule, abdominal pain and fever in small children is a flu-like infection caused by viruses and is harmless. Bacteria are rarely the trigger. Not only when the pathogens attack the gastrointestinal tract, but also when the upper respiratory tract is affected by the infection, this leads to abdominal pain in the child. However, there is also the risk that the abdominal pain is a sign of pneumonia. However, if the child’s abdomen is extremely sensitive to pressure or the abdominal pain occurs especially in the right lower abdomen, there is a suspicion of appendicitis and you should go to the paediatrician immediately.
Abdominal pain, fever and diarrhoea
If diarrhoea is added to the abdominal pain and fever, it is suspected to be food poisoning. The abdominal pain usually occurs suddenly and is accompanied by fever, diarrhoea and sometimes vomiting. If the diarrhoea is very runny and often excreted, there is a risk of dehydration.
It is important to drink a lot and, if necessary, to take additional electrolyte solutions to compensate for the loss of minerals. In most cases, the symptoms disappear on their own after a few days. However, depending on the pathogens that have triggered them, they can also be dangerous.
Contamination with salmonella, for example in poultry, can lead to typhoid fever, for example, which can take a serious course. An infection with salmonella is notifiable in Germany. Clostridia can occur in canned food, for example, and can lead to food poisoning.
Depending on which subspecies is present, these bacteria can lead to tetanus (tetanus), gas gangrene or damage to the intestine. An infection with shigella also leads to very severe diarrhoea. Here, damage to the intestinal mucosa can occur in the further course of the disease. If food poisoning is suspected, a doctor should be consulted in order to prevent a serious course of the disease and to initiate suitable therapy in good time.
