Functional Abdominal Pain In Children
If your child suffers from abdominal pain often and you can’t find an apparent cause for their discomfort, they may have functional abdominal pain in children. It is so called because it is not caused by a digestive disease or any other medical problem or clinical condition, but it can get in the way of their daily life.
What is functional abdominal pain in children?
There is no total certainty about the causes of this condition, but it is considered to be due to a malfunction between the intestine and the nervous system, and even the immune system, in stressful situations or a hypersensitivity to pain.
Recurrent abdominal pain is defined as 2 or more episodes of abdominal pain in a 3-month period that are significant enough to interfere with normal activity.
There is data published by Scient Direct that 10 to 15% of the school-age population presents it and that its peak incidence is between 5 and 8 years, to emerge again in adolescence.
How is functional abdominal pain diagnosed in children?
The diagnosis itself is complicated, since it is important to rule out any possible pathology such as irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia or abdominal migraine, in addition to some type of food intolerance. In these cases they would need a specific treatment.
It is necessary to investigate any event that may have caused them stress such as exams, moving, the death of a loved one, the divorce of the parents, etc. , as this can affect their digestive system, irritating it and causing more or less severe pain.
Dangerous signs
To begin, you will have a physical exam to determine your weight and general health. During abdominal palpation, it will be possible to determine if there is tension, gas, inflammation, etc. On the other hand, it is convenient to bear in mind some signs that would indicate that the pain is not functional but could be caused by some disease. It is important to discuss these signs with the pediatrician:
- Fever with no apparent cause
- Weightloss
- Injuries to the anus
- Stools with traces of blood
- Frequent diarrhea
- Alterations in its growth
- Right side abdominal pain
- Persistent vomiting
- Family history of any intestinal disease, ulcer, celiac disease …
Treatment for functional abdominal pain
This type of pain, as you have seen, does not refer to any worrisome situation or underlying a serious problem, but it can present more or less intense discomfort. Therefore, the use of any medication will always be subject to the decision of a specialist, paracetamol being quite effective.
In addition, there are some remedies that can help soothe abdominal pain in children, such as massages in the area or applying heat. Occasionally, psychological therapy to help you manage tension and stress may be necessary.
How to talk to them about the issue?
It is about not making them think that everything is in their head, since this would make them feel even worse; But make it clear to them that they don’t have to worry and that they can learn to manage pain. They must understand that they do not have any disease even if their symptoms are real; Explain that they are being cared for and that the same thing happens to many children like him.
As you have seen, functional abdominal pain in children is quite common and although in general there is no reason to worry, it is advisable to observe them and rule out possible pathologies together with the doctor. These symptoms usually disappear with growth.
