What should I do if my child has a stomachache? We carry out a quick diagnosis of the causes. If the child's stomach hurts, what can be given at home? Persistent abdominal pain

Why does the stomach hurt in a child of 6 years old - this is the question that many parents ask, since this symptomatology is often found in children at that age. There are a large number of reasons for the manifestation of such unpleasant pain sensations. Therefore, parents need to be especially attentive to their babies, since the health of children is above all.

Causes of abdominal pain in children 6 years old

The tummy in children of six years of age can hurt for a variety of reasons. It can be an infectious pathology or a surgical one, which, for example, is obtained as a result of an injury to the abdominal region. At the age of six, chronic pathologies are already encountered.

In order for mom to be able to understand: in the case when a child of 6 years old has a stomach ache, what to do and how to act in such a situation, an assessment of all the symptoms as a whole should be made. Often pain in this area is associated with:

• overeating;
• indigestion of food;
• gas formations;
• constipation.

But there are more serious reasons for the appearance of pain in babies, and especially when a child of 6 years old often has a stomach ache and other painful signs are present - diarrhea, nausea and fever. This is how appendicitis often manifests itself, which is a dangerous surgical disease, since such a pathology is characterized by rapid development and extremely negative consequences. Sharp, acute pain sensations are first localized in the navel, then gradually shift to the lower part of the abdominal region on the right side, that is, to the location of the appendix - the appendix. Also, with such a pathology, a child of 6 years old may have vomiting, a stomach ache, diarrhea with mucous impurities and fever.

Appendicitis is very dangerous for its complications. If you do not have time to hospitalize and do not operate on the baby in a timely manner, the inflamed appendix will burst, which in an unfavorable situation will lead to peritonitis.

When a child of 6 years old has a severe stomach ache, this may indicate gastroenteritis - a serious inflammation of the stomach or intestines as a result of an infectious lesion of the gastrointestinal tract with a virus or bacterial infection. These symptoms are typical:

• acute respiratory viral infection;
• pneumonia;
• diseases associated with inflammation of the urinary tract.

If a 6-year-old child has diarrhea, a stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, fever (more than 38.5 degrees), his general condition worsens and he refuses to eat, then this may indicate complications after suffering severe diseases such as hepatitis, mumps or pathologies urinary systems. Moreover, if you ignore the immediate appeal to the doctor in a similar situation, the baby may develop pancreatitis, in which inflammation of the pancreas occurs.

Another cause of pain in children in the abdominal region is food poisoning from poor-quality products. The clinical picture here is similar to infectious diseases. Symptoms indicate intoxication of the whole body and are complemented by vomiting, loose stools and fever.

If a child of 6 years old farts and has a stomach ache, then this indicates increased gas formation, which is associated with the use of products that contribute to its manifestation. Try to reconsider the diet and exclude from it dishes that cause flatulence. But if this approach does not give results, you need to consult a doctor.

How to help children 6 years old with abdominal pain?

In fact, there are much more reasons that cause pain in the abdominal region in six-year-old children. For example, colitis, intestinal obstruction, the consequences of injuries, psychological causes that are associated with stress and fear. It is precisely the manifestations of pain as a result of the experiences of children that are quite common precisely at the age of six to ten years.

If a child of 6 years old has a stomach ache only at a time and the reasons for this are clear, for example, the baby ate more than his norm, constipation occurred or, conversely, loose stools, you can give him a mild drug intended for children.

In case of detection of pain in the abdominal region in children, one should take care of dietary nutrition and feeding only high-quality products. To prevent infection, it is necessary to maintain sanitary cleanliness at home, it is necessary to teach the baby to wash their hands often, especially after walking and contact with pets.

But when the pains are frequent, acute in nature and are strongly manifested along with other characteristic signs - nausea, vomiting, fever, it is unacceptable to hesitate for a minute and seek help from a doctor. Only an experienced specialist will be able to make the correct diagnosis of the disease and take all necessary actions to save the health and life of the baby.

If a five-year-old child has a stomach ache, then he is already able to indicate the exact place, which helps to determine the organ in which there are problems. But at the same time, he still does not understand the difference between spasmodic, acute, aching or dull pain, respectively, it is not easy to understand what processes are taking place (inflammation, necrosis, spasm, stretching).

Therefore, if the stomach hurts badly in a child at the age of 5, then a doctor should examine him in order to exclude surgical pathologies. If there are short-term pains provoked by functional disorders, then parents are able to eliminate them on their own.

Causes of pain

Pain in a child may occur due to damage to the tissues of the organ, that is, if a pathological process occurs in the tissues, causing it to change. The cell adapts to the actions of various factors and reaches a stable state that allows it to adapt to new conditions.

If the adaptive capabilities of the cell are exhausted, then its damage occurs, which can still be reversible. If the unfavorable factor acts constantly or it is very strong, then the cell dies.

The following causes of cell damage are distinguished:

• hypoxia (occurs when there is a decrease in blood flow or the inability of the blood to transport oxygen);
• physical effects (trauma, overheating, cold);
• chemical agents and medicines (dust, asbestos, high doses of medicines, alcohol have a destructive effect on tissues);
• infectious agents;
• immune response;
• genetic disorders;
• unbalanced nutrition (the cause of cell damage is often a lack of protein foods and vitamins in the diet).

Thus, there are many causes that cause abdominal pain. Some of them are more common in adults, such as hypoxia, while others can cause pain in people of any age.

If a person often takes laxatives, then lazy bowel syndrome may occur.

What to look out for if your child has a stomachache

If a child at the age of 5 periodically has a stomach ache, then parents need to track exactly when the symptom occurs. Particular attention should be paid to whether there is a relationship with food intake, its quality and quantity, as well as with defecation, time of day.

If, after taking a certain food, abdominal pain, nausea, stool disturbance, flatulence appear, then perhaps these are signs of fermentopathy. In this group of diseases, not enough enzyme is synthesized that breaks down a certain compound, or it is labile, that is, it is destroyed when exposed to provoking factors.

The pathology does not always appear immediately after birth, for example, with constitutional lactase deficiency, lactase ceases to be synthesized from 3-5 years of age (as studies show, about 50% of adult Europeans do not tolerate milk, although this was not observed in early childhood).

Food allergies are not only manifested in infancy, it can also develop in a five-year-old child. Therefore, if a child has a stomachache every day for a week and at the same time he eats chocolate every day for a year, then an allergic reaction cannot be ruled out.

Moreover, the disease does not always have skin manifestations (rash, redness, dry skin), digestive disorders often occur, such as abdominal pain, colic, nausea, vomiting, stool disorders, flatulence, as well as respiratory symptoms (rhinitis, asthma) or edema.

An immune reaction can be not only to a specific product, but also to all red or orange vegetables, to a preservative

If a child has abdominal pains at night, then this may be due to a disease of the anatomical structure, which should prevent the reflux of gastric or intestinal contents back into the esophagus. Due to reflux, the walls of the esophagus become inflamed, which provokes pain, heartburn, belching, and difficulty swallowing.

In preschool children, GERD is sometimes accompanied by blood-streaked vomiting. Pathology occurs as a result of impaired motility of the stomach and intestines, insufficiency of the esophageal sphincter. The provoking factor is obesity, diaphragmatic hernia, dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system.

Parents should not make the diagnosis themselves. Only a doctor, after examining, probing the abdomen and conducting a laboratory examination, will be able to say why the baby often has a tummy ache.

How to help a child

If a child often complains of pain, then carbonated drinks, salty foods, raw cow's milk, and chips should be excluded from his diet. Food should not be too cold or hot as this is irritating to the upper gastrointestinal tract. It is recommended to monitor not only what the child eats, but also how much he eats, as well as what interval between meals.

Meals should be fractional, but frequent (every 3-4 hours).

Most often, the stomach hurts in children not due to diseases of the abdominal organs, but due to the immaturity of the digestive system. In a five-year-old child, enzymes are not as active as in an adult, gastric juice is less acidic, and the structure of the intestines and stomach is different.

Therefore, food lingers in the intestines longer, which leads to stagnation of feces and their compaction, as well as to fermentation and decay. In addition, children, even five-year-olds, put dirty hands in their mouths, bite their nails, swallow something inedible, or eat something very sweet.

Hence constipation, bloating, heaviness in the stomach, mucosal injuries, helminthic invasions, and violations of the intestinal microflora. If a child periodically experiences bloating in the abdomen as a result of a decrease in the motor function of the intestine, then Disflatil or Espumizan will help to release gases.

Stomach pain can also occur after overeating. In this case, enzymatic preparations help (Festal, Mezim), which contribute to the breakdown of food, but they should be given only on the recommendation of the attending gastroenterologist.

When frequent loose stools appear, the child can be given antidiarrheals, for example, Laktovit, Smektu, Linex. Since a lot of fluid is lost during diarrhea, it is necessary to ensure that the child drinks plenty of water. You can give drugs that restore electrolyte balance (Regidron, Gastrolit).

Traditional medicine suggests using rice water, anise and fennel tea as antidiarrheals.

If diarrhea and vomiting occur after eating poor-quality food, then Smecta, activated charcoal, Enterosgel, Polysorb will help remove toxins and bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract. Until the vomiting disappears, the child should not be fed, and antidiarrheal or antiemetic drugs should not be given, because this way the body removes toxins and prevents their penetration into the blood.

Symptoms of food poisoning are weakness, increased sweating, drowsiness, nausea, lack of appetite, fever. A child can be poisoned by unwashed vegetables or fruits, expired foods, peach or apricot pits, cream confections, etc.

It should be remembered that in an adult, poisoning can manifest itself as a slight malaise, and in a five-year-old child, due to the unformed protective function of the gastrointestinal tract, this can cause severe intoxication. Food poisoning can be treated at home only with mild intoxication.

Pain and heaviness in the abdomen can occur with constipation. In this case, medications that accelerate peristalsis and soften the stool will help. Babies aged 4-5 years are recommended to give laxatives in the form of suppositories, syrup, drops. Candles give a faster effect.

Laxatives should not be taken if the symptom is caused by acute bowel disease. With frequent use of the medication, lazy bowel syndrome may develop and the child will no longer empty itself, as degenerative changes in the intestines will begin. Therefore, laxatives are an emergency measure that will allow the child to empty the intestines.

You can give Duphalac, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, Normaze syrup, Forlax, Glycerol. Constipation can have organic causes and functional. The former include polyps, tumors, adhesions, which lead to impaired intestinal patency and accumulation of feces and gases.

The latter arise as a result of malnutrition (lack of plant fiber and the predominance of proteins and fats in the diet), violations of the drinking regime, a sedentary lifestyle, or against the background of other diseases.

At the age of five, bowel movements should occur at least twice in 5 days

If a child often has constipation that is not associated with the use of fixing products, you need to undergo an examination and choose an adequate treatment. Probiotics and prebiotics will help restore normal intestinal microflora. Drugs such as Forte, Hilak, Linex, Enterol have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, so they can be prescribed for poisoning, diarrhea, and intestinal infections.

When to call an ambulance

For some diseases, the child may need emergency medical care or even surgery. An emergency operation should be performed in case of acute appendicitis, peritonitis, rupture of the liver or spleen, intestinal obstruction, strangulated hernia, gastroduodenal bleeding.

Therefore, calling an ambulance is mandatory if the following symptoms occur:

• acute pain does not go away within two hours;
• the pain appeared sharply and immediately very intense;
• tense abdominal muscles
• pain makes you take a forced position of the body;
• the appearance of the child changes (pallor, pointed nose, circles under the eyes);
• the pain appeared after the child's stomach fell on something;
• body temperature does not match the heart rate. Normally, one degree adds 8-10 beats per minute. In a 3-5-year-old child, the pulse is about 100 beats / min.;
• severe diarrhea or with an admixture of blood, pus, mucus;
• nausea, repeated vomiting (more than three times);
• there was no bowel movement for more than 3 days, while the stomach is asymmetrical.

Until the doctor arrives, the child should not be given painkillers or laxatives, warm the stomach or do an enema, as these actions will only aggravate the situation.

The baby needs to provide peace, apply cold to the stomach, limit food intake

Even if the pain in a child occurs periodically, it is still necessary to show it to a specialist in order to exclude the development of organic pathology. Even young children can develop chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

To prevent them, it is necessary to carry out not only symptomatic treatment, but also complex therapy, which will allow you to get rid of abdominal pain. What needs to be done to avoid pain in the abdomen or around the navel, only the doctor can tell after determining the cause of the disease.

Children are family members, for whom you always worry more than for yourself. That is why, when your child begins to complain of discomfort in the abdomen, we wake up with serious anxiety and fear for his health. In this material, we will tell you why a child has a stomach ache, how to get rid of pain, and whether it is worth resorting to self-treatment.

You need to understand that the “belly” is a rather extensive area. This word can refer to the entire part of the body extending from:

• lower chest;
• to the human groin.

Unfortunately, the problem of pain in the abdomen in children occurs quite often, since their body is not yet a well-formed stable system, but is just beginning to develop. As a result, external influences, as well as internal factors that do not have a great impact on an adult, can cause serious harm to a child.

The reasons for the occurrence of pain in the abdomen in children may vary, and be:

• insignificant, easily eliminated on their own;
• serious, requiring medical attention.

Parents without fail need to be attentive to the child's complaints about pain, since sometimes the cause of their occurrence turns out to be much more dangerous than you originally thought.

What is abdominal pain

Pain in the abdomen in a child can be accompanied by completely different manifestations, however, most often it has the following characteristics:

• widespread distribution;
• point localization;
• colicky sensations;
• spastic manifestations.

The duration of pain in the abdomen may also vary, coinciding with the same parameter for the disease that caused it:

• they can be chronic (long-lasting pain syndrome);
• and can be acute (momentary pain, often occurring unexpectedly).

It is important to understand that if acute pain suddenly subsided, or completely disappeared, this does not mean that the same thing happened with the disease. Perhaps acute processes have become chronic, and continue to negatively affect your body, undermining your health.

According to its duration, abdominal pain is divided into:

• acute;
• chronic.

Luckily, most stomach pains go away quickly and don't have a serious cause. But it must be remembered that some diseases with similar pain are life-threatening.

• diseases that bother him;
• type of painful manifestations;
• reaction to pain.

So, for example, recently born babies, crying and worrying, most often signal colic in the tummy, the cause of which could be:

• nipple feeding and air swallowing;
• mother eating unsuitable foods, and after breastfeeding, etc.

However, unfortunately, babies react to internal stimuli in the same way due to age. The only signal they have is to cry. He cannot become even louder and more desperate even if the baby experiences more serious pain.

But the pain in the abdomen of a child whose age is, for example, 6 years old, will no longer need to be guessed, since at this age the baby is already independent enough to talk about what worries him. At the same time, he also develops resistance to painful sensations. Now he can tolerate them.

Video - The child has a stomachache

Why does a child have a stomach ache: types of sensations and their causes

Consider the most common causes of abdominal pain in children.

Colic

This problem is typical primarily for newborns and children of slightly older age. Moreover, abdominal colic is a classic picture of “malfunctions” with health in the first life periods of a child.

At the same time, this uncomfortable sensation may occur in a baby who eats:

• mixtures;
• breast milk;
• "adult" food.

At its core, colic is flatulence - an accumulation of gases in the intestines resulting from a combination of various circumstances, for example:

• when a mother feeds or bottles a baby, air can enter his digestive system, which subsequently leads to flatulence;
• a breastfeeding mother may incorrectly make up a diet and use a product that will subsequently affect the baby’s digestive system, provoking all the same gas formation, and with it bloating, colic, etc .;
• overfeeding with the so-called "forward" mother's milk, rich in a large amount of carbohydrates, while the "hind" milk does not flow to the baby due to various reasons;
• a sharp transfer of the baby from one mixture for feeding to another, which gave a negative reaction;
• transfer of a baby from breastfeeding to a mixture;
• incorrect position of the baby when feeding;
• other reasons related to food.

At the same time, colic can be justified not only by the above non-serious external factors, but also by diseases of various body systems of the baby:

• thus, the imperfection of the nervous system can lead to the occurrence of spastic phenomena of a nervous nature in the intestines;
• infectious diseases caused by a pathogen that has entered the body from the outside can also lead to colic, but will not be limited to this, and will lead to more dangerous consequences;
• another common cause is an allergy to a formula for feeding that is incorrectly selected and not suitable for your child;
• disorders associated with the production of digestive enzymes, as a result of which food is not digested to the end;
• predisposition to flatulence due to irritable bowel syndrome, etc.

Colic is a debilitating phenomenon that occurs with equal frequency at night and daytime, exhausting not only the children themselves, but also their parents. To identify the specific cause of this discomfort, it is best to consult a doctor.

Symptoms of colic that parents can track are as follows:

• the baby cries for a long time, on average from one to four hours;
• the child's face is red;
• legs are drawn to the body;
• the limbs of the child have a cool temperature;
• palms are gathered into fists.

Pain while traveling

It often happens that a child complains of abdominal pain during trips somewhere, while this discomfort may well be accompanied by nausea, and even vomiting.

Despite the fact that many parents do not always guess the relationship between the offspring's poor health and movement in transport, it is. The condition of the child in this case can be described by the familiar term "seasickness".

The fact is that motion sickness leads to the consequences listed above in almost 60% of cases among children. At the same time, such a reaction occurs not only in maritime transport, but also:

• in airplane;
• car;
• train
• bus, etc.

It's all about the intensity of the sway that the child feels. The receptors of the vestibular apparatus react to them, and as a result they cause:

• dizziness;
• feeling of instability;
• nausea;
• stomach ache;
• vomiting.

As a rule, the sensitivity of a child to transport increases with age, however, many people suffer from it for the rest of their lives. Methods of dealing in this case with the disease, and specifically abdominal pain, will be as follows:

• frequent stops during the trip so that the child can breathe;
• drinking water in small sips;
• mint gum sometimes helps with nausea, but it does not eliminate the pain in the abdomen.

Bacterial dysentery

Bacterial dysentery or shigellosis is a dangerous disease caused by a bacterium representative of the genus Shigella. For children, the desired pathology can be fatal, so you, as a parent, should take a closer look at the following symptoms:

• abdominal pain in the offspring, which he will either tell you himself, or will cry and scream, pointing to the stomach, while the discomfort will either increase or decrease;
• simultaneously with pain in the abdomen, a dyspeptic disorder occurs, consisting in a pathological increase in the frequency of stools, which will not necessarily be liquid;
• there is blood or mucus in the stool;
• the stool may stop flowing altogether, however, blood will continue to be released from the intestine through the anus, and with it mucus.

• nausea;
• vomit;
• loose stools, etc.

Infection with pathogens of dysentery occurs as follows:

• the child comes into contact with an already ill person;
• the baby drinks water contaminated with bacteria;
• the offspring eats food in which shigella develops for one reason or another.

Only a doctor can treat dysentery, since in each case an individual approach is necessary. However, the most commonly used treatment regimen is:

• soldering with water, or a specialized solution (for example, rehydron);
• use of antibiotics;
• drinking sweet tea;
• therapeutic diet, served in a hospital, under numbers 4, 2;
• in severe cases of the disease, bed rest is recommended;
• with a mild form, it is necessary to do physiotherapy exercises.

We want to reassure mothers of young children: contrary to popular belief, babies recover from dysentery much easier than older children, in addition, they also tolerate this pathology more stably and get sick less often.

To avoid this disease, it is necessary to follow preventive measures, for example:

• wash hands before eating;
• wash hands after using the toilet;
• feed the child with food cooked at the proper temperature, or well-washed foods;
• when breastfeeding, clean the nipple and surrounding areas, etc.

Infectious diseases of viral etiology

When we talk about abdominal pain in children, it is necessary to remember one of the most common causes of its occurrence - a viral type infection. The most common infection in children is rotavirus. It is she who causes terrible pain in the abdomen, accompanied by many other unpleasant symptoms.

Rotaviruses enter the child's body through the fecal-oral route. In other words, the release of the virus occurs with the feces of an infected person, who transfers them to the external environment by touching various objects:

• cell phones;
• of money;
• door handles;
• toothbrushes;
• table surfaces;
• even food.

This is due to insufficient observance of elementary hygiene rules. If you are sick and not in the habit of washing your hands after going to the toilet, there is a high chance of infecting people living with you.

In order for a healthy adult, and even more so a child, to become ill with a rotavirus infection, just two units of measurement of the virus are enough.

If one member of a large family is infected, it is almost impossible to prevent the rest of its members from getting sick, despite the observance of all precautions.

At the same time, not only relatives and friends of the patient fall into the risk group, but also:

• visitors to public eating places (if the patient is an employee of such a place);
• buyers, if sellers selling absolutely any product are sick;
• students whose teacher, while checking notebooks, left viruses on each of them.

That is why infection can be completely unexpected for you. As for the incubation period necessary for the virus to induce the first symptoms of the disease, it is only two days. As soon as this time comes to an end, the disease will become stronger, and will manifest itself as a sharp pain in the abdomen, especially painful for young children.

The onset of an infectious disease implies the onset of symptoms characteristic of a cold:

• cough;
• temperature rise;
• snot, etc.

Rotavirus leads to serious intoxication of the body - a serious condition in which it is, as it were, poisoned. The disease is accompanied by extensive symptoms, which are shown in the following table.

Table 1. Symptoms of rotavirus

The cause of symptoms that are taken for signs of an intestinal disorder may not be poisoning, but rotavirus. How to distinguish one from the other? We will talk about this in

Abdominal tuberculosis

Abdominal tuberculosis refers to the defeat of:

• segments of the digestive system;
• lymph nodes;
• peritoneum (thin layer covering the organs of the abdominal cavity);
• spaces behind the peritoneum.

Very often, this disease is detected in the later stages of development, as it mimics other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Symptoms of this disease will be as follows:

• weight loss due to disruption of digestive processes and absorption of nutrients;
• stomach ache;
• weakness;
• temperature caused by intoxication;
• lethargy;
• pain in the head;
• Bad mood;
• night sweats;
• insomnia;
• loss of appetite (sometimes complete);
• pain in the area of ​​the heart muscle;
• pulse disorders;
• intestinal obstruction;
• drop in blood pressure in the arteries, etc.

With abdominal tuberculosis, the child begins to experience severe pain in the abdomen, as well as to feel its increase, which is not always noticeable from the outside.

The disease is often transmitted after close contact with a sick person.

Constipation

Constipation itself is not a disease, however, it is he who most often causes pain in the abdomen, caused, as you can already understand, by stagnation of feces in the intestines.

Constipation is the accumulation of feces inside the intestines, for some reason not having the opportunity to pass naturally

The causes of constipation may be as follows:

• the prevalence in the daily menu of products of animal origin, saturated with fats, to the detriment of vegetable coarse fiber;
• a sedentary lifestyle, for example, if a child prefers a computer to active games;
• peptic ulcer of the intestine;
• cancerous processes in the gastrointestinal tract;
• mechanical damage to the intestines;
• adhesions;
• diseases of a neurological type;
• disruption of the endocrine system;
• taking various medicines.

All of the above reasons are relevant for children as well as for adults. In the presence of any of them, bouts of constipation will occur frequently. Due to the fact that hardened feces from the inside will damage the intestines, the child will feel pain. In addition, hardened feces provoke increased gas formation, and inflammatory processes at the site of prolonged contact with the intestines, thereby increasing the pain syndrome.

Symptoms in this case will be as follows:

• the child will point to his stomach, or say that he has pain in the navel;
• abdominal pain will be serious, most likely, it will cause a serious tantrum in the baby;
• the child will not be able to go to the toilet;
• the stool that will come out of the intestine will be characterized by high density and hardness;
• a visit to the toilet may take place once every few days, or not take place at all;
• the baby's stomach will be swollen due to the formation of a large amount of gas in the intestines.

Dairy intolerance

Another common cause of pain in the abdomen is intolerance to dairy products. In other words, the child's body has a special attitude to the products of this category, or rather to the lactose contained in them.

This condition occurs when the child's body does not produce the enzymes needed to process milk sugar (lactose). Or, it produces them in small quantities.

In addition, allergic reactions to milk proteins may also develop. This is typical for children with allergies, whose parents also show a sensitive reaction to various foods, smells, etc.

Symptoms of intolerance and allergy to dairy products are as follows:

• abdominal pain;
• bloating;
• flatulence;
• colic in the intestines;
• distribution of pain throughout the abdomen.

Peptic ulcer and gastritis

Peptic ulcer and gastritis are diseases that are very similar to each other. Most often, they cause abdominal pain in children and adults, contrary to popular belief that children do not suffer from this disease.

Gastritis is a deformation of the mucous walls of the stomach and their inflammation, while peptic ulcer is actually the same, only with its development, the walls of the intestine and stomach cover wounds that bleed and gradually become deeper, up to the organ.

Children who already know how to express themselves talk about the pain of a peptic ulcer or gastritis, as an unpleasant burning sensation, corroding the flesh. In some cases, it is so strong that urgent anesthesia is required.

Most often, with these diseases, pain is felt in:

• left side of the abdomen;
• in the region of the stomach;
• at the chest.

The diseases sought will be accompanied by:

• weight loss
• pain associated with eating (with peptic ulcer it will hurt in between meals, with gastritis while eating);
• vomiting;
• frequent nausea;
• constipation;
• diarrhea
• weight loss
• there is fear, etc.

Helminths

The colonization of helminths is another reason why children of different ages can have stomach ache. Malicious organisms get inside our body, as a rule, as follows:

• in case of non-compliance with food hygiene;
• when personal hygiene is not observed.

Getting inside the gastrointestinal tract, helminths can also move to other organs, developing there, and emitting waste products that are harmful to us, actually acting like a poison. As a result, not only the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms occurs, but also the destruction of the walls of the organs in which the worms live, which causes irreparable damage to our body.

In addition, helminths provoke:

• spastic phenomena in the intestine;
• diarrhea;
• gas formation;
• flatulence, etc.

You can fight these symptoms only by destroying the worms. For this, the attending physician (and only he, self-medication is not effective) prescribes:

• enterosorbents;
• anthelmintics;
• antihistamines;
• diet
• plentiful drink.

We will tell you which modern antihelminthic drugs for children are most effective, and what are the principles for their use.

Appendicitis

Appendicitis is an inflammatory process that has taken possession of the process of our intestines, which looks like a worm. It's called the appendix. In a healthy state, it looks like a small oblong tube of the following sizes:

• diameter from 7 to 10 millimeters;
• up to 150 mm long.

The branch of this organ comes from the caecum, it is a dead end. In fact, to date, the real function of the appendix has not been clarified. After its removal, people still lead a quality life that is no different from the previous one, at least outwardly.

With inflammation of this process, a person feels severe pain. The child is unable to endure them for a long time, so urgent hospitalization is required. Simultaneously with abdominal pain:

• the temperature rises;
• sweating increases;
• vomiting opens;
• sometimes loose stools occur;
• pain from the center of the abdomen radiates down;
• palpation is extremely painful.

Menstruation

The occurrence of this cause will be typical for teenage girls. When they first encounter their period, which can be very painful, they experience fear and terrible discomfort. The task of the mother or father (if there is no mother in the family), as well as another parent, is to explain to the child the physiological nature of this process, and to establish the moral side of the issue.

As for pain, during menstruation, it occurs due to the fact that every month inside the woman's body occurs:

• egg maturation;
• preparation of the inner surface of the uterus for the attachment of the fetal egg.

When pregnancy does not occur, the body has to renew this layer, in fact, removing it, rejecting the cells. That is why there is irritation and pain characteristic of menstruation. Its manifestation will be individual, but many girls even find it difficult to do ordinary things in "these days."

In addition, the uterus irritates the intestines located next to it, leading to:

• swelling;
• flatulence;
• frequent bowel movements.

For this condition, these manifestations are absolutely normal, however, terribly unpleasant.

An antispasmodic tablet will help soothe the irritated organ. To also reduce the general irritability of the girl, also characteristic of this time, you can brew her tea with herbs such as:

• motherwort;
• hop;
• valerian, etc.

Summing up

Pain in the abdomen is always a test for a child. Adults get used to enduring pain in their lifetime, so they treat it easier than a small person who has not yet mastered this valuable skill. In addition, an adult understands exactly what hurts, and can thus explain to another adult about this and get help. However, at the same time, the child sometimes still does not know how to speak, how, in fact, to gesticulate, so it becomes unrealistically difficult to guess the true cause of his condition.

In this article, we do not suggest that you familiarize yourself with the “treatment” section, it is simply not included in the material presented. And there is a reason for this: the pathological conditions described above are far from all the reasons why a child can feel pain in the abdomen. In addition, even those listed here require an individual approach to treatment, which should be charted by a specialist in the field of medicine, and not necessarily a gastroenterologist.

It is dangerous to self-treat a baby without a medical education, since taking even one medicine can worsen his condition, and, depending on the age and severity of the disease, even lead to death.

Children of all ages can suffer from abdominal pain. There can be many reasons for this symptom. How to help a child in such a situation and what means are best suited?

The action and effectiveness of drugs for abdominal pain in a child

What remedy should be given to the child for abdominal pain, only the pediatrician should decide. For this, the cause of the pain and its localization are determined. The doctor usually asks the parents what kind of food the child ate, how long ago he went to the toilet.

The action of drugs

Depending on the cause of the pain and the symptoms that accompany it, drugs with different effects may be prescribed:

1. Helps in the digestion of food when overeating. These products contain enzymes.
2. Stops diarrhea, vomiting and nausea.
3. Get rid of. These drugs include antacids.
4. They relieve spastic pains, relax the muscles and improve the blood supply to the internal organs.
5. They help to collect and remove all toxic substances from the body in case of poisoning.
6. They fight the accumulation of gases in the intestines. These are products based on simethicone or dill and fennel oils.
7. Restore the microflora after a course of antibiotic therapy.
8. Improve intestinal motility, soften feces and help to empty. Such preparations for children contain lactulose.

Possible causes of painful symptoms

When the stomach hurts in a child under one year old, this is often associated with infantile colic. Then the baby becomes restless, cries, tightens his legs. In these situations, the doctor advises parents preparations based on dill and fennel oil, which contribute to the discharge of gases.

In children after 1 year, the main cause may be infections, poisoning and infection with worms. These are serious conditions and require immediate medical attention.

Children 5 years old can already well show the place of pain. If it is localized near the navel, the cause may be constipation and.

If the child points to the right side of the abdomen, appendicitis can be suspected. In this case, you need to call an ambulance.

Acute pain in the abdomen on the right or in the navel may indicate an attack of appendicitis

Girdle pain in the stomach area may indicate problems with the pancreas. After consulting a doctor, you should adjust the child's diet and give enzymes that will help digest food.

There are symptoms in which you need to urgently go to the hospital. Help is required immediately when abdominal pain is accompanied by a rash, complete refusal of food and water, dark brown vomit, blood in the stool, difficulty urinating.

In any case, if the child complains of pain or discomfort in the abdomen, this should be the reason for going to the doctor. Self-medication can lead to the most undesirable consequences.

Release forms

Remedies for stomach pain come in a variety of forms. For children under three years old, suppositories, syrups, drops, suspensions are more suitable. An older child can take tablets and capsules.

When choosing the form of release of the drug, you need to consider that the syrup, suspension, powder will act faster than a capsule or tablet. It is better to put candles at night, their action begins later, but the effect is longer.

Video: Dr. Komarovsky about abdominal pain in children

When can a doctor prescribe medication

When the cause of the pain is established, the doctor prescribes treatment. If nothing serious is found in the baby, the doctor advises parents to adjust the child's diet.

Medicines are prescribed in the following cases:

• when the diet is not effective and the gastrointestinal tract cannot cope with the digestion of food on its own;
• when abdominal pain is spasmodic;
• if necessary, help the child's intestines empty and get rid of excess gas formation;
• if poisoning is suspected;
• with diarrhea, vomiting and nausea;
• after taking antibiotics, with an imbalance in the intestinal microflora.

For abdominal pain, a child can be prescribed a homeopathic remedy. Before its use, a thorough diagnosis of the body is also necessary.

From homeopathic preparations in pediatrics can be used:

• Hamomilla - for pain in the navel with pronounced rumbling in the abdomen and belching;
• Etuza - with frequent regurgitation in newborns;
• Belladonna - with pain that arose due to experiences and shocks.

The use of homeopathic remedies is not safe without the advice of specialists.

Video: what parents should do if their child has a stomachache

Contraindications and possible side effects of medications

Contraindications for remedies for abdominal pain can be:

• allergic reactions to components;
• intestinal obstruction;
• acute appendicitis.

If you use the funds incorrectly, increase the dosage yourself, side effects may occur:

• diarrhea;
• vomiting;
• rashes;
• flatulence.

How to take medicine for stomach pain

It must be remembered: in no case should you give the child pain medication before the arrival of the doctor. After the medicine begins to act, the symptoms will not be so obvious, it will be difficult for a specialist to make a correct diagnosis.

All drugs prescribed to the child must be used without exceeding the dosage.

Table: what can be given to a child if the stomach hurts

Folk remedies

It is necessary to use traditional medicine for children carefully, before consulting a doctor.

Every parent has experienced a child complaining of abdominal pain. The disease can manifest itself at any age and has many possible causes. Abdominal pain can signal the presence of a serious illness, it is important not to miss this "bell". To make it easier for parents to navigate the symptoms and causes, we will consider these aspects in more detail.

Why do children get stomach ache?

The causes of abdominal pain are many, they depend on the age and gender of the child. The disease can develop against the background of chronic or infectious diseases, nervous tension, age-related changes. The main reasons include:

• overexertion, stress;
• disorders in the work of the digestive system;
• viruses and infections;
• pathology of the gastrointestinal tract;
• allergy;
• poisoning.

Diseases of the abdominal organs

Often the appearance of pain is associated with abnormalities in the work of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity. Late treatment can lead to serious complications, so if acute or chronic pain occurs, you should immediately contact a specialist.

Depending on the location and symptoms, the doctor will make one of the following diagnoses:

1. Appendicitis (we recommend reading:). As a rule, inflammation of the appendix affects children aged 8-12 years. The pain will be localized in the navel, may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
2. In children older than 6 months, volvulus is diagnosed. The baby feels acute pain, turns pale, vomiting appears, blood pressure decreases.
3. Infringement of an inguinal hernia (we recommend reading:). Appears over 2 years of age. Discomfort in the abdomen is expressed by spasms, accompanied by sweating, anxiety, pallor of the skin.
4. Children 5-7 years old are prone to pneumococcal peritonitis. The pain is strong, sharp, the child often vomits, fever appears, over time the condition only worsens (we recommend reading:).
5. Tuberculous mesadenitis. The patient has periodic spasms, diarrhea, fever. A specific symptom is an increase in lymph nodes in the abdomen.
6. Attacks of pain may indicate intestinal intussusception - a condition when the peristalsis of the organ is disturbed. There may be vomiting and fever.

Any of the above diagnoses requires timely diagnosis and treatment, therefore, if such a clinical picture appears, it is necessary to call an ambulance. Delay will lead to peritonitis, the treatment of which is possible only through surgical intervention.

Diseases of the pelvic organs and kidneys

Urological pathologies often become the basis for the appearance of pain in the abdominal region. In this case, the symptom is manifested by spasms, discomfort can be given to the lumbar region. The child feels frequent urge to urinate even at night, while the pain intensifies. Urological diseases include:

1. Acute pyelonephritis (we recommend reading:). It develops against the background of congenital pathology of the urinary system, accompanied by high fever, dehydration.
2. Infectious diseases of the bladder, they are subject to children older than one year of age. The inflammatory process begins, the pain is localized in the center of the lower abdomen, the temperature rises.
3. Urolithiasis disease. Kidney stones are found in children of all ages. The disease is indicated by such signs as vomiting, bloating, pain when urinating.

Poisoning and allergic reactions

The younger the child, the greater the likelihood of allergies. The body may reject unfamiliar food.

An allergic reaction is manifested individually by the following signs:

• nausea and vomiting;
• skin rash, redness, itching;
• runny nose, cough;
• diarrhea;
• tearing;
• inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes.

Antihistamines will help to cope with allergies; in case of poisoning, it will be more difficult to solve the problem. It is manifested by frequent vomiting and nausea, stool disorder, abdominal pain. The causes of the disease can be the use of incompatible products or poor-quality, expired food. The doctor will prescribe a treatment regimen depending on the severity of the pathology.

functional pain

Doctors refer to this type of pain as conditions that are not associated with infectious infections or pathologies of internal organs. Such pains can appear paroxysmal, they are not dangerous, but cause significant discomfort.

They are caused by:

• nervous tension, stress;
• abdominal migraine in childhood is a cramping pain in the navel, as it grows older it turns into a migraine;
• in girls after 9 years of age, aching pains in the lower abdomen may indicate the onset of menstruation;

• irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by stool disorder and pain in the abdomen, this condition is not dangerous for health;
• functional dyspepsia resembles gastritis in its signs: dull pains in the abdominal region, a feeling of heaviness, heartburn or belching.

Such pains do not require treatment and often disappear in adolescence. To alleviate the condition of the child will help the correct regime of the day, a comfortable home environment.

Other causes of pain

If the pain is not caused by diseases of the internal organs, infections or nervous disorders, then you should pay attention to other possible causes. They will depend on the age and lifestyle of the child:

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Origin

The abdominal cavity in the usual sense is the front part of the body between the ribs and the inguinal zone, but the localization of pain is usually more narrowly focused. Depending on where the child has a stomach ache, a specific diagnosis can be made:

Parents should be aware that young children most often cannot correctly determine the place of pain, they complain of ailments in the umbilical region. Try to carefully check the localization by palpation.

By duration

Short-term one-time pain is usually associated with overeating or eating junk food. If a child has a stomachache for more than a day, you should contact a specialist. Episodic outbreaks, combined with a disorder of the stool, speak of danger. If these symptoms persist for more than 3 days, seek medical help immediately.

What diagnostic methods can be used to determine the causes of pain?

How to support a child if he has a stomachache? The first stage is a consultation with a pediatrician. The doctor will conduct a general examination, if a pathology is suspected, he will give a referral to narrow specialists. You may need to consult a urologist, surgeon, gastroenterologist. In addition to blood, urine and feces tests, they may prescribe:

• colonoscopy - examination of the large intestine, in well-equipped clinics it is possible to carry out the procedure without swallowing the "gut";
• fibrogastroscopy - examination of internal organs using an endoscope; for young children, such a diagnosis is often replaced by an x-ray of the stomach;
• Ultrasound - depending on the symptoms, the pelvic organs, liver, pancreas, bladder, kidneys, spleen are checked;
• irrigoscopy - X-ray examination of the colon;
• magnetic resonance imaging of the abdominal cavity is prescribed for an undetermined diagnosis.

Depending on the location and nature of the pain, the doctor may prescribe an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.

What to do if a child complains of severe abdominal pain?

Do not panic, because the feeling of anxiety will be passed on to the child. Pay attention to the accompanying symptoms, try to ask the child about the place and nature of the pain - this will help the doctor. You also need to remember when and what the child last ate, why an illness could occur. If the patient's condition causes concern, call the pediatrician.

First aid

Acute and prolonged pain requires special therapy, which will be carried out by a specialist. Before the arrival of the doctor, you should use the general recommendations:

• do not give your child any pills until the doctor arrives - painkillers will relieve symptoms that may indicate serious inflammation;
• do not put pressure on the stomach - if the cause is inflammatory processes, then mechanical action can cause rupture of soft tissues;
• to relieve pain, apply cold to the stomach;
• let the baby drink in small sips every 10 minutes.

With colic in an infant, it is recommended to do light gymnastics, which will help relieve spasms, promote gas bubbles in the intestines and facilitate their release (more in the article:)

If we are talking about a baby, and the discomfort is caused by colic:

• stroke the tummy with the edge of the palm in a clockwise direction;
• hold the baby in a column;
• put the baby on his back, bend his legs and press them to the stomach, then straighten the limbs - you need to do the exercises several times;
• give your child or a doctor-recommended gas remedy.

Tablets and other drugs

Any medication can be given only if you know exactly the causes of the disease. When parents are sure that the disease is not severe, the child can be treated at home with the following medicines:

• in case of poisoning and diarrhea - activated charcoal (taken at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight); Polysorb, Enterosgel, Smecta (allowed from birth);
• with bloating and gases - Espumizan, a young child is given Espumizan Baby, Bobotik, Sub Simplex (we recommend reading:);
• with severity and overeating - Mezim tablets;
• with heartburn - Almagel or Rennie (contraindicated up to 10 and 12 years, respectively);
• the disease, manifested by attacks, can be eliminated with the help of drugs with paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Folk remedies

It is possible to treat the stomach with the help of traditional medicine only after finding out the cause of the disease. Recipe examples:

1. For dysbacteriosis, prepare a drink with probiotics. Take 1-2 tbsp. yogurt, 3 tsp coriander leaf juice, 0.5 tsp cardamom, a pinch of salt and 200 ml of water. Mix everything and drink a drink an hour after eating.
2. Fennel seeds can help with indigestion. After eating spicy or fatty foods, you can chew fresh fennel or dry fennel seeds. In pharmacies, a ready-made phytopreparation with this active ingredient is sold - Plantex granules.
3. Rice broth will help with diarrhea. For 0.5 cups of cereal, 6 glasses of water are taken. Boil the rice in the usual way, then strain. The resulting product can be sweetened with a spoonful of honey.

Fennel seeds are useful for any problems associated with diseases of the stomach and intestines.

When is it necessary to urgently see a doctor?

In what cases should you not hesitate to contact a doctor? Calling an ambulance is required if:

• in a child under 5 years of age, acute pain does not go away for more than 3 hours;
• the pain appeared abruptly, accompanied by pallor of the skin or loss of consciousness;
• there is repeated vomiting and nausea;
• diarrhea appeared, the body does not take food;
• sharp pain appeared at night;
• the stomach hurts very much, there is a fever;
• Pain is noted constantly for several weeks.

In children, pathological processes pass faster than in adults, and the gastrointestinal tract is still too sensitive, so it is important to pay attention to alarming symptoms in time. Self-treatment is possible only with the full confidence of the parents in the absence of serious diseases.