The child has a stomach ache: possible diseases and what medicines can be given. Why does a child have a stomachache? A child's stomach hurts 2

What should parents do when their child has a stomachache? How to find out the cause of pain and quickly eliminate it? When can you cope on your own, and when do you need to urgently consult a doctor? And how to distinguish ordinary indigestion from appendicitis? You will find answers to these questions in our article.

Complaint of abdominal pain, according to statistics, the most common of children's complaints. Why does a child at 8 years old often have a stomachache? This question worries every parent. There are a lot of reasons.

It is impossible to independently identify the etiology of the disease, you must consult a doctor, and not wait for the pain to go away on its own. Moreover, you do not need to give the baby to drink painkillers or folk remedies.

• Indigestion. response to a specific product. In this case, you need to cleanse the intestines and restore the microflora. Many children have food intolerances. Such a violation does not carry significant negative consequences. It is only important to find out which product should be excluded from the diet, and find a worthy replacement for it in terms of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
• chronic diseases such as gastroduodenitis, gastritis, pancreatitis.

• Food poisoning. If a student vomits and has a fever, it is better to call a doctor. Poisoning can range from minor to serious and will require gastric lavage.
• The disease of unwashed hands is another reason that is fraught with diarrhea and abdominal pain in eight-year-olds. This will help cleanse the body. Remember to give your baby plenty of water to drink. And limit food - strong tea, crackers and cereals - a diet for two days. After all the symptoms have passed, you can slowly include the usual food in the children's diet.
• Constipation is accompanied by increased gas formation, bloating, pain during bowel movements and requires systematic treatment and the transition to a different type of diet and increased physical activity.
• Appendicitis. The most serious reason to be given Special attention. The condition that occurs in children with inflammation of appendicitis is very life-threatening and is called "acute abdomen". The most frequent cases of inflammation of appendicitis just fall on the age of children from 8 to 15 years. Therefore, you need to be vigilant. Parents should find out what kind of pain their son or daughter feels, if it is sharp, similar to a recurring spasm and moves from the navel to the lower abdomen - this is not a good sign.

• psychosomatic reasons. So, for example, a student may have problems at school, and he does not want to go there, the body turns on its protective function in order to protect itself from stress. The child's stomach starts to hurt. As soon as he stays at home, the pain goes away. Here it is important for parents to discern the psychological component of the situation in time and help in eliminating the cause of such severe stress.

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What to do if the child has a stomachache

What to look for when a child has abdominal pain?

In most diseases, abdominal pain in children is intermittent. At the time when the child will be examined by a doctor, the pain may decrease or even disappear. But this does not mean that the child has recovered. After some time, the pain may reappear. Therefore, in order for the doctor to make a correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment, you need to clearly state the nature of the pain.

If your child has abdominal pain, pay attention to the following details:

• time of occurrence, duration, frequency of pain;
• nature of pain: dull, aching, sharp, cramping;
• the relationship of pain with the time of admission and the nature of food;
• localization, stereotyping of pains;
• the direction of pain distribution: in the lower back, under the shoulder blade, in the arm, in the groin, in the leg, etc.
• the connection of pain with movements, emotions, travel in transport, etc.

Pay attention to the presence of additional signs of diseases of the digestive system:

• the presence of belching, regurgitation, nausea, vomiting, heartburn;
• feeling of pressure or fullness in the abdomen;
• delay or, on the contrary, loosening of the stool, increased gas formation and bloating;
• appetite disorders.

The appearance of lethargy, fatigue, excessive sweating, and fever may also be of great importance. Remember if the child had similar disorders before?

Think about what could be the cause of abdominal pain? It could be nutritional errors! (poor-quality or stale foods, irregular meals, poor chewing, abuse of spicy foods, etc.), taking medications (anti-inflammatory and antipyretic, hormonal, etc.), allergic reactions to food, physical, emotional overload, travel in transport or any other factors.

Why does the child have a stomach ache?

Even in cases where the child has some previously established disease of the digestive system, if abdominal pain occurs, each time the possibility of a new cause of pain should be allowed and surgical diseases, infectious pathology, diseases should be excluded. internal organs outside abdominal cavity. And only after that you have to think about diseases of the digestive system.

What infectious diseases are manifested by abdominal pain?

V children abdominal pain can occur with many infections. In particular, sometimes pain appears in acute respiratory infections, flu, sore throat. Pain in these cases occurs at the height of the disease, at high body temperature. They are spastic in nature, short-term, disappear spontaneously, do not have a clear localization and disappear as the child's condition improves. These pains do not require special treatment, but they should be reported to the doctor. Abdominal pains are typical manifestation acute intestinal infections (acute gastroenteritis, enterocolitis, dysentery, yersiniosis, etc.). Along with pain, they are also characterized by vomiting, stool disorder, fever. Abdominal pain is typical for infectious hepatitis. Pain in older children is localized in the right hypochondrium, often accompanied by nausea and sometimes vomiting. In some cases, the color of urine (the color of "dark beer") and feces (discolored) changes, and yellowness of the sclera and skin appears.

Sometimes abdominal pain occurs with pseudotuberculosis, infectious mononucleosis.

What diseases of the internal organs can cause abdominal pain?

Abdominal pain often occurs in children with pneumonia. This is mainly characteristic of the localization of the inflammatory focus in the lower lobe of the lung and the involvement of the pleura adjacent to the diaphragm in the inflammatory process. At the same time, cough, rapid breathing, high body temperature, lethargy, loss of appetite dominate among the manifestations of the disease. The diagnosis of pneumonia is confirmed by x-ray examination of the chest. Against the background of treatment of the underlying disease, abdominal pain also disappears. Sometimes abdominal pain occurs in children with heart disease. In particular, this often happens with inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis). In this case, the child's pallor, increased heart rate and, possibly, its irregularity are characteristic. The body temperature rises. If the doctor, during examination, determines the expansion of the boundaries of the heart and notes a change in the sonority of heart tones, the appearance of murmurs in the heart, then the child will need electrocardiography. Treatment of patients with myocarditis is usually carried out in a children's hospital. Abdominal pain disappears as the underlying disease is treated. Very often, abdominal pain in children occurs with diseases of the urinary tract (pyelonephritis, cystitis, glomerulonephritis, etc.). At the same time, body temperature rises, the rhythm of urination changes (more frequent or, on the contrary, slows down), urination is sometimes possible, swelling of the face or legs, pain in the lower back. However, the study of urine is of primary importance in determining the nature of the disease. Therefore, a general urine test is included in the mandatory list of examinations necessary for all cases of abdominal pain of unclear origin. Abdominal pain often bothers children with the so-called neuroarthritic diathesis, this condition is based on a hereditarily determined feature of metabolic processes, leading to an increase in blood serum uric acid and periodic accumulation of ketone bodies. Uric acid is one of the stimulants nervous system. These children are characterized by an excellent memory, pronounced artistic and intellectual abilities, but increased excitability and rapid exhaustion of the nervous system, predisposing them to neurotic reactions. Abdominal pain in such children is a frequent manifestation of increased excitability and a tendency to spasms of the smooth muscles of the digestive tract. In addition, the periodic accumulation of ketone bodies in neuroarthritic diathesis is accompanied by bouts of excruciating uncontrollable vomiting (acetonemic vomiting), during which spastic pains in the abdomen are also characteristic. a sharp deterioration in well-being. An attack can be provoked by errors in the diet (for example, abundant meat food) or overexcitation in stressful situations. The diagnosis can be confirmed by detecting an elevated level of uric acid in the blood, and during an attack of vomiting - the appearance of a large amount of acetone in the urine. , brains), cocoa, coffee, chocolate, spinach, green peas. Such children are protected from excessive psycho-emotional stress. During the period of indomitable vomiting, plenty of fluids are necessary, and sometimes the child has to be admitted to the hospital for intravenous administration solutions. Pain in the abdomen, combined with hemorrhagic rashes on the skin and sometimes with pain in the joints, are characteristic of hemorrhagic vasculitis.

Finally, abdominal pain is feature chronic diseases of the digestive system: diseases of the stomach and duodenum, pathology of the liver and biliary system, intestinal diseases.

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Abdominal pain in a 9-year-old child: how to help, what can be given, causes

Abdominal pain can often occur in children, there are many reasons for this, from banal overeating to acute surgical pathologies. If the pains are severe, accompanied by many other symptoms, general state child, you always need to find out their cause and start treatment.

Abdominal pain always indicates trouble in the digestive system. However, by the nature and duration, the intensity of pain can be suspected as acute pathologies, as chronic diseases. But, only a doctor can do this correctly, with pain in the abdomen, you should not self-medicate, this is dangerous with serious complications.

Can painkillers be given?

If a child of 9 years old often has a stomach ache, it is completely wrong to take antispasmodics, painkillers or enzymes. These drugs often mask the true picture of the disease, lubricate it, which leads to errors in diagnosis and delay in treatment. This is especially dangerous in acute surgical pathology, especially in acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction or other serious problems (acute pancreatitis, cholecystitis, ulcer).

Abdominal pain is a symptom of appendicitis

Appendicitis is more common in boys, with an average age of 8 to 14 years. It starts with nausea, vomiting, there may be loosening of the stool. Often, initially, the stomach hurts at the top, in the stomach, then the pain is localized in the lower abdomen, on the right, both in a boy and a girl of 9 years old. The child accepts special position, legs crossed on the right side, does not allow touching the stomach. The temperature gradually rises, the condition worsens sharply. In this condition, it is forbidden to give any drugs - immediately an ambulance. Treat acute appendicitis It is possible only with the help of a surgical operation, it is removed.

However, abdominal pain can occur not only with it. Acute pain with stool retention, rapid deterioration of the condition are characteristic of intestinal obstruction, peptic ulcer, acute pancreatitis. These are conditions that also require an urgent operation, an operation.

Indications for hospitalization for acute abdominal pain:

• Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
• Fever, worsening general condition
• Board-hard anterior abdominal wall
• Excitability of the child or complete apathy, impaired consciousness.

It is forbidden before the arrival of doctors in case of acute pain in the abdomen:

• give the child enzymes, painkillers
• put enemas, apply heating pads to the stomach
• feed and water the child.

After the examination, the doctor will decide whether it is possible to treat the child at home, or send him to the hospital. Also, the doctor will give recommendations regarding further tactics when leaving the child at home.

Why does a 9-year-old child have a stomachache

There are a lot of reasons for the occurrence of abdominal pain in children at this age. First of all, they can cause constipation, diseases of the stomach or intestines, overeating. The main causes of pain are gastritis and gastroduodenitis in violation of the diet, pancreatitis and cholecystitis, colitis. The stomach can hurt with infectious lesions of the intestine with rotavirus, dysentery, etc., with food toxic infections (eating poor-quality food).

However, it is worth remembering that the stomach can also hurt from other diseases - damage to the kidneys or liver, bladder, and even lungs and heart. Pain in the abdomen can occur with flu and colds, against the background of high fever.

Emotional and impressionable children may suffer from abdominal pain force psychological reasons. The exact cause can only be determined by a doctor during a detailed examination and questioning of the parents and the child.

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Child's stomach hurts

At any age, regardless of the care of the child, he may develop abdominal pain. There are a lot of reasons for the appearance of pain in the abdomen and sometimes it is quite difficult to make an accurate diagnosis, so to speak, at a glance. However, sometimes abdominal pain is accompanied by very serious illness requiring emergency medical care. It is very important not to miss these diseases and to see a doctor in time.

To make it easier to understand the diseases that cause pain in the abdomen, we will divide the stomach into several sections, each of which will correspond to certain organs, the defeat of which will manifest itself with certain symptoms. To do this, it is necessary to draw conditional lines (two horizontal and two vertical, like a tic-tac-toe game) and, thus, divide the stomach into 9 sectors.

These sectors form the floors: upper, middle and lower. Each floor has 3 sectors. Upper floor: right and left hypochondrium on the sides, and in the center of the epigastric region. Middle floor: two lateral regions and the umbilical region.

Lower floor: right and left iliac regions on the sides and suprapubic region in the center.

• The right hypochondrium corresponds to the liver and gallbladder.
• The left hypochondrium corresponds to the spleen.
• The epigastric region is a projection of the stomach.
• Part of the left hypochondrium and the entire epigastric region is also occupied by the pancreas.
• The right side area of ​​the middle floor is occupied by the ascending part colon.
• The left lateral region is the descending part of the colon.
• The umbilical region is occupied by loops small intestine.
• The appendix is ​​projected in the right iliac region.
• In the left iliac region is the sigmoid colon.
• In the suprapubic region - bladder, and in girls there is also a uterus with appendages (fallopian tubes, ovaries).

If one of the listed organs is damaged, pain appears at the site of its projection. At the same time, pain is different intensity, may be constant or manifest / intensify under certain circumstances.

Abdominal pain in liver disease

In liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis), pain is localized in the right hypochondrium. The appearance of pain is due to the fact that the liver increases in size and stretches the capsule that covers it. This capsule is rich in nerve endings, and due to its stretching, pain occurs. The pains are usually dull, aching, aggravated by errors in the diet (abuse of fried, spicy foods).

In addition to abdominal pain, children are concerned about heaviness in the hypochondrium, heartburn, nausea, and belching. Since the liver increases in size, it can sometimes be determined by eye. In severe advanced cases, fluid begins to accumulate in the abdominal cavity, ascites develops. In this case, the abdomen increases in size, with palpation (probing it with your hands), you can determine the fluctuation (transfusion of fluid in the abdominal cavity).

Hepatitis can be of infectious etiology, bacterial, it can be caused by the use of various substances (drugs, poisons, dyes, alcohol products). Cirrhosis is usually the final stage of hepatitis, when the structural components of the liver begin to break down, the liver thickens and ceases to perform its functions. For the treatment of these diseases, it is necessary to establish the nature of the development of hepatitis and carry out treatment in accordance with the established cause. Treatment is carried out in a hospital. If hepatitis develops due to an infectious agent, then treatment is carried out in an infectious diseases hospital. If the cause of the development of hepatitis was the toxic effect of any substance, then the treatment is carried out in a somatic hospital.

Pain in the abdomen in diseases of the spleen

The spleen, like the liver, has its own capsule, which, with an increase in the size of the spleen, stretches, and pain appears. Pain in the left hypochondrium can be both physiological and pathological. Normally, pain in this area may appear with excessive physical activity. In this case, the spleen releases into the bloodstream a large number of erythrocytes, which are stored in it "in reserve", which causes pain. After the cessation of physical activity, after a few minutes, the pain subsides and completely disappears. In various diseases, for example, a blood disease associated with a change in the shape of red blood cells, when they lose their stability and are quite easily destroyed in the spleen, the spleen enlarges and a feeling of pain appears in the left hypochondrium. Also, an increase in the size of the spleen can be observed with an increase in the liver, the so-called hepatolienal syndrome.

To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to perform a general blood test, to perform an ultrasound examination of the internal organs. Treatment consists in eliminating the cause that caused the enlargement of the spleen, in some cases, the spleen is removed surgically. Children with diseases associated with the spleen are observed by a hematologist.

Pain in the abdomen with diseases of the stomach

Diseases of the stomach associated with the appearance of abdominal pain can be both acute and chronic. Pain in the epigastric region may occur with viral infections of the upper respiratory tract, since viruses can affect not only the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, but also the epithelium of the stomach. In this case, there are pains of mild and moderate intensity, sometimes they are accompanied by nausea, vomiting. Such pains do not last long, usually 2-3 days, most often they disappear with the normalization of body temperature. Such pains do not need treatment, it is necessary to carry out a general antiviral therapy(groprinosin, anaferon).

Pain in this area can also appear with the development of acute gastritis. This disease is associated with inflammatory changes in the epithelium of the stomach, which disappear completely after the child is cured. Acute gastritis can be infectious and non-infectious nature. Non-infectious acute gastritis develops when eating poor-quality products or toxic and toxic substances. Infectious gastritis is associated with an intestinal infection in the child's body. In addition to abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, fever, weakness, loss of appetite can be observed. For the treatment of non-infectious acute gastritis, a sparing diet is used, with a pronounced pain syndrome, an anesthetic (analgin, papaverine) is used. For the treatment of infectious acute gastritis, antibacterial drugs are used, taking into account the sensitivity of the microorganism to antibiotics, with severe pain syndrome, painkillers are also used.

If inflammatory changes in the gastric mucosa are not incoming, but permanent, then in this case we are talking about chronic gastritis. In chronic gastritis, pain in the epigastric region appears with errors in the diet (eating fried smoked, pickled, spicy foods, carbonated drinks, chips). Most often, chronic gastritis worsens in the spring and autumn. Pain in chronic gastritis is aching, aggravated by errors in the diet. Pain is accompanied by other dyspeptic disorders: loss of appetite, heartburn, nausea. The tongue of children with chronic gastritis is covered with a white coating. On palpation of the abdomen, children note pain in the epigastric region. To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct fibrogastroscopy and biopsy the gastric mucosa. Very often, chronic gastritis develops against the background of Helicobacter pylori infection. A biopsy of the mucosa allows you to identify Helicobacter pylari and conduct adequate treatment with the removal of this microorganism. The child is prescribed dietary nutrition, enveloping and astringent agents to stop the pathological effect on the gastric mucosa (Almogel, Gefal), drugs that reduce the production of hydrochloric acid and painkillers (no-shpa, drotoverin, analgin). In the autumn - spring period, it is necessary to carry out anti-relapse treatment, which is prescribed by a doctor, taking into account the age and causes of chronic gastritis. good effect observed when such children are treated with balneotherapy (treatment using mineral water).

The most serious stomach disease requiring medical attention is stomach ulcers. An ulcer is a defect in the stomach wall, which involves not only the mucous layer, but also the underlying layers of the gastric wall. Of particular danger is a perforated stomach ulcer. In this case, the ulcer captures all layers of the gastric wall and opens into the abdominal cavity. Pain with a perforated ulcer is very strong, the so-called dagger pain. With the appearance of such pain, children turn pale sharply, weakness appears, decreases arterial pressure, cold sweat appears. If these signs appear, you should immediately contact surgical care, as delay can lead to the death of a child from blood loss. With a gastric ulcer without perforation, severe pain is also observed, but it is not so intense and does not appear abruptly. An ulcer is characterized by the appearance of blood in the stool, which causes the stool to turn black (tarry stool). AT general analysis blood, there is a decrease in hemoglobin (anemia), due to a slight constant blood loss from a bleeding ulcer. Treatment of peptic ulcer is carried out by conservative methods (drug therapy) necessarily under the control of fibrogastroscopy. In severe cases, extensive lesions, the negative effect of the drug treatment carry out surgery.

Pain in the projection of the pancreas appear with the development of pancreatitis. Pain in this disease is characterized by a rather intense character, most often paroxysmal, appear after errors in the diet (eating fatty, spicy foods). Pain is localized in the left hypochondrium and epigastric regions. In addition to pain, the child may be disturbed by heaviness in the stomach, nausea, and weakness. In a period of severe pain, a child is shown severe hunger, analgesics (analgin, papaverine) are used to relieve pain. You can also use narcotic analgesics (promedol), but you can not use morphine. You can also apply cold to the projection area of ​​the pancreas.

Abdominal pain due to intestinal diseases and infections

Pain in the right and left lateral areas most often occurs with digestive disorders, when undigested food irritates the intestinal wall. In this case, in addition to pain, the child is worried about rumbling in the abdomen, fluid transfusion, intestinal motility is disturbed, which causes stool disorder ( liquid stool). In this case, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease, due to which there is a violation of digestion.

The occurrence of pain in the right and left lateral areas may be associated with impaired intestinal patency, the lumen of which may be blocked by bezoars (stones). These stones are formed on some kind of substrate. Depending on the substrate, they distinguish: trichobezoars - are formed on the hair, which children can eat with neuroses; phytobezoars - formed on undigested food particles; and others. In addition to pain, children experience constipation, bloating. In this case, the stones are destroyed using ultrasound.

In young children, a condition such as intussusception can very often occur. This condition occurs when part of the intestine is pushed into the ascending ileum. Since the intestinal wall, which is pressed in, is pinched at the site of the depression, pain occurs in the right lateral region. For treatment, it is necessary to contact the surgeon as soon as possible. The child is injected with painkillers and sedatives, and the invaginate is straightened by palpation of the abdomen.

Pain in the umbilical region is associated with a disease of the small intestine. The small intestine is a rather voluminous formation in the abdominal cavity, its loops are located almost over the entire surface of the abdominal cavity, however, the largest mass of the small intestine is located precisely in the umbilical region. Pain in this area may be associated with infectious diseases, helminths, indigestion in diseases of other organs of the digestive system.

Inflammation of the direct and sigmoid colon accompanied by pain in the left iliac region. This disease is called colitis. In addition to pain, children are concerned about fever, loose stools with blood. In this case, the blood is unchanged (unlike tarry stools with an ulcer) and mixed with feces (with hemorrhoids, the blood does not mix with a rock, but is, as it were, smeared over its surface). The pain is usually not very intense, accompanied by rumbling in the left iliac region. Treatment is based on the use antibacterial drugs taking into account the sensitivity of bacteria.

Abdominal pain due to infectious diseases

In infectious diseases, pain is most often accompanied by a violation of the stool (loose stools appear), a violation of intestinal motility, weakness, and fever. The exception is dry cholera, when the bacterium secretes a special neurotoxin that blocks the intestinal nerve impulses and the intestinal wall stops contracting. In this case, fluid is released into the intestinal lumen, but there is no stool, since this fluid does not move through the intestines. To eliminate the pain syndrome, it is necessary to use antibacterial drugs, depending on the pathogen that caused the disease. To relieve pain, you can use analgin, papaverine, but-shpu.

When the appendix becomes inflamed, a disease such as appendicitis develops. Appendicitis is characterized by the appearance of pain in the right iliac region. These pains are very strong. In addition to pain, the child may be disturbed by fever, single vomiting, and loose stools. For pain in appendicitis, migration is characteristic: at first, the pain occurs in the right hypochondrium, and then after 1-2 hours it gradually descends to the right iliac region.

Pain in appendicitis can be localized not only in the right iliac region, but also in the suprapubic and left iliac, and in the epigastric region, and even in the lumbar region. Such atypical localization is associated with a non-standard location of the appendicular process in different children.

A feature of appendicitis in children is a very rapid development, sometimes only a few hours pass from the onset of the disease to the development of peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum). Children with suspected appendicitis should never be given any pain medication before being examined by a surgeon, as this can make the diagnosis difficult. Children with appendicitis are hospitalized in the surgical department. If the diagnosis is established, the child is operated on. If the exact diagnosis is not established, the child is left under round-the-clock supervision for a day. If during this time it is not possible to completely exclude appendicitis, the operation is performed, and an accurate diagnosis is established already on the operating table. It is very important to see a doctor in time, because if there is a perforation (rupture) of the appendix, peritonitis develops, which threatens the life of the child.

Abdominal pain in diseases of the urinary-genital system of a child

Pain in the suprapubic region may appear with diseases of the bladder, cystitis. cystitis is inflammatory disease bladder associated with infection in the bladder, most often coli. The route of infection is ascending (the infection rises up the urethra into the bladder). Most often, girls get sick, which is associated with a short urethra in them. An infection occurs due to improper hygiene care. Girls should be washed from front to back when bathing. If you do this in the opposite direction, then in this way E. coli is washed into the urinary tract. In addition to pain, children are concerned about dysuric disorders (frequent urination, nighttime urination, urinary incontinence), fever, and weakness. To relieve pain, it is necessary to use analgesics (analgin, no-shpa). Treatment should be with antibiotics.

Pain in the suprapubic region with diseases of the uterus and its appendages can be inflammatory in nature when an infection enters the uterus. Most often, the infection is in the uterus for the same reasons as with cystitis (non-compliance with personal hygiene rules). To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to examine a smear from the uterine cavity. Treatment is also carried out with the help of antibacterial drugs.

The appearance of pain in the suprapubic region may also be associated with the menstrual cycle in girls. If the girl has not yet had menstruation, then the appearance of abdominal pain may be associated with complete infection of the virgin pleura. In this case, menstrual blood is not excreted, but accumulates in the uterine cavity. In this case, apart from pain in the suprapubic region, girls are usually not bothered by anything. In this condition, it is necessary to contact a gynecologist for dissection of the virgin pleura. In the presence of menstruation, girls may experience the appearance of abdominal pain during the formation menstrual cycle. In this case, the pains are cramping in nature and are accompanied by spotting. To relieve pain, it is necessary to use antispasmodics (no-shpa). It is very important to consult a gynecologist.

Inflammation of the ovaries is accompanied by severe pain in the suprapubic region. In addition to pain, girls are worried about fever, general weakness. Antibacterial therapy is necessary for treatment, in severe cases, surgical intervention is performed.

Pediatrician Litashov M.V.

All ages, is a complaint of pain in the abdomen. This is a fairly common condition that most children experience from time to time. And if in some cases the pain is explained by a simple indigestion and is not dangerous, then in some cases there is an "acute abdomen" - a condition that requires urgent hospitalization. What should parents do if their child has a stomach ache - let's figure it out together.

Most common complaint: “danger” or “discomfort”

Pain in the abdominal region occurs periodically in all children, and the occurrence of such a symptom, of course, makes parents worry and worry about the health of the baby. However, pain does not always indicate the presence of serious health problems. Often the pain syndrome is caused by small errors in: the wrong combination of products and the formation of gases or bloating, overeating, long intervals between meals.

Important! In cases where the pain is acute, the child literally does not allow to touch the tummy, while the temperature rises, it occurs - you need to immediately call an ambulance. Such a state of acute abdomen» is a tap dangerous for the baby!

The key characteristics that parents should consider when assessing the condition of the baby are the frequency and nature of the pain. If it arose once, is not systematic, is not accompanied by other alarming symptoms, then most likely you should not worry. Perhaps the child just ate something wrong. However, if pain in the abdomen bothers the child regularly, occurs in connection with eating (systematically after or during meals), is accompanied by nausea, stool disorders and other problems, it is imperative to go to the doctor.

Is home treatment possible?

If he complains of abdominal pain, but his general condition is satisfactory and there are no other symptoms, you can try to cope with the problem at home. In all other cases, either a doctor's consultation with a further examination is necessary, or hospitalization and assistance in a hospital setting.

When to use home remedies

If pain occurs as a result of overeating (for example, sweets or fruits) or eating a product that is not entirely fresh and of high quality, then at home you can help the child by giving Activated carbon. It is necessary to provide the baby with peace until the condition stabilizes. If abdominal pain is caused by constipation, you need to use laxatives for children: Gutalax, Forlax,. Often, children complain of abdominal pain with bloating and excessive gas formation, then you can take or. It will be possible to relieve discomfort in the intestinal area with the help of. The drug is also effective for diarrhea, food poisoning and even intestinal infections.

Indications for calling for help and hospitalization

If the pain doesn't go away long time, other symptoms are added to it, and the general condition of the child worsens - you need to call an ambulance. By the following signs, you can understand that you need to seek emergency help as soon as possible:

1. The child has a stomachache for more than a day, while the pain is not localized in the navel (pain in the umbilical region often goes away on its own and does not require medical attention).
2. There was diarrhea and lasted more than a day.
3. There was vomiting, also lasts more than a day. The pain in this case is not constant, but episodic.
4. Paleness of the skin, the appearance of cold sweat.
5. Temperature rise.
6. Blood impurities in feces or vomit.
7. Pain when urinating.
8. Vomit becomes yellow-green or dark in color.
9. The kid has completely lost his appetite, refuses water.
10. The child is overcome by drowsiness, weakness.
11. The pain is localized strictly in one place and does not go away.

Did you know? In the vast majority of cases, an increase in temperature indicates the presence of an intestinal infection. But acute conditions, such as inflammation of the appendix, which require urgent surgical intervention, almost never provoke changes in body temperature.

How is the diagnosis

If an adult can more or less accurately describe pain sensations and indicate their localization, then it will be difficult for a child, and completely impossible for a baby, the baby will notify about pain with loud crying. Therefore, when examining a child, the doctor needs to evaluate:

• the presence of intestinal noise;
• symmetry of the abdomen;
• the presence / absence of swelling, asymmetric protrusion.

• FGDS (fibrogastroduodenoscopy) - allows you to identify pathologies of the stomach and duodenum 12, the procedure is performed using an endoscope;
• analysis of feces for dysbacteriosis;
• study of feces for;
• physical and chemical examination of feces (coprogram).

The main causes of pain and their treatment

Abdominal pain can have more than a dozen causes, among which are - functional disorders, inflammation, infection and anatomical features. Next, consider some of the most common conditions and pathologies that lead to abdominal pain in childhood.

Colic

Colic provokes pain in the tummy area in 70% of babies aged 1 to 6 months. By six months, such phenomena usually pass by themselves. The occurrence of such an unpleasant sensation is explained by the formation of gases, while the child cries a lot, pulls his legs and raises them to his stomach. If gas comes out, the pain subsides and the child calms down without medication. Colic is not accompanied by fever, vomiting, or changes in bowel movements. To alleviate the condition of the child, you can do a light massage of the tummy in a clockwise direction. You can also lay the baby on its back and make rhythmic movements with the legs, bending them to the body and unbending. Of the pharmaceutical preparations, medicines are most often prescribed with active substance simethicone:, "Smecta", . To normalize the work of the stomach, apply and. To improve the microflora, probiotics are prescribed: Acipol, Linex, Bifiliz.

Did you know?To diagnose "intestinal colic", pediatricians apply the rule of three: manifestations begin from the 3rd week, the duration of colic is an average of 3 hours a day, continues this symptom also about 3 months.

constipation

In children - a frequent and rather dangerous phenomenon. After all, they are fraught with intoxication of the body and stretching of the rectum, which will further aggravate defecation in the future. In childhood (when a child is older than 1 year old and eats adult food), constipation can be caused by a lack of fluid, an unbalanced diet, a lack of coarse fiber (found in vegetables and fruits), and a delay in going to the toilet. With a long absence of bowel movement, there is obvious discomfort and sometimes pain. What kind of pharmacy can be given to alleviate the condition if the child has a stomachache with constipation? Mild laxatives are suitable, for example, Duphalac, Gutalax, or lactulose syrup. To forget about the problem for a long time, you need to review the baby’s diet, adding more plant foods to it and minimizing overly processed foods. However, if constipation is accompanied by other symptoms and happens systematically, it is necessary to take the child to the doctor, because constipation can be a manifestation of a more serious pathology.

Dysbacteriosis

With dysbacteriosis, pain occurs in the center of the abdomen (under the spoon), may be accompanied by diarrhea or constipation, nausea, belching and heartburn. Also, the culprit of this problem can be stress and nervous strain, an unfavorable environment, nutritional deficiencies and antibiotic treatment. To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a study of fecal masses. With dysbacteriosis, it is necessary to normalize intestinal microflora, for this purpose prescribe drugs:

• "Lineks";
• "Bifidumbacterin";
• "Acipol";
• "Lactobacterin";
• "Bifiform";
• drugs containing probiotics and bacteriophages.

Allergy

Pain in the abdomen with food allergies called allergic gastroenteritis, develop with intolerance to certain foods and an active immune response. Food allergies are more susceptible to children who are early age began to receive complementary foods, have pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as those babies whose mothers ate highly allergenic food during gestation. One of the manifestations of food allergies is abdominal pain. It can occur soon after the use of the allergen, often not pronounced, but long in time. To avoid this manifestation, it is necessary to completely eliminate the use of the allergen. To alleviate the condition, you can use antihistamines: Claritin, Cetirizine, Loratadin and Nalcrom (from 2 years old).

infections

Intestinal infections can be both viral and bacterial in nature. Infection is manifested by acute pain in the abdomen, fever, changes in stool (diarrhea or constipation occurs, the color of feces changes). In this case, you can never rely on self-treatment, you need to call a brigade emergency care and carry out treatment in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor.

Important!A key factor in a quick recovery is maintaining a normal water-salt balance. The child must be given saline solutions otherwise he is in danger of dehydration. It is especially important to “solder” the baby at elevated temperatures.

To restore the water-salt balance, you can prepare the solution yourself or buy ready-made pharmaceutical preparations, for example, "or" Orasan. In 10% of cases, antibiotics must be used to fight the infection (for prolonged diarrhea, bloody impurities in the stools, or some forms of cholera). To relieve the temperature, it makes sense to give an antipyretic: "Panadol baby", "Ibuprofen", "Paracetamol" (for babies, you can use rectal suppositories or syrup).

Often, helminthic invasion has an asymptomatic course and for a long time practically does not manifest itself. However, in advanced cases, when the number of helminths is very high, nausea, stool disorders and abdominal pain may appear, more often near the navel. As a result of eating insufficiently processed meat and fish or unwashed vegetables and fruits, children can become infected with roundworms, pinworms. To confirm the diagnosis, it is necessary to examine the feces. In therapy, the following means are used:

• for children up to a year, the drug "Piperazine" is suitable.
• after 6 months can be given.
• children from 2 years old are allowed Albendazole (Nemozol, Sanoxal) and Mebendazole (Mebex, Vormin, Termox).

Gastritis

Pain are a typical manifestation of all types of gastritis and are localized in the center of the abdomen, in its upper section under the ribs. The intensity of the pain is determined by the scale of the inflammatory process, because the pain can be both aching and extremely sharp. Gastritis occurs more often in younger schoolchildren or in adolescence due to malnutrition, low-quality food, mental and psychological stress, Helicobacter pylori damage. With abdominal pain in a child due to gastritis, the following painkillers can be given: Riabal, No-Shpa, Papaverine. If the tests confirm the presence of an infection, it must be eliminated with antibiotics: Metronidazole, Clarithromycin. Rinitidine will help reduce the secretory activity of the stomach. Medicines such as Almagel and will help to stop and normalize the production of gastric juice. For successful treatment, it is necessary to review the diet and lifestyle of the child, eliminate psycho-emotional overload.

Pneumonia

Sometimes the lower lobes of the lungs (especially the right lung) can be mistaken for inflammation of the appendix or cholecystitis. A correct diagnosis can be made by the presence of copious discharge, fever, and an increased level of leukocytes in the blood during pneumonia. In this case, it is necessary to deal with the underlying pathology. If the pain syndrome is pronounced, you can give No-Shpu or Papaverine.

Did you know?Before the discovery of antibiotics, that is, until the 30s of the last century, 85% of patients died from pneumonia.

pancreatitis

The diagnosis of "pancreatitis" is made with inflammation of the pancreas, which is manifested by pain (abdominal pain radiates to the shoulders, ribs, back), problems with stools, general lethargy, decreased appetite. In the treatment of pathology, daily fasting will be effective. With severe pain, it is advisable to take analgesics ("Spazmomen", "Papaverin", "Drotaverin"). Enzyme therapy is also carried out with Mezim, Pancreatin, Digestal preparations. During treatment, it is necessary to follow a diet that does not stimulate the pancreas, and give the child an alkaline drink.

Ulcer

The main manifestation of peptic ulcer is acute abdominal pain. Often, pain is more pronounced before eating and subsides a little after eating. Ulcers can develop even in preschool age due to the use of acute, fatty foods, due to long breaks between meals, also due to the defeat of Helicobacter pylori. In addition to pain in the stomach, the child complains of nausea in the morning, the tongue becomes covered with a whitish coating, and halitosis occurs. Naturally, parents are puzzled by the question: what can be given for abdominal pain due to peptic ulcer? Therapy has two main directions: taking antacids to reduce acidity and taking antibiotics if the ulcer is provoked by a Helicobacter pylori infection. Among antacids, Phosphalugel, Rennie, Almagel, Gaviscon are prescribed. To eliminate the infection, the same drugs are prescribed as for gastritis.

These tips will help minimize the occurrence of abdominal pain. However, if you complain of pain, you should not immediately eliminate it with analgesics. And with recurrent pain, you need to undergo an examination and establish their true cause.

Often, parents may be faced with a situation where the child has pain in the stomach. When a child has a stomachache, what is the first thing a worried parent should do? What can be the cause, as well as how to relieve the symptoms without harming the child, we will tell in this article.

So, you are faced with a not very pleasant situation when a child has a stomachache. Parents in this case, especially close attention should be paid to the nature and duration of pain attacks, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever.

If these symptoms occur, seek immediate medical attention medical care. But before the doctor arrives, parents should know what to do to alleviate the child's condition.

Disease symptoms

In order to understand what causes the ailment, it is necessary to localize the pain. Each disease is characterized by pain in a certain place:

• If the baby has a dull pain on the right in the upper part of the tummy, which may also be accompanied by nausea, an increase in temperature to values ​​​​of 39-40 °, as well as diarrhea with mucous secretions, painful urination, then in this case we can talk about appendicitis.
• Pain on the left under the ribs. This may indicate a disease of the pancreas. If after the activity of the baby, as well as during intense physical exertion, pain occurs, then here we can talk about the improper functioning of the diaphragm, which can be caused by a severe bruise.
• The pain in the stomach extends to the navel. This may mean problems with the gastrointestinal tract. This may be the result of improper and irregular nutrition. If painful sensations are also accompanied by fever, then here we will most likely talk about poisoning by means of heavy metals.
• Sharp pains in the abdomen. With these painful sensations, the child has difficulty moving, there is a strong tension abdominal wall and all this is accompanied by a high temperature. Here we can talk about a chronic type of pathology of the gastrointestinal tract or the appearance of an intestinal infection.
• Pain occurs on the side. This may indicate inflammatory processes in the kidneys (nephritis). Sharp pains in combination with fever are the reason for an emergency call to the doctor.
• If there are severe pains in the tummy area, and at the same time the child has fever, then here it is quite possible we can talk about peritonitis. There are difficulties in the movement of the child. This condition may be due to complications of gastritis, intestinal obstruction or exacerbation of appendicitis.

Thus, in most cases, if a child’s stomach hurts, it is urgent to consult a doctor for qualified help.

Causes of diseases

If a child has a stomach ache, then, first of all, we must understand what caused it. Diagnosis of the causes of pain, as well as timely assistance will help to avoid complications.

Stomach problems

One of the causes of pain in the stomach can be called gastritis, which has several varieties:

• bacterial type - can be caused by Helicobacter pylori infection;
• acute gastritis occurs mainly in stressful situations or as a result of a serious illness;
• erosive type occurs in a child after prolonged use of certain medications;
• viral gastritis - when a viral infection enters the body;
• a chronic type disease mainly occurs over a long period of time in a latent form without symptoms;
• allergic gastritis is a type of acute gastritis, and can be triggered by certain foods.

The next fairly common disease that causes pain and discomfort in the stomach of a child, is an ulcer. Its causative agent is most often Helicobacter pylori infection. It is impossible to identify it on your own. It is necessary to undergo an examination in the clinic.

Pain in the abdomen can also be due to various injuries that can be triggered by surgery. In this case, it is imperative to seek the advice of a doctor.

Other reasons

Among other causes of pain in the stomach area, the following can be distinguished:

• Poisoning, in addition to abdominal pain, is accompanied by symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
• Hypolactasia occurs when the stomach is unable to digest milk sugar. Among the main symptoms are pain, gas and heaviness in the stomach, indigestion.
• Infectious diseases of the urinary tract. May be accompanied by painful sensations when visiting the toilet.
• Appendicitis can be safely called one of the most serious diseases. Among the main symptoms are pain under the ribs on the right, fever, nausea and vomiting. If symptoms appear, call an ambulance immediately.

Helping a child with stomach pain

If a child has abdominal pain, what can be given to relieve his condition? It is not recommended to self-medicate, as there is no guarantee that you could correctly determine the cause of the pain.

It should be remembered that:

• It is not necessary to give the child painkillers before the doctors arrive, as they can cause difficulties in diagnosis.
• Do not give your child antibiotics or medicines based on enzymes that are designed to improve intestinal motility.
• If you feel sick, vomiting and severe abdominal pain appear, then you should refrain from potassium permanganate solutions, as well as alcohol tinctures and tea.
• Usage folk remedies allowed only in the treatment of constipation or diarrhea.

At acute pain in the stomach, fever, vomiting and the addition of other symptoms in a child, you should urgently call an ambulance.

For nausea

What can be given if there is abdominal pain and nausea:

• You can give your child black unsweetened tea, mineral water without gas.
• For nausea, it is best to prepare a decoction of chamomile, mint and lemon balm. You can use the components individually, or you can use them all together. To relieve symptoms, you need to give 1 tbsp. a spoonful of decoction three times a day.
• In this case, dill water can also help. The prepared decoction of steamed dill seeds is not only designed to relieve nausea, but also reduce colic.
• You can also use smectite or activated charcoal.

If pain in the stomach is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, then in this case, Regidron should be used to eliminate dehydration. In case of strong vomiting, before the doctor arrives, it is necessary to give the child a small amount of boiled water at intervals of 5-10 minutes. To remove the gag reflex, you can also give a decoction of valerian, dill water, as well as tea from lemon balm or mint.

At a temperature

If there is an increase in temperature and pain in the abdomen, then in this case, the following types of treatment can be used before the ambulance arrives:

• If the temperature has not stepped over 38 °, you can use antipyretic drugs for children (Panadol, Paracetamol, Efferalgan);
• Against dehydration, it is better to give boiled water often and in small portions;
• Children of different ages tolerate a drug such as Regidron well;
• If there is a temperature above 39-40 °, as well as pain on the right, then we can talk about appendicitis. In this case, it is forbidden to give any drugs. It is necessary to ensure peace until the doctor arrives.

If diarrhea is observed, then before the doctor arrives, you can give the child activated charcoal, Smektu, Regidron, Oralit, or a decoction of chamomile. Mineral water without gas or a decoction of rice is also suitable.

For constipation

In case of constipation, if you do not know how to treat, then you can give the following recommendations:

• it is necessary to limit the consumption of fatty, spicy and fried foods;
• it is necessary to exclude the use of white bread from the diet;
• for endowment it is necessary to use beets with oil plant origin;
• steamed prunes are useful;
• make a microclyster Microlax.

Preventive measures

To eliminate the appearance of pain in the abdomen, it is recommended to adhere to the following tips:

• observe the established regimen of food intake, and in the presence of chronic diseases, adhere to a diet;
• reduce to a minimum the consumption of fried, spicy and fatty;
• if possible, exclude or minimize the use of confectionery, pizza, soda;
• use more often dairy products, fruits and vegetables, lean meat and fish;
• move more often, which will help strengthen immunity;
• dress warmly in winter to avoid hypothermia;
• observe the rules of personal hygiene before and after meals;
• maintain a calm atmosphere in the family without stressful situations.

The cause of pain in the abdomen is colic and increased gas formation that has arisen from the use of certain types of products. Then diet can help. However, these symptoms can also indicate more serious problems - gastritis or stomach ulcers. Sharp pains can be harbingers of appendicitis or cystitis and require an ambulance call. For any type of stomach pain that occurs in a child, it is necessary to consult a doctor for advice.

Parents should definitely appreciate such pain, because for a doctor who sees a baby for the first time, it is sometimes quite difficult.

Abdominal pain is characterized by widespread, localized, colicky, or spasmodic pain.

According to its duration, abdominal pain is divided into acute and chronic. Fortunately, most of them pass quickly and do not have a serious cause. But it must be remembered that some diseases with similar pain are life-threatening.

If the baby behaves very restlessly, the reason is most likely precisely in colic pains. See when your child gets uncomfortable. Pay attention to what other symptoms he has, such as vomiting or diarrhea.

Or, for example, you notice that a 5-year-old child has a stomach ache. The pain then subsides, then intensifies, at times causing especially severe pain attacks. This usually lasts only a few hours, but over time, this condition becomes more and more disturbing, shortening the pain-free periods. It is definitely necessary to go to the doctor.

Your 7-year-old child has abdominal pain almost daily. In the morning he has stomach pain and diarrhea.

You may notice that a child at 3 years old constantly points to his stomach and cries. It's been going on for months now and you're starting to get worried.

These are all very common cases that many parents encounter, and for most children, abdominal pain does not bring much suffering, it goes away on its own in a short period of time. Often parents think that their 10 year old child is faking or exaggerating symptoms, especially when doctors aren't too concerned about his condition.

However, when dealing with long-term pain, it is dangerous for parents to relax, letting things take their course. This is probably a serious symptom of organic pathology.

Chronic abdominal pain is a very common disease, but, unfortunately, it is sometimes very difficult to find its cause.

Much has to do with age. For example, children under 5 years old cannot suffer from an ovarian cyst, and a child of 8 years old is unlikely to suffer from, as is observed in a 3-month-old baby.

Psychological or emotional disorders play a huge role in many pain complaints.

But doctors must be careful not to describe any pain as psychological until other causes have been ruled out through careful examination and testing.

Children's abdominal pain is classified as acute if it lasts less than 7 days and chronic if it lasts more than 7 days.

Why does the child have a stomachache?

1. Colic

Colic in the abdomen in a newborn is a classic explanation for pain. It happens after eating. When a newborn's tummy hurts due to colic, crying and spasms suddenly begin. The cry is loud and continuous, lasting from 1 to 4 hours.

The baby's face turns red, the legs are tucked up to the body and cool to the touch, the arms are clenched into fists. Episodes of infant colic disturb at any time, more often at night, which further exhausts the parents.

2. Pain due to bloating

Intestinal gas is another common cause childhood abdominal pain. When gases occur, bloating and stretching of the intestinal walls in a child.

3 Seasickness

Some children suffer from motion sickness while riding in vehicles. This can be a problem when traveling by car. The child may still be disturbed by colic attacks and vomiting.

Plan plenty of stops along the way so your child can get some fresh air. And often offer him a drink of water.

4. Bacterial dysentery

The child has frequent stools (not necessarily liquid) with blood or mucus, abdominal pain, periodically increasing or subsiding. Sometimes the baby does not have a stool, and only blood and / or mucus comes out of the anus.

In some cases, the child has a stomach ache, vomiting opens, frequent loose stools may disturb. These are all signs of infection with pathogenic intestinal bacteria. The baby becomes infected through close contact with an infected person or by drinking contaminated water or food. Treatment consists of adequate hydration (soldering), drug therapy needed to fight bacterial infection.

Babies who are on breastfeeding even during the second year of life, are less prone to this disease. And if they get sick due to dysentery, the severity of the disease is less, and babies recover faster.

5. Viral infection

If a child has a stomach ache, vomiting and fever with, these are signs of rotavirus. Hepatitis A is another viral infection, which may cause sharp pain in the right upper abdomen, where the liver is located. During this infection, the skin in children usually turns yellow.

Oddly enough, "strep" throat provokes children's abdominal pain. This infection is caused by strep bacteria and symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat and stomachache.

Serious bouts of coughing cause tension and soreness of the abdominal muscles, which also leads to pain.

7. Abdominal tuberculosis

Abdominal TB should be suspected when the child complains of pain and there are other signs that point to this disease.

Symptoms include:

• close contact with a person with tuberculosis;
• loss of appetite and body weight;
• a large belly in a child (in this case, there may be signs of intestinal obstruction).

This is by far the most common reason why the stomach hurts all the time.

Symptoms that indicate that constipation is the cause of pain:

These two states are not the same. One is the inability to digest lactose, and the other is allergic reaction whole body for milk proteins. However, both can cause digestive upset and abdominal pain.

Signs include:

• abdominal cramps after eating dairy products;
• gas pains;
• intestinal colic;
• diarrhea;
• pain, as a rule, spilled, felt throughout the abdomen.

Naturally, it often gets worse after eating a meal with dairy products, but this condition can develop at any time of the day.

10. Diarrhea

Abdominal cramps and rumblings in the abdomen are common types of pain that accompany diarrhea.

Older children describe the discomfort of these diseases as a burning or corrosive pain. The stomach hurts on the left, or in its upper part, or even in the center of the chest. Children aged 6-7 hardly describe the pain as "burning".

13. Dyspepsia (disturbance of the digestive process)

Acute and severe pain in the stomach that worsens with deep inspiration is usually caused by dyspepsia. They arise as a result of overeating, hasty eating, or from drinking excessive amounts of carbonated drinks and juices.

Appendicitis is a fairly common pain problem that develops in children of all ages, although it is uncommon in children under one year of age.

15. Urinary tract infections

When there is a urinary tract infection, older children complain of burning and pain during urination, discomfort in the lower abdomen. In infants, there is increased moodiness, sleep and appetite disturbance, a slight increase in temperature without signs of a cold. During urination, babies become whiny and strain the muscles of the press.

16. Intestinal obstruction

Your child needs immediate medical attention if:

Tips for Preventing Childhood Abdominal Pain

You can prevent your child from getting stomach pain due to indigestion and infections by:

• don't let your child overeat. Instead, divide food into smaller portions and make meals more frequent;
• Encourage your child to eat fiber-rich foods such as vegetables and fruits to prevent constipation.
• Teach your child to wash their hands with soap before eating. This will prevent the penetration of pathogenic elements into the body that cause gastrointestinal infections;
• Don't let your child eat before bed. This will cause indigestion or lead to heartburn;
• make sure your child drinks plenty of water. This will prevent the formation of dry feces, and also protect against dehydration.

The prognosis for abdominal pain is as varied as their causes. Timely identified abdominal pain is the key to a favorable prognosis in general. Undiagnosed and uncontrolled pain is sometimes life threatening. From the very beginning of the child's illness, the parent must work together with the pediatrician and the hospital so that the baby receives proper care.

There are no children who have never had a stomach ache, and there are a lot of reasons for this condition. While adults can easily point out the location of the pain and tell about additional symptoms, then small children will only point with a finger, and infants will not be able to do anything at all. Treatment directly depends on the causes of discomfort, and in severe cases requires urgent hospitalization.

Causes of pain can be both harmless and dangerous. Banal overeating can cause regular and incessant cramps. However, there are a number of pathologies, the treatment of which should be carried out in a timely manner and exclusively by surgery. The main causes of discomfort include:

1. Infant colic. About 70% of all babies suffer. During this state, the child cries loudly for a long time, presses the legs to the tummy, which is swollen. This pathology resolves on its own by the age of 4-6 months.

   
   
   Symptoms of infantile colic
   

2. constipation. Most often occurs in children aged 6 months and older. The main reason is a violation of the diet, taking certain medications, problems with intestinal patency.

   

3. gastroenteritis. Inflammatory pathologies of the stomach or small intestine. called out pathogenic bacteria or viruses that enter the body. In some cases, it occurs with intestinal infections and salmonellosis.

   

   First aid for rotavirus

4. Improper nutrition. The child consumes foods that provoke allergies or simply takes more food than he needs. Poor quality products expired expiration date or oversaturated food additives can cause poisoning, one of the symptoms of which is pain.
5. Intoxication with drugs or poisons. When taking antibiotics, acute pain can occur.
6. "Surgical" diseases. Severe and persistent pain is caused by intestinal obstruction, hernia, appendicitis and ulcers. In this case, the pain has a clearly localized character and is particularly intense.

   

Most often in infants, discomfort occurs due to colic and constipation. Less common intestinal infections and digestive disorders resulting from malnutrition. But what if the cause is not at all harmless and is the result of diseases, the treatment of which is carried out exclusively by surgery? You should pay attention to the following signs:

1. Localization. With pain, children very often point to the navel. This is a good sign and occurs when overeating, indigestion or other harmless eating disorders. If the child grabs the handles by the side and talks about severe pain, you should immediately call an ambulance.
2. duration. If severe pain persists for 24 hours, you should immediately contact a specialist. This may be a sign of serious poisoning or an inflammatory process in the intestinal area. Dangerous are episodic attacks of pain, combined with diarrhea and lasting more than 3 days.
3. Additional symptoms. High body temperature, cold sweat, pallor and blood in the stool should be the reason to call the emergency team. Same dangerous symptoms is the presence of a rash on skin, pain when urinating, nausea and vomiting, loss of strength.

In rare cases, the pain is neurotic in nature. The child begins to experience discomfort in a stressful situation or after emotional upheaval. Examination reveals any irregularities digestive system impossible. In this case, a consultation with a psychologist is required.

Important! If the pain is accompanied by increased sweating and palpitations, this may be a sign of vegetative-vascular dystonia, which is treated by a cardiologist.

You should not self-medicate if the child is tormented by vomiting, body temperature has risen, and other unpleasant symptoms are observed. The only way to determine the cause of discomfort is to laboratory tests. In case of detection of intestinal infections, poisoning, inflammation of the appendix, hernias and intestinal obstruction, treatment is carried out exclusively in a hospital.

Video - The child has a stomach ache: causes

List of diseases of the abdominal cavity

An unpleasant symptom can be a sign of serious pathologies, the elimination of which is carried out exclusively by surgery. Discomfort is pronounced and is accompanied by a number of additional symptoms. If left untreated, the disease can be fatal, so it is very important to consult a specialist at the initial stage of pathology development.

Important! With peritonitis, all signs of severe intoxication are observed, which include nausea and vomiting, dehydration, dry mucous membranes, rapid pulse, pale skin and a general breakdown. If any of the listed pathologies is suspected, parents should immediately call ambulance. Indeed, in case of inflammation of the abdominal cavity, death can occur already on the second day. Peritonitis is much more common than appendicitis and requires surgery.

Diagnostics

In order to determine the cause of pain, sometimes an examination by a therapist is enough. It is especially easy to establish intestinal colic and constipation. In more complex cases, you will need to undergo a series of studies, which include:

1. FGDS or FGS.
2. Colonoscopy.
3. Coprogram.
4. Radiography.
5. Analysis of urine, blood, feces.

The required tests can only be prescribed by a doctor, depending on the symptoms. Each case is considered on an individual basis. An important role is played by the age of the child, the presence of additional symptoms and the severity of the condition.

Important! To make a correct diagnosis in 90% of cases, it is enough to do an ultrasound and a blood test.

First aid

Before the doctor arrives, the child's condition must be alleviated. You can do this by following some simple guidelines.

For pain in newborns:

1. Take it in your hands and make a light massage of the abdomen with your palm in a clockwise direction.
2. Carry the child in an upright position.
3. With colic, the newborn is placed on his back, his legs are pressed to his stomach, after which they are straightened. Such actions must be done several times.
4. Give a small amount of dill water.
5. For constipation, enemas are given.

1. With prolonged and acute pain - call a doctor.
2. Before the arrival of a specialist, you should not give the child any medications.
3. In no case do not press on the stomach.
4. Give your child small portions of water every 10 minutes.
5. Apply an ice pack to the abdomen.

If parents are sure that serious illnesses the child does not have, and the discomfort is associated with eating, you can use the following drugs:

1. With bloating - Espumizan.
2. When overeating - Mezim or Festal.
3. With diarrhea - Linex, Regidron.
4. With heartburn - Rennie or Almagel.
5. In case of poisoning - activated charcoal and Smecta.

Apply medical preparations without an accurate diagnosis is not recommended. Medications can erase the general symptoms, after which it will be more difficult to determine a particular disease. In addition, all drugs have side effects and can cause a severe allergic reaction.

Important! Some parents, in order to alleviate the condition of the baby, give him lemon water. Such a remedy helps to relieve an attack of pain, has antiemetic properties and eliminates gases, but it is completely contraindicated in case of increased acidity of the stomach.

Video - What should be done when a child has a stomachache?

Treatment Methods

Treatment depends entirely on the causes that caused the discomfort. If parents are completely sure that abdominal pain is not the result of serious diseases, a number of measures are required:

1. Find out if the child is constipated. If this is the cause of the pain, lactulose-based drugs are indicated.
2. You shouldn't feed your baby. It is important to determine what may have triggered the food reaction and eliminate the food allergic from the diet.
3. Provide your baby with plenty of fluids. To alleviate the condition, special preparations for oral rehydration are indicated. If these are not available, let your child drink still water. Any fruit juices, milk drinks and other drinking products, only decoctions of herbs can make exceptions.
4. Rule out bloating. With severe gas formation in the tummy, preparations that contain simethicone are indicated.

If the discomfort is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, one can suspect intestinal infection. Most often they are massive and they rarely affect children alone. You need to be especially careful if there are already infected children in the kindergarten or schools that the child attends.

Important! In no case should you apply a heating pad to the abdomen without knowing the true causes of discomfort. With any inflammatory processes, this can only aggravate the situation!

If the child regularly complains of pain, then ignore given state it is forbidden. It's a sign chronic disease, which over time can only worsen and cause irreversible consequences. Particular attention should be paid to children infancy who can't talk about what's bothering them.

Competent treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a treating specialist. Many serious diseases have a long course and are expressed only by pain in the abdomen. In the absence of their treatment, serious complications are possible, up to a fatal outcome.