Why Do Kids Get Tummy Aches? Pediatrician Dr. Donroe Explains
Sometimes, kids complain of pain in their tummies. To help you decide whether your child needs to see the doctor, Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) Pediatrician Dr. Joe Donroe explains some of the more common stomach complaints that children can have.
Medical issue: constipation and stool holding
What’s going on inside the body?
As kids get older, especially once they start going to school, parents often lose track of how often they are going to the bathroom. Even children who have a bowel movement every day can be constipated if their bowel movements are too small. Stool holding is very common, especially in elementary school, when children may be worried or embarrassed about using the bathroom at school.
Other symptoms to spot
Constipation and stool holding lead to tummy discomfort, but the pain is usually not severe. The discomfort can be difficult to localize and may improve after a bowel movement or passing gas. The hallmark of constipation is the passage of infrequent or hard and dry stool. Sometimes, it will result in kids frequently soiling their underwear.
What to do
Increase water and fiber intake as initial steps. Try fiber-rich cereals, oatmeal, fruits, and almonds. Additionally, try to schedule potty times, in particular just before and just after school. Finally, find out from your child’s teacher if they are using the bathroom to stool in school.
When to see the doctor
If your child is having infrequent or hard stools and it does not get better after increasing their water and fiber intake, you should talk to your doctor about other safe strategies to use. Generally, constipation can be managed without the use of suppositories and enemas, which can be very distressing for kids, though occasionally they are needed.
Medical issue: food-related tummy pain
What’s going on inside the body?
Some kids have difficulty digesting certain foods, most commonly dairy products and gluten. The undigested food leads to gas, diarrhea, and pain. Even people without problems digesting foods can get tummy aches if they eat too much. That includes too much candy and other desserts.
Other symptoms to spot
You may notice that the abdominal pain occurs after certain meals or at certain times of the day (after school lunch, for example). The increase in gas can be very uncomfortable, even painful, for young kids.
What to do
Try to determine if there is a pattern to your child’s pain (like every Friday after pizza night!). If you notice a particular food provokes the pain, try eliminating that type of food and see if the tummy pain improves. A pain diary can be a very useful way to identify patterns and find the source of the pain. Fill it in with your child, recording the time the pain occurs, how long it lasts, what made it get better, foods eaten that day, and bowel movements.
When to see the doctor
If there is no discernible pattern and the pain is persistent, you should talk to your pediatrician. Bring your pain diary with you.
Medical issue: stomach infections
What’s going on inside the body?
Intestinal infections can be caused by viruses and bacteria. These infections are usually passed along from one person to another through contact or by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. The infection can lead to vomiting and diarrhea. The pain usually results from increased production of gas and liquid stool.
Other symptoms to spot
Children may have a fever and feel tired. They may have other symptoms like a cough, a runny nose, or a sore throat. Other family members may be suffering from the same problem.
What to do
Help your child stay hydrated by drinking water, juice, or soup. Chicken soup can be particularly helpful. I recommend adding salt to the broth, putting rice in the soup, and adding small pieces of chicken and carrots. Oral rehydration solutions can be helpful; however, the taste is often unpleasant to kids and can actually cause your kids to not want to drink. Water, juice, and soup can be just as good in most cases. If your child is vomiting, avoid drinking too much all at once. Rather, it is easier to stay hydrated by drinking small amounts frequently. Use a water bottle so you can track your hydration efforts. If your child’s urine is light yellow, she is staying well hydrated.
When to see the doctor
If your child looks unwell and is becoming less interactive or more dehydrated, you should see your doctor. If there is blood in the stool or severe pain, you should be seen as well. Infectious diarrhea usually only lasts for three to five days. For diarrhea that is not improving after five days, it is a good idea to be seen. Keep in mind that after infectious diarrhea, kids can transiently develop intolerance to fructose and lactose. If your child looks well but the diarrhea is persisting, trying to cut back on the fruit and dairy for a few weeks. If you have an infant or toddler, have a lower threshold for coming to the doctor when your child has diarrhea. Your doctor may or may not do tests on the stool. It is important to note that most infectious diarrhea gets better on its own, regardless of whether it is caused by a virus or bacteria.
Medical issue: appendicitis
What’s going on inside the body?
The appendix is a small, tubular piece of intestine. If the tube gets blocked, it can become inflamed and infected, causing pain.
Other symptoms to spot
In the beginning, the pain is typically mild and located around the belly button. As it progresses, the pain moves toward the right lower part of the abdomen and becomes very localized there. Children may have some diarrhea, fever, and lose their appetite.
What to do
For pain that fits the pattern mentioned above, bring your child directly to the hospital to be evaluated.
When to see the doctor
Appendicitis does not always have the classic pattern described above. For persistent right lower abdominal pain, pain associated with high fever, or severe tummy pain, you should bring your child to be evaluated.
Medical issue: kids can have tummy aches for many reasons and sometimes we never figure out the reason why. Sometimes, it takes several visits with your pediatrician before we get an answer.
What’s going on inside the body?
These pains may be related to the tummy or could be related to other things like anxiety or headaches. Younger children, in particular, may have a very difficult time describing and localizing their symptoms.
Other symptoms to spot
There are some warning signs associated with tummy pain for that should prompt you to see your pediatrician sooner. Some examples are poor growth, weight loss, blood in the stool, severe pain, persistent diarrhea, persistent vomiting, pain that interrupts sleep, and dehydration.
What to do
In addition to recognizing the warning signs, trust your parental instincts. If you are concerned, you should see your family doctor or pediatrician.
Dr. Donroe is a pediatrician, internist, and a specialist in addiction medicine. To make an appointment with him, call the BJU Service Center at 4008-919191.
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