Health Envoy's Blog
Stomachaches in kids can come and go, but frequent tummy troubles may need medical attention.
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
Hearing “my tummy hurts” from a youngster can strike
fear in the heart of a parent.
Stomachaches, though, are a common complaint among children, and most are completely normal: they usually suggest that a child ate too much or needs to go to the bathroom. But how do you know when tummy troubles signal something more serious?
Here's how to evaluate the severity of your child's stomachaches.
If your child’s bellyaches start to interfere with daily life — hindering school attendance or participation in events like birthdays or soccer games —, they may be worth a trip to the doctor’s office. “It doesn’t necessarily signal disease, but it does signal that they need to seek medical care," said Craig Friesen, MD, division director of gastroenterology and medical director of the abdominal pain program at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.
The challenge is different in younger kids. A little girl may say her tummy hurts, but what she's really saying is that she has a bowel movement and needs to use the toilet. “Most of what I do with toddlers is tell them to go to bathroom and, if it still hurts, to go play,” Friesen said. “If they don’t do either, then the child needs to be evaluated.”
Some of the indicators that a child’s stomachache might be serious include weight loss, fever, significant vomiting, severe diarrhea, blood in the stool or vomit, or pain in the upper right or lower right abdomen. If a child has any of these symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
When a child’s ache is below the belly button, Friesen said, the most common causes are irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, colitis, or an allergic reaction. In about nine out of 10 cases, IBS or functional dyspepsia (indigestion without a known cause) are the disorders behind the pain.
IBS symptoms, such as loose and more frequent bowel movements, often occur after eating and may be treated with dietary changes, medications, or probiotics. Functional dyspepsia can cause ulcer-like symptoms like nausea, vomiting, filling up easily, and bloating. Treatments include acid-reducing drugs, which tends to work well in children.
Celiac disease is another issue that children may suffer from. It causes a lifelong intolerance to gluten — found in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats — and can cause abdominal pain, bloating, and loose or hard stools. A dietary change is usually enough to treat it.
Lactose intolerance makes it difficult for the body to efficiently process lactose, the sugar found in milk and other dairy products, and can therefore prompt stomachaches.
While both conditions aren’t as common among children, Friesen said that lactose intolerance emerges at different ages, mainly because of genetic differences. African-American children, for instance, tend to develop allergic reaction to dairy between the age of 3 and 5, while Caucasian children usually contract it when they are 8 or 10 years old.
Finally, recurrent abdominal pain in children is increasingly recognized as an initial sign of migraine headaches. Five to 15 percent of children with recurrent abdominal pain that isn’t attributable to any other source may be subject to migraines.
Though most tummy woes are likely to pass, recognizing some of the most worrisome signs and knowing when to call the doctor will make both you and your child feel better, sooner.
Stomachaches, though, are a common complaint among children, and most are completely normal: they usually suggest that a child ate too much or needs to go to the bathroom. But how do you know when tummy troubles signal something more serious?
Here's how to evaluate the severity of your child's stomachaches.
When Stomachaches Interfere With Life
Frequent or chronic stomachaches could indicate that something in the digestive system needs medical attention. Keep in mind that children might say that their stomach hurts when the the pain actually originates in a nearby organ, like the appendix.If your child’s bellyaches start to interfere with daily life — hindering school attendance or participation in events like birthdays or soccer games —, they may be worth a trip to the doctor’s office. “It doesn’t necessarily signal disease, but it does signal that they need to seek medical care," said Craig Friesen, MD, division director of gastroenterology and medical director of the abdominal pain program at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.
The challenge is different in younger kids. A little girl may say her tummy hurts, but what she's really saying is that she has a bowel movement and needs to use the toilet. “Most of what I do with toddlers is tell them to go to bathroom and, if it still hurts, to go play,” Friesen said. “If they don’t do either, then the child needs to be evaluated.”
The Most Common Signs to Look For
Children younger than 8 may not be able to differentiate between stomach pain and the kind of pain that warrant urgent medical attention, Friesen said. “I ask them to point to where the pain is worst,” he said. “If they point to the lower right, they may need to go to the ER for appendicitis.” So if your child’s pain persists, you should try to keep track of new and existing symptoms.Some of the indicators that a child’s stomachache might be serious include weight loss, fever, significant vomiting, severe diarrhea, blood in the stool or vomit, or pain in the upper right or lower right abdomen. If a child has any of these symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
What Causes Digestive Issues in Kids
If the pain is in the upper right abdomen, gallbladder disease, although rare in children, could be the problem. Friesen said more common causes are colitis (inflammation of the large intestine) or irritation in the first part of the small intestine.When a child’s ache is below the belly button, Friesen said, the most common causes are irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, colitis, or an allergic reaction. In about nine out of 10 cases, IBS or functional dyspepsia (indigestion without a known cause) are the disorders behind the pain.
IBS symptoms, such as loose and more frequent bowel movements, often occur after eating and may be treated with dietary changes, medications, or probiotics. Functional dyspepsia can cause ulcer-like symptoms like nausea, vomiting, filling up easily, and bloating. Treatments include acid-reducing drugs, which tends to work well in children.
Celiac disease is another issue that children may suffer from. It causes a lifelong intolerance to gluten — found in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats — and can cause abdominal pain, bloating, and loose or hard stools. A dietary change is usually enough to treat it.
Lactose intolerance makes it difficult for the body to efficiently process lactose, the sugar found in milk and other dairy products, and can therefore prompt stomachaches.
While both conditions aren’t as common among children, Friesen said that lactose intolerance emerges at different ages, mainly because of genetic differences. African-American children, for instance, tend to develop allergic reaction to dairy between the age of 3 and 5, while Caucasian children usually contract it when they are 8 or 10 years old.
Finally, recurrent abdominal pain in children is increasingly recognized as an initial sign of migraine headaches. Five to 15 percent of children with recurrent abdominal pain that isn’t attributable to any other source may be subject to migraines.
Though most tummy woes are likely to pass, recognizing some of the most worrisome signs and knowing when to call the doctor will make both you and your child feel better, sooner.
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